If there is one food that reminds me of my childhood, it’s chicken and dumplings. Chicken and dumplings were a popular dish at every family gathering or church potluck. To me, it is the ultimate comfort food.
I spent a lot of time in the kitchen with my mother and grandmothers, growing up in the 70s. My love of cooking came from time helping them. They boiled chicken, rolled out dumplings and dropped them into the broth. The aroma wafting through the house meant that we were having my favorite meal.
Many years later, I discovered that wheat gluten was not my friend. I had to give up some of my most favorite foods which of course, included chicken and dumplings. I made several attempts at recreating a family favorite, but never quite mastered the delicious, savory flavor of my grandmother’s chicken and dumplings.
Recreating a gluten-free dumpling that isn’t tough was a challenge until I found that Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 Gluten-Free Flour. It is the best I have found. It is my go-to for most of my gluten-free cooking.
The quality of chickens today is an issue. Chickens that have grown longer have more flavor, but today’s chicken production has shortened the growing time, leaving larger chickens with less flavor. By adding a little Better Than Boullion and butter to the broth, I get a rich, flavorful broth.
After pulling all of the chicken off of the carcass, you may find that you have more chicken than what the recipe calls for. That’s okay! When I have left over chicken, I make chicken salad with the extra.
This dish does require a lot of time, but it is well worth it. Sure, you could start with rotisserie chicken and store-bought chicken broth, but it just wouldn’t be the same. Allow yourself plenty of time, start early, turn on your favorite chill play list, and just enjoy a lovely afternoon in the kitchen.
Ingredients
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Chicken and Broth
- Bouquet Garni
- Dumplings
- Putting It All Together
Instructions
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Chicken and Broth
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Place chicken in a large stock pot and add water, making sure to cover the chicken. Add the onions, celery and carrots. Assemble the bouquet garni and drop it into the pot. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer for 2 1/2 to 3 hours. Turn off heat and let cool for several minutes before removing chicken and draining it in a colander. Once the chicken has cooled, separate the meat from the skin, bones and cartilage. Cut larger pieces into smaller chunks. Strain the broth and set aside.
Bouquet Garni
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Place parsley, bay leaves, peppercorns, sage and garlic in 2 layers of cheesecloth and tie all corners together with kitchen twine.
Dumplings
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Place flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix together. Add eggs and gently mix. Add broth to mixture to make a soft dough. Spread additional flour on a wooden bread board or counter top. Roll dough out evenly to 1/4 inch. With a pastry cutter or knife, cut dough into 1 inch by 3 inch (or desired shape). Let set several minutes to dry slightly.
Putting It All Together
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While the dumplings are drying, heat cooking oil in a large Dutch oven and saute the onions, celery and carrots, cooking until the vegetables are tender and the onions are translucent. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. Slowly drop each dumpling, one by one into the broth. Cook until desired thickness. (I find that 1 1/2 hours, over medium to low heat is perfect for my taste.)
Looks delicious! I can’t wait to try it.
Thanks, Tiffany! Hope you like it!
Wonderful! Beautifully written and gorgeous pictures.
Thank so much, Tina!