Chicken and Dumplings
 

Thom Hackett
Original Recipe from Gladys Hackett, My Grandmother and Mentor
 Servings: 6

Chicken and Dumplings

As a child, I lived for my Grandmother Hackett's Chicken and Dumplings.  Although I can't go out back and catch the fat hen, a store bought one works quite well.  This is her recipe and I try to put as much love into making the chicken and dumplings as she did.  This is not a dish that will be blessed by Weight Watchers or the Heart Association so if you have a problem with that you should not try this because substituting or eliminating will ruin the dish.  However, if you follow this recipe then it will put a smile on the face of each one who eats it.

Chicken or Capon:

1 capon, cut into pieces
2 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 whole red or white onion, small
1 carrot
1 stalk celery
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 stick butter, or ¼ pound

 

Dumplings:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
4 tablespoons chicken fat

Chicken:

  1. Add the capon or chicken to the stew pot.

  2. Cover with water and bring to a boil. 

  3. Foam will form on the water as it begins to boil. 

  4. Skim the foam from the water.

  5. Stew chicken until tender with the salt, onion, carrot and celery ribs, about 60 minutes after it begins to boil.

  6. Remove the meat from the broth and discard the vegetables. 

  7. Cool and remove meat from the bones. 

  8. Cut the chicken into desired-size pieces. 

  9. Skim fat from the broth and save for dumplings. 

  10. Add pepper and butter to broth and heat to simmering.

Dumplings:

  1. Mix dry ingredients. 

  2. Mix beaten egg (frothy) with 1 cup broth, 4 tablespoons chicken fat, and the dry ingredients. 

  3. Use as much broth as needed for dough. 

  4. Work the dough until stiff. Knead on a floured board. 

  5. Roll out the dough very thin about ⅛". 

  6. Cut into 1" squares (the dough is easily cut using a pizza cutter). 

  7. Add the dumplings to the boiling broth a few at a time to keep the broth at a boil. 

  8. Cook 10 minutes in the boiling broth. 

  9. Add the cut-up chicken pieces and heat it to a boil. 

  10. Remove from heat and let rest 10 minutes and serve.

*A Roaster or Stewing Hen can be substituted for the Capon