CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

[Duchess]

How hard can it be, right?

I think I understand how it's done - boil the chicken. I intend to use breasts because the whole bird has veins and other yuck and I don't want to chance any of it getting in my juice. Shred cooked chicken and return to pot along with cans of broth, bring to boil & say, "please will you make the biscuits/dumplings, I did everything else".

Damnit. I have to make it thick too, don't I? I'd rather go outside and dig a ditch. Why does this shit have to be so hard. I'm trying like hell to get in the mood and it isn't happening.

I guess I have to look at recipes. Oh happy day.

[sally]

Do you like the flat noodle type dumplings or the round fluffy ones? I like the round fluffy ones so I just use the recipe on the Bisquick box and drop it by spoonfuls into the simmering soup. Once you drop them in don't mess with them because they'll fall apart, just simmer uncovered for 10 minutes and then covered for another 10 minutes like the directions say.The dumplings thicken the soup as it simmers. If you like the flat ones then I'm no help, that requires making a dough, rolling it out and cutting into squares which is too much work for me.

[Maggot]

Sorry I'm only good at the BBQ grill, ask Sally.

[sally]

Also I hate the smell of boiled chicken breast and it really doesn't make a good stock. I season and roast a whole chicken first, pull off the breast meat to use in it later and simmer the carcass with carrots, celery, onion, leeks, pepper, parsley, garlic, bay leaf and chicken base. Then I drain it, skim off the fat and have good homemade stock instead of the canned stuff. If you insist on not using a whole bird, I would use bone in, skin on chicken breasts and roast them first and make my own stock.

And the canned broth was probably made from beaks and chicken dicks so you really are better off making your own.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Use the whole chicken, whatever veins and the like were cleaned out before you ever say the thing.
Boil with a little salt and pepper and a touch of poultry seasoning. Remove and debone, no shredding.
Canned biscuits work fine, not the 18 cents a can ones, get the good ones.
Tear them in pieces and drop into the pot and stir a bit.
If the liquid part is too thin, stir in a small amount of corn starch to thicken to your liking.
Last step, carefully place another can of biscuits on top and shove it in the oven at about 400 until the biscuits on top brown.
Good to go

[sally]

The smell of raw chicken boiling in water is one of the worst smells ever to me, doesn't matter how many seasonings and aromatics you put with it. It's right up on the list with shit and dead people. Plus if you roast it before putting it in the water you get much better flavor and can eat all of the crispy skin.

[Duchess]

Even before I read the part about dicks & beaks I had decided to go with a whole chicken. Jeezus, dicks and beaks. Using biscuits is a good idea so I'll use them and I'll be assured they taste good so that's easy enough.

Thanks, Sally & Six.

[ramseycat]

So how did it come out?

[Duchess]

I haven't made it yet. I have to psych myself up for this shit.

I'm doing it today.

[Duchess]

I got out of cooking this. Yeehaw. I was telling him what Sally said about roasting the bird first & he said he'd like to give that a shot.

[Mohammed]

And the canned broth was probably made from beaks and chicken dicks so you really are better off making your own.

Is it any wonder why I find myself sometimes fantasizing about this woman???

Sometimes.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

your poor poor unfulfilled taste buds....

[Duchess]

your poor poor unfulfilled taste buds....

They will be fulfilled. I've made sure he has everything he needs to get the job done & I showed him all of your suggestions. He likes to cook, he just doesn't have the time for it that I do. Shame.

[SIXFOOTERsez]

Ahh, ok