Fast, Easy Chicken & Dumplings

Fast, Easy Chicken & Dumplings

For the soup:

1.5 lb chicken tenders, chopped and seasoned with 1T salt, 1T pepper and 1T poultry seasoning

2T olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 leek, chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

1 qt good chicken broth

For the dumplings:

2C AP flour

3t baking powder

1t salt

1T chopped parsley

2t chopped thyme

4T Crisco (cube then place on a plate in the freezer)

1C milk or buttermilk (or a mix of both)

In a large, heavy bottomed dutch oven, heat olive oil and saute chicken until browned and cooked through.  Remove with a slotted spoon a plate.  Add onion, leek, celery and carrots and saute until onion is translucent.  Add garlic, bay leaf and saute another 30 seconds to a minute.  Add chicken broth and a quart of water.  Cover and bring to boil, reduce to simmer while you get on with the dumplings.

In a bowl, combine dry ingredients and whisk to combine and break up the flour.  Add in the herbs and stir to combine.  Add your semi-frozen Crisco (it never really freezes all the way) and using two knives of a pastry cutter, combine with flour until it resembles coarse sand.  Slowly add in the milk while stirring just until the dough comes together.  You will probably only use 3/4 of the milk.  Remove to floured surface and roll out until about 1/2 in thick.  Cut into strips and pop them on a tray and back into the freezer for about 15 minutes.  

Slowly add your dumplings to the soup, one at a time and without stirring.  Cover the pot and allow them to steam for another 15 minutes.  Very carefully stir, cover and turn off the heat.  Allow the soup to sit for a few minutes before serving.  Feel free to add more parsley or thyme to brighten it up then serve it up in big bowls to hungry children.