Southern Chicken & Dumplings

Here is another recipe to make when the weather is cold, or for whatever reason you want comfort food. It's basically a big pot of hot, steamy lovin' that's nutritious and fits the bill for this blog - it's easy to make. It's a staple of southern cookin' just as sure as grits and black eyed peas & greens on new year's.

Think of this dish as chicken pot pie without all the fussy crust. The dumplings are actually big, flat noodles without any filling, which I suppose technically means the crust is actually mixed in with the rest of it. But this is not a dish for analyzin' and thinkin' too much about - you eat it. And trust me - you will enjoy eating this.

Ingredients:

36 oz of chicken broth (3 cans of Swanson’s)
1 – 2 boneless chicken breasts½ package of Annie’s Frozen Dumplings (or any similar brand)
½ cup sliced carrots
½ cup of sliced celery
1 chopped onion (1 pkg frozen pre-diced)
1 tsp Herbes de Provence
Salt & Pepper to taste
Begin by boiling the chicken, and once its cooked, either dice it or shred it with a fork. Then, slice the carrots and celery while you bring a pot of chicken broth to boil. As the ingredients are diced & sliced, add them to the boiling pot. Break the frozen dumplings by hand (they come all lined up and fused together like a sheet) and add them to the pot as well. Let it simmer just above boiling for about an hour or so, stirring occasionally. It needs that long to get the flavor and consistency you want - something thicker than soup. One other thing - it needs to be tasted frequently along the way to make sure it tastes right ("wink-wink").
If you're like us and everyone is scattered hither & yon, arriving home at different times, you can leave this on the stove simmering and it's ready whenever you want to eat. While it's cooking it fills the house with warmth and good smells. Yes - it's really that easy.


Enjoy!