Chicken and Dumplings

                      My husband was sick today so I thought it might be a good day to make a chicken soup.  Nothing seems to make you feel better quicker than some warm chicken soup.  At the last minute I decided to try a chicken and dumpling recipe.  It ends up being kind of a chicken stew because the dumplings soak up a lot of the liquid.  It is a little more satisfying than just a soup.

                      I ended up modifying a recipe from epicurious.  I was really pleased with the results, as was my husband.  Whether or not it will make his cold go away quicker, only time will tell. 

                      If you want more liquid and less dumplings, either cut the dumpling ingredients in half or add more broth.  The dumplings filled up my pot.  There were no complaints though on the amount of dumplings.



Ingredients

1. 1 1/2 pounds of chicken breast cut in bite sized pieces
2. Flour for dredging chicken
3. 3 Tbl olive oil
4. 1 large red onion
5. 2 Cups chopped celery
6. 2 Cups chopped carrots
7. 2 bay leaves
8. 2 garlic cloves, minced
9. 1 tsp salt, plus some for seasoning chicken
10. 1/4 tsp pepper, plus some for seasoning chicken
11. 1/2 tsp dry thyme
12. 1/4 tsp paprika
13. 32 oz. low sodium chicken broth

For the dumplings

1. 1 Cup whole wheat flour
2. 1 Cup all purpose flour
3. 1 tsp salt
4. 3 tsp baking powder 
5. 4 Tbl butter, cut in pieces
6. 1 1/4 buttermilk (you can use 1 1/4 cup skim milk.  Add 1 tbl and 1 tsp of white vinegar to it. Allow to sit for 5 minutes.)

Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour.

Place 2 Tbl of olive oil in a large pot and heat on medium high.  Add the chicken and brown the pieces.  Remove the browned chicken from the pot.

Add the remaining 1 Tbl of oil to the pot, then add the onions.  Stir for a few minutes, just so the onions start to turn translucent.  Then add the celery and the carrots.  Stir another 2 minutes.  Then add the garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and paprika.  Add the broth and cover.  Cook this on medium to low heat.  Note: You cannot add the dumplings until the broth comes to a simmer.

Now work on the dumplings.  Mix together the flours.  If you are only using all purpose, than cut down the milk by 1/4 cup.  Whole wheat soaks up more liquid. Mix in the salt, and baking powder.

Cut the butter into the flour.  Then add the liquid and mix.  The dumpling dough should not be dry, but more wet and elastic.  Definitely not gloppy though.  Let this sit for about 5 minutes.

Once the broth is simmering( a low boil), add heaping tablespoons of the dumpling dough.  Let the dumplings cook with the cover off for 10 minutes.  Then cover the pot for another 10 minutes.  They will really expand after the pot gets covered.

Serve by placing a dumpling in a bowl, and ladling the chicken, vegetables, and broth around it.  This is some feel good food.