southern chicken and dumplings

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 large bone-in chicken breast halves with skin
• 1 (32 ounce) can chicken broth
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable shortening, plus
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 2 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Recipe

Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins

Ready Time: 1 hr 45 mins


• melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. stir in the onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. place the chicken breasts into the pot, skin-side-down. pour in the chicken broth, and enough water to just cover the breasts. bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the chicken begins to fall off the bone, about 1 hour. once cooked, remove the chicken breasts from the pot. remove and discard the skin and bone; allow the meat to cool, then tear apart into bite sized chunks.
• while the chicken breast are simmering, prepare the dumpling dough by whisking the flour, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt together in a mixing bowl. work the vegetable shortening in with your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. make a well in the middle and pour in the milk. stir together until a stiff dough forms. turn out a floured surface, and knead until smooth. form the dough into 12 pieces, and set aside.
• after you've shredded the chicken, stir the cream of chicken soup, 2 cups water, salt, pepper, and shredded chicken back into the pot. return to a simmer over medium-high heat. drop the dumplings into the simmering broth one at a time to keep them from sticking together. cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until the dumplings have puffed and are no longer doughy in the center, 10 to 20 minutes.