An Inspired Cook

It hit me this week how soon the holidays will be here.  Time has quickly gotten away from me and I’ve had to rush around trying to get things done.  With that in mind I haven’t had a lot of time to make dinner. When I’m crunched for time I sometimes pick up a rotisserie chicken which saves me the trouble and usually makes more than one meal.  I picked off the leftovers and chopped it to make my tried and true recipe of chicken and dumplings that everyone loves. With the cold weather we’ve been having it sounded like the perfect time for a comforting bowl of stew with a dollop of mashed potatoes on the side.  It’s like immersing the potatoes into a dumpling gravy that tastes oh so good.  Stay warm everyone and have a great weekend!

You’ll need some cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken cut into bite size pieces.  Also some chopped onion, carrots, chicken stock, heavy cream, creole seasoning, thyme and savory.

Add a drizzle of olive oil to a dutch oven or heavy bottomed stockpot.  Heat over medium high heat and add the carrots and onions.  Stir the pot while the onions sweat it out.

Add the seasonings and stir the pot some more.

When the onions become translucent, add in the box of chicken stock.

Bring just to a boil, then replace the lid and turn the heat down to simmer for 15 minutes.

By this time the carrots should be soft.  If not place the lid back on and cook an additional 5 – 10 minutes more.  Add the heavy cream when the carrots and onions are cooked through.

And the cooked chicken.

I’ve made several different recipes for dumplings and I like Elise’s recipe from “Simply Recipes” the best.  She uses cake flour instead of all purpose flour which makes the dumplings light and fluffy.  I substituted half and half for the whole milk since it was what I had on hand.  Also needed is some baking powder, salt, herbs of choice and melted butter.

Stir the dry ingredients and herbs together in a bowl.  Add the melted butter and stir.

Next comes the half and half.  Stir just until all the dry ingredients have been incorporated.

It’s a goopy mess . . .

While your soup is simmering on the stove, drop tablespoon amounts of dumpling dough into the pot.  They will float to the top.

When the pot is full, stop.  Now place the lid on and leave it on for 15 minutes.  The dumplings need to steam so don’t be tempted to lift the lid or you will release the precious steam.

After 15 minutes the dumplings are soft, light and fluffy.

I like to add a big ole dollop of mashed potatoes to a bowl on one side and ladle in some chicken and dumplings on the other side.  The soup is like dumpling gravy for the mashed potatoes and it tastes so good.





Chicken and Dumplings 

2 cups Rotisserie Chicken, chopped
2 Carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 large Onion, diced
1 (32 ounce) box Chicken Stock
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
1/2 teaspoon Creole Seasoning, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Savory

Dumplings (adapted from Simply Recipes)

2 cups Cake Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Soda
3/4 teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Butter, melted
3/4 cup Half and Half
2 teaspoons Herbs of choice (I used dried Parsley but can use fresh herbs)

Heat a dutch oven over medium high heat and drizzle olive oil in the pan.  Saute onions and carrots until onions become translucent.  Add the creole seasoning, thyme and savory to the pot and stir.  Add the box of chicken stock and bring just to a boil.  Replace the lid on the pot, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the carrots are tender.  Pour in the heavy cream and add the chopped chicken.  Turn the heat to low and simmer.

Make dumplings by combining the dry ingredients and herbs together in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter and half and half and stir just until the dry ingredients become doughy.  (Try not to over mix or the dumplings will be dense.)

Drop dumpling dough with a spoon (about the size of a tablespoon) into the simmering pot.  The dumplings should float to the top.  Drop dough until you have filled the top of the soup.  The dumplings will expand when steamed.  Place the lid on the pot and steam for 15 minutes.  Test the dumplings with a toothpick to see that they are cooked through.  If needed, replace the lid and cook an additional 5 – 10 minutes.

Serve with a side of mashed potatoes if desired.

Makes 4 – 6 servings