When Food Evokes Memories–a GREAT Chicken and Dumplings Recipe!

Spring is showing up in full force here. Daffodils and crocus are blooming and the thermometer has soared with rains settling in. I can’t wait for the green lawns, dogwoods and forsythia to bloom. But, you see, there was this chicken that was waiting to be cooked in the refrigerator. I know…soup season is departing soon for most of us…but, just one more time of a GREAT chicken and dumplings recipe was what happened today.

Do Chicken and Dumplings bring memories to mind for you?

When I think of chicken and dumplings, it reminds me of my mother in the kitchen…cooking that chicken in a large stock pot, and then removing the carcass to return chicken meat only back to the pan. Seeing her drop those dumplings into that pot with the warm smell of home in the kitchen was always welcomed.

I tried to recreate that recipe with my kids at home and later with kids in my foods kitchen so that the memory of eating this delightful food came with the memory of making them.

Today, if your feet were under the table at Cracker Barrel with all of my family gathered, you would see a bowl of chicken and dumplings in front of my oldest son. He was the one who could venture no further on the menu there than that one item.

Do they bring back fond memories of gathering at home or elsewhere for you?

A friend of mine says that Chicken and Dumplings were a Sunday dinner family favorite.

For us…its more of a Sunday Supper chicken and dumplings recipe.

The temperature has dropped here again and with cold weather in the forecast this weekend with more snow, and again probably before the month is out for spring’s true arrival date…it’s the perfect time to enjoy Chicken and Dumplings.

If that’s happening in your world…I’ve got you! Pin or print this recipe to save for those days when it’s the perfect remedy for cool evenings.

This recipe was a part of my foods management curriculum. Several skills were taught with this one.

• Cooking a whole chicken, deboning and removing the skin (grossed so many kids out!)
• Chopping vegetables- carrots, onions, and celery.
• Understanding how to prepare chicken stock and the importance of layering flavors.
• Learning to make dumplings – a biscuit form recipe that can be made with plain all purpose flour or gluten free.

But, the most important thing of all for those kids–and my own family?

Eating those Chicken and Dumplings!

So here you go!

Chicken and dumplings begins with cooking the chicken. A whole chicken is added to a pot and seasoned with salt, pepper, celery salt, seasoned salt of your choice, chopped onion, carrots and celery and then immersed in chicken broth and/or water to cover in a Dutch oven.

Why begin with a whole chicken?

Layering of flavor is always important in any recipe and this one begins with the cooking of the entire chicken, bones, skin and all to improve the flavor.

When do you remove the chicken from the broth?

This depends on how much “bone broth” you want. Often people will cook the chicken only until it’s done…and depending on the size of that chicken…it’s generally an hour or so when those joints release and it appears cooked through and through. I am more likely to prefer to do this and then add other ingredients to increase the flavor like bouillon or additional broth.

Others, will cook that chicken for hours to truly get the bone flavoring into the broth. For me, this means that you will need to strain the broth to remove tiny bones, cartilage and skin so that none of that is part of the servings.

Why add vegetables to the broth?

Again, this adds that wonderful layering that herbs, carrots, onions and celery offer.

Should you remove those vegetables to make the broth clear before adding the chicken and dumplings back in?

That is strictly preference. If I can safely remove all chicken skin and bones from the broth, I leave the vegetables in the broth and then add the chicken and dumplings back in. Some people prefer straining to offer more clarity to the broth and make the chicken and dumplings the focus with the broth. Your choice with this chicken and dumpling recipe.

So what type of “dumpling” do you make?

My experience and our favorite is just a basic biscuit dough. My mother always used this one and it’s my preference over “canned” biscuits or “drop” biscuits. It truly is your preference, but the rolled ones are my favorite to control the thickness to absorb all of that flavor goodness in every bite.

So, here’s the Chicken and Dumplings recipe!

For those times when gathering just requires a great offering for the best memories…Enjoy!

Here’s a few of my favorite things to use when preparing and serving these in case you need some inspiration. Who doesn’t love inspiration, right??!

I am in love with these precut parchment sheets that are already cut to fit and lay flat for rolling out dough for those dumplings, lining Dutch ovens to bake bread, or line baking sheets. They store soooo much better in the drawer, too.

Hope you enjoy this one, friends! Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest and pin this one!

Happy Cooking!