Chicken and dumplings

Southern Living, Dec 1999 by Vann, Patty M

These, new chicken and dumpling recipes are as delicious as the old-fashioned version; we've streamlined them using readymade biscuit dough, biscuit mix, and flour tortillas. Because the preparation and cooking times are longer than most of our quick-and-easy recipes, we've provided Quick Tips to help you save time. Patty M. Vann

CHICKEN AND POTATO DUMPLINGS

1 (4-pound) whole chicken, cut up

8 cups water

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2 tablespoons dried minced onion

1 1/2 cups biscuit mix

1/2 cup instant potato flakes

2/3 cup milk

* BRING first 5 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Cool chicken and broth.

* SKIM fat from broth. Skin, bone, and cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside. Whisk soup and minced onion into broth; bring to a boil.

* STIR together biscuit mix, potato flakes, and milk. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; roll or pat dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into 1/2-inch strips. Pinch off 1/2-inch pieces, and drop, 1 at a time, into boiling broth; add chicken. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Yield: 6 servings

Prep: 25 min., Cook: 1 hr.

Lisa Kinsley

Greensboro, North Carolina

QUICK TIP: Substitute 8 cups chicken broth for water; reduce salt to 1/4 teaspoon. Proceed with recipe using 3 to 4 cups chopped cooked chicken.

CHICKEN IN A HURRY?

Keep some cooked chicken in your freezer. Preparing it is easy. Arrange 3 celery ribs, cut into 4-inch pieces; 2 carrots, sliced; and 1 medium onion, sliced, in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan. Top with 6 skinned and boned chicken breast halves. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bake, covered, at 400 deg for 25 to 30 minutes or until chicken is done. Cool chicken slightly; chop and store in plastic bags in freezer. Reserve broth for other uses.

CHICKEN AND TORTILLA DUMPLINGS

6 chicken leg quarters (5 pounds)

8 cups water

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 small onion, chopped

2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 (15-ounce) package 8-inch flour tortillas

* BRING first 7 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven. Let chicken and broth cool. Skin, bone, and cut chicken into bite-size pieces; set aside. Skim fat from broth. Add soup to broth; bring to a boil.

* CUT tortillas into 2- x 1 -inch strips. Add strips, 1 at a time, to briskly boiling broth mixture. Add chicken, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes, stirring often to prevent dumplings from sticking. Yield: 6 servings.

Prep: 15 min.; Cook: 1 hr., 10 min.

Kathryn Burkhalter

Bruce, Florida

QUICK TIP: Substitute 8 cups chicken broth for water; omit bouillon cubes; reduce salt to 1/2 teaspoon. Proceed with recipe using 3 to 4 cups chopped cooked chicken.

BISCUIT DUMPLINGS AND CHICKEN

4 bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned (3 pounds)

6 cups water

1 tablespoon Creole seasoning

1 (11-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits

* BRING first 3 ingredients to a boil in a Dutch oven; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 to 35 minutes or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, reserving broth in Dutch oven; let chicken cool. Bone and cut chicken into bite-size pieces.

* PLACE biscuits on a floured surface; roll or pat to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut biscuits into thirds.

* BRING broth to a boil. Drop biscuits, I at a time, into boiling broth; add chicken. Cook, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. Yield: 4 servings.

Prep: 15 min., Cook: 47 min.

Anita Emory

Vincent, Alabama

QUICK TIP: Substitute 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth for water; use 3 cups chopped cooked chicken.