Chicken & Dumplings
Chicken Filling Ingredients:
- 2 pounds chicken breasts, skinless and boneless, diced into bite-sized pieces
- 2 – 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 quart of chicken stock or vegetable stock (homemade is best)
- celery stalks, roughly chopped
- 4 large carrots, peeled roughly chopped
- 1 large onion, roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon salt
- pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 cup frozen peas or ½ cup frozen peas and ½ cup frozen corn, thawed
Chicken Filling Directions:
Step 1: Heat olive oil in a large stock pot and brown the chicken pieces, set aside when browned.
Step 2: Heat the stock in a different pot and then add in the browned chicken.
Step 3: Poach the chicken for 10-15 minutes then remove chicken from pot and set aside again.
Step 4: While chicken is poaching, saute the onions and celery and carrots in the stock pot that held the chicken.
Step 5: Saute until onions and celery are light and translucent; carrots will still be firm and this OK.
Step 6: Add 1/3 cup flour and make a roux, stirring for approximately 5 minutes.
Step 7: Gently ladle in the stock and then add in the chicken meat, add in the frozen vegetable(s).
Now make the dumplings!
Dumplings
Dumpling Ingredients:
- 2 cups of flour, all purpose is best as it will yield a lighter dumpling
- dash salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 3/4 cup of milk
- Shake of dried herbs if desired
Directions for Dumplings:
Step 1: Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl until combined; do not over mix or your dumplings will be rubbery.
Step 2: Drop the dough in the simmering chicken mix, by tablespoons or teaspoons.
Step 3: Cover the pot and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Dumplings cook via the steam and heat trapped in the pot so do not open the pot.
For babies you can set aside the following and create a meal suited for baby’s age/stage.
- Pieces of cooked chicken
- Cooked vegetables
- Broth
- A dumpling or 2
