Post by Valerie on Apr 4, 2009 20:46:45 GMT -5
I'm making this tomorrow, so I thought I'd share, in case anyone wants it.
3 chicken breasts, or one chicken
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 or 3 ribs of celery, chopped coarse
2 or 3 carrots, chopped coarse
1 bayleaf (large, or two if small)
2 t dried thyme, divided
1 qt chicken broth
4 T butter
6 T flour
salt & pepper to taste
Dumplings
2 C flour
3 T butter
1 C milk
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
In a dutch oven, heat a little oil. Saute the onion, celery & carrot until the onion is getting a little clear. It can carmelize a little, but don't let it burn. Add chicken, pushing it under the veggies. Salt and pepper. Brown chicken a little on both sides. Add broth, bay leaf & 1 t of the thyme. Cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Either simmer on low on stovetop, or in oven on 250 for an hour or two. (This part can be done while you're at church, in the oven.) You want the meat falling off the bones.
Remove from heat. Remove chicken from broth. Strain broth, reserving in a large bowl or 4 cup measure. You should have at least 4 cups. If less, add water to make 4 Cups. Discard veggies. Pick meat from bones. Discard bones, skin, cartilage, etc.
Put pan back on med heat. Melt butter in pan. When foamy, add flour, and other t of thyme. Whisk to work into butter and take out lumps. Cook a few minutes on medium until it starts smelling kind of nutty and flour browns just a little bit. Keep whisking so it doesn't burn. Slowly whisk in broth a little at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste. (You might have to add a lot, so don't panic.) If you want to add about a T of whipping cream at this point, it's really good, too. Add chicken, stir, and reduce heat to med-low. Stir on occasion so it doesn't scorch.
For dumplings, put milk & butter in small saucepan. Heat on stove, just until butter is almost all melted. Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes (so as not to kill your baking powder). Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk/butter and stir with a fork just until mixed. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Don't Knead!!!!! Put a little flour on your hands and pat the dough into a square about an inch thick. Use a knife to cut it into quarters, then quarters again (16 pieces). Using floured hands, pick up each piece and pat into a smooth little ball. You can put them all aside and add them to the gravy all at once, or when you get the hang of it and can do it fast, just drop them right into the gravy. Either way, get them all into the pot, put the lid on (with the steam vent CLOSED) and let them cook for 20 minutes. No peeking!
These dumplings are little fluffy clouds of goodness. There are a lot of steps, but this is worth every bit of extra effort.
3 chicken breasts, or one chicken
1 onion, chopped coarse
2 or 3 ribs of celery, chopped coarse
2 or 3 carrots, chopped coarse
1 bayleaf (large, or two if small)
2 t dried thyme, divided
1 qt chicken broth
4 T butter
6 T flour
salt & pepper to taste
Dumplings
2 C flour
3 T butter
1 C milk
1 T baking powder
1 t salt
In a dutch oven, heat a little oil. Saute the onion, celery & carrot until the onion is getting a little clear. It can carmelize a little, but don't let it burn. Add chicken, pushing it under the veggies. Salt and pepper. Brown chicken a little on both sides. Add broth, bay leaf & 1 t of the thyme. Cover. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Either simmer on low on stovetop, or in oven on 250 for an hour or two. (This part can be done while you're at church, in the oven.) You want the meat falling off the bones.
Remove from heat. Remove chicken from broth. Strain broth, reserving in a large bowl or 4 cup measure. You should have at least 4 cups. If less, add water to make 4 Cups. Discard veggies. Pick meat from bones. Discard bones, skin, cartilage, etc.
Put pan back on med heat. Melt butter in pan. When foamy, add flour, and other t of thyme. Whisk to work into butter and take out lumps. Cook a few minutes on medium until it starts smelling kind of nutty and flour browns just a little bit. Keep whisking so it doesn't burn. Slowly whisk in broth a little at a time. Add salt and pepper to taste. (You might have to add a lot, so don't panic.) If you want to add about a T of whipping cream at this point, it's really good, too. Add chicken, stir, and reduce heat to med-low. Stir on occasion so it doesn't scorch.
For dumplings, put milk & butter in small saucepan. Heat on stove, just until butter is almost all melted. Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes (so as not to kill your baking powder). Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk/butter and stir with a fork just until mixed. Turn out onto lightly floured board. Don't Knead!!!!! Put a little flour on your hands and pat the dough into a square about an inch thick. Use a knife to cut it into quarters, then quarters again (16 pieces). Using floured hands, pick up each piece and pat into a smooth little ball. You can put them all aside and add them to the gravy all at once, or when you get the hang of it and can do it fast, just drop them right into the gravy. Either way, get them all into the pot, put the lid on (with the steam vent CLOSED) and let them cook for 20 minutes. No peeking!
These dumplings are little fluffy clouds of goodness. There are a lot of steps, but this is worth every bit of extra effort.