Chicken and Dumplings Version 2

While my first chicken and dumpling blog post (click HERE for that recipe) is a goodie, it's a bit of an oldie. My 2nd version of this classic comfort food is quite simply made of broth, chicken, and dumplings. Since there were so few components in this soup, I felt the chicken broth had to be top notch. Therefore, I decided to make a batch of homemade chicken broth. It also features a new form of dumplings that I refer to as "flat dumplings." HOW EXCITING! Well, for me anyways.

Ingredients:
4C Homemade Chicken Broth (click HERE for that recipe)
2C Shredded Chicken
Flat Dumpling Dough (click HERE for that recipe)

Directions:
Prepare dumpling dough. Bring chicken broth to a boil. Cook dumplings. Add shredded chicken.

My chicken broth makings yielded me 3 1/4C of liquid gold. To make 4C broth, I added 3/4 water.

Bring to a boil. 

Add dumplings.

 

Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10min.

 Add 2C shredded chicken. 

Bowl up. 

I meant to take a picture of the chicken and dumplings naked (without any optional ingredients). But I got a little over zealous what with a bowl of deliciousness in front of my face and in my haste, added some preferred pepper without remembering to snap a photo beforehand. Apologies.

Cook's Notes:

This soup is so good on its own. I mean, seriously good. However, sometimes I can't just leave things be. Optional additions are: Black pepper, cream, half & half, milk, chopped herbs (chives, parsley, thyme, sage), or even a squeeze of lemon.

As previously mentioned, I really like to add a bit of freshly ground pepper to my bowl of chicken and dumplings. (and MAYBE a splash of heavy cream if I have it on hand or it's been a really bad day)

Flat Dumplings

If you don't like dumplings, you're dead to me.

Ingredients:
1C Flour
1/2C Milk
2Tbl. Chicken Fat
1tsp Baking Powder
1/2tsp Salt

Extra Flour (about 3/4C)

Directions: Mix flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add chicken fat. Stir through the flour mixture. Add milk. Mix with hands to combine. Dump onto a well floured surface. Form into a ball. Roll and cut out.

In a bowl, measure and add flour.

Add salt and baking powder.

Stir through.

Add 2Tbl. chicken fat.

Mix through until little pea-sized clumps appear. (sorry I forgot to take a picture of this)

Add milk.

Mix to combine with hands. The dough will be very sticky.

Heavily flour a clean work surface.

Dump dough out and form into a (sort've) ball-like shape.

Flatten out with a rolling pin. 

Flip over and turn dough so that it is longer horizontally. (turn dough at a 90' angle)

Flatten out again. 

Cut into strips.

Line the strips up and cut horizontally.

Add to simmering soup/broth. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook for 10min.

 

Then... They're DONE!

Homemade Chicken Broth

Ingredients:
6C Water

1 bone-in, skin-on Chicken Breast
2 Chicken Backs *see Cook's note

1 Onion
1 Stalk Celery
2 Carrots

1/2tsp Whole Black Peppercorns
2tsp Kosher Salt
Herbs

extra S&P

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except for the extra S&P. Bring to a boil. Cover reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 hour. Remove the chicken breast. Reserve meat and return bones to the stock. Cook for another hour. Strain. Refrigerate broth over night. Skim fat.

Place chicken in a soup pot *see note

Add 6C water.

Chop  and add 1 onion, 2 carrots, 1  stalk celery, and parsley.

Add 2teas salt.

Add 1/2teas whole peppercorns.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low/medium-low. Simmer partially covered for 1hr.

After one hour, remove the chicken breast.

Separate meat and bones. Return bones to the broth.

Store the meat for later use.

tip* Pour one ladle full of stock over the chicken breast in a bowl to prevent drying out.

After another hour has passed, strain and remove contents from  broth.

Taste.

Adjust seasoning accordingly. (I added 1/2tsp salt)

Refrigerate overnight.

With a spoon, skim the congealed fat from the top.

Transfer schmaltz (chicken fat) to a separate bowl.

If some broth sneaks in, that's okay. 

Use now or store the schmaltz and chicken broth for later use.

Cook's Note's:

I had bought a package of chicken labeled "cut up fryer." The contents included 2 breasts, 4 thighs, and 2 backs. I don't always buy these "variety cut up chicken" packs, so if I didn't have chicken backs on hand, I would substitute with an extra breast.

The chicken I used was frozen. This makes no difference in the cooking time. If using fresh (or thawed chicken) follow the recipe as specified.

White Bean and Sage Soup

Beans, beans, the magical fruit.
The more you eat, the more you toot.
The more you toot, the better you feel.
So eat beans with every meal!

Ingredients:
1Tbl unsalted Butter
1Tbl EVOO

1 Onion
1 small Carrot
1 Stalk Celery
1 Potato

1 Can Cannellini Beans

1/2tsp Dried Sage
1 large or 2 small Bay Leaves
4C Chicken Broth

S&P

Directions:
Chop onion, carrot, and celery. Peel and dice potato. Peel and dice garlic. Rinse and drain beans. Heat butter and EVOO over medium heat in a soup pot. Add onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 5-8 min. Add S&P, bay leaf, and sage. Cook 2 minutes. Add garlic. Cook 1-2min. Add potatoes, chicken stock, and beans. Boil for 10 min. Blend.

Dice the onion, carrot, and celery.

Peel and dice the potato and cloves of garlic. 

Rinse and drain beans.

Preheat butter and EVOO over medium heat for 2min.

Add the diced onion, celery, and carrot.

Cook for 5-8min.

Add 2 small bay leaves (or 1 large bay leaf), 1/2tsp dried sage, 1/4tsp salt, and 1/8tsp pepper.

Stir through and cook for 2min.

Add garlic and cook for 1-2min.

Add the potatoes and stir through.

Add the stock and then the beans. *see Cook's Notes

Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 10min.

REMOVE THE BAY LEAVES! (or leaf if you used only one)

Get ready to blend.

Work in batches (it took me two batches to blend the entire pot of soup).

And remember to remove the lid's insert whenever blending hot liquid!

Serve w/Garlic Rubbed Toast (Click HERE for that recipe) drizzled with balsamic vinegar.

Bowl up. (Don't forget to dunk!)

Cook's Notes:

In my eyes, there are 3 main ways to make this soup. 1. Entirely blended 2. Entirely blended with some unblended beans 3. Partially blended, partially chunky.

If you go route #1: Make this soup as instructed.

If you go route #2: Pour only half the amount of beans in the soup and then add the remaining/reserved whole beans after blending.

If you go route #3: Only blend half the amount of soup. Incorporate the blended contents back into the unblended soup.

A person could easily substitute with Navy or Great Northern beans for this recipe.