How To: Chicken and Dumplins

I keep doing these recipe tutorials for 2 reasons.
1-for my friends that don't know how, or think some things are too hard,
2-for Sister to have when she is older and I have the blog published in a book.

So, if there is something you would like to know how to make, let me know and I will be glad to post it for you!

On to the show...

WB loves Chicken and Dumplins! He says these are better than cracker barrel and of course I believe him. The other night we were eating at a little local restaurant and he ordered the dumplins. When we left, I asked him what he thought about it and he said 'It was ok, but I can get that same food at home.' Now, I am totally taking that as a compliment because what he meant to say was 'Yours were better.' it just didn't come out that way.

You will need-
1 1/2 cups of flour
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup of butter, or margarine or crisco (I just didn't have crisco on hand)
1 paper carton of chicken broth PLUS 1/2 cup water (you can also use the chicken broth leftover from boiling your chicken)
3 chicken breasts, boiled and chopped
pepper

Incorporate your butter (margarine or crisco) into your flour. You can use your hands or a fork. Just mash it all together until the butter is really crumbly and about pea size.
Make a hole in the middle and add the water, then use your hands (or fork) to combine it until it forms a sticky ball.
{Please excuse the fact that there are no pictures...I had this stuff all over my hands at the time.}
Turn the dough out on a floured surface and sprinkle flour on the top.


Flatten in out some and wash all the extra stuff off of your hands.

Put your broth on with the extra 1/2 cup of water. I add water because I think the store bought broth is too thick and salty. Let it begin to boil while you finish the dumplins.
You could also use your broth from boiling your chicken if you would like. OR you can make broth from water and bouillion cubes (1 cup to 1 1/4 c. water)
Just make sure there are 3-4 cups of broth for your dumplins.

Use a rolling pin to roll out your dough to about 1/4 inch. It should be thinner than you would roll your biscuits, but DOES NOT have to be exact! You can also use a glass if you don't have a rolling pin or if your son is attached to your leg and it is the closest thing you could grab.

Use a butter knife to cut strips both ways in your dough to make the dumplins.

Drop the dumplins into the boiling broth. DO NOT STIR THEM! They will start floating to the top when they are done...real quickly.
My Mamaw D always said that stirring dumplins makes them soggy. I don't know if this is true because I have never stirred mine. I just choose to believe her.

When they look pretty done (you can get one out and cut it open. it should look flaky like a biscuit) turn the heat down and add your chicken and as much pepper as you like. Turn the eye off after about 3 minutes or so...it doesn't take long for the chicken to heat back up.

Serve them to your husband who will think his Granny stopped by and made supper for him.
If you are serving these to your kids, please make sure to take theirs out and let them cool for a while. Dumplins will hold the heat for a long time!

Hope you try them!
Sorry about the dark pictures too.