Lunch today was a pot of big puffy homemade dumplings cooked on top of a homemade chicken soup. So easy and very delicious.

Would!

Pure greatness.

Like those fluffy ones, wife and daughter like the flat ones.

In a large pot that has a tight fitting lid I add enough water to cover my chicken. You can use a whole chicken or chicken parts that is your choice. With the raw chicken I add one chopped onion, 1 bay leaf, 2 or 3 carrots diced and 2 or 3 stalks of celery diced. I add some salt and pepper as well. Boil the chicken and vegetables until the chicken is fully cooked. Turn off the heat under the pot.

Remove the chicken from the pot after the chicken is fully cooked. Allow the chicken to cool until you can handle the chicken. Separate the meat from the skin and the bones. Discard the skin and bones. I tear the meat into small pieces and return the shredded meat to the pot.

Turn the heat back on under the pot to a medium low setting. Add one approximately 10 ounce can of a cream soup. Depending upon what I find in the pantry I use cream of mushroom, or celery, or chicken. Dealers choice.
Normally I will make a corn starch slurry and stir the slurry into the hot broth. I want the contents to look like a thin gravy. Adjust the salt and pepper seasonings as needed.

Almost done.

Adjust the heat under the pot to just under boiling. The pot's contents should be at a simmering level. If the pot is boiling vigorously the dumpling will break up during the next phase.
Adjust the flame to the correct setting before going to the next step.

To make the dumplings:

In a mixing bowl add
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons of baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Mix these dry ingredients together well.

In a measuring cup crack one egg. Add enough milk with the egg to raise the level to 1/2 cup total. Mix the egg and milk together well.

Try to work quickly for the next couple of steps. Double check the pot. Remember simmering and not boiling.

Combine the egg/milk mixture with the dry ingredients. Stir together well, but don't over beat. It should be a very sticky soft dough.

Spoon the dough into the hot simmering broth. Between each spoon of dough dip your spoon into a cup of water to help the dough balls slide off easily. One cup of flour should make about 8 dumplings.

Immediately cover the pot with the tight fitting lid. Set a timer for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes remove the lid, and turn each dumpling over. Return the lid onto the pot. Cook an additional 5 minutes.

Serve immediately.

I have learned it is better to use a big pot than a smaller pot.

Occasionally I will add a little oregano, or Italian Seasoning, or cheese to my dry ingredients during the dumpling making steps.


The photo below shows a time that I used too small of a pot when making the dumplings.