Chicken & Dumplin’s

This recipe is Gramma’s (Odessa Mitchel Peeples Redmond). She made them for every holiday and for most family gatherings. Sometimes she added a couple of sliced, hard boiled eggs. Sometimes she left the bones in the pot. She didn’t measure and neither do I, but I once had to write this down in great detail for a friend who didn’t cook from scratch much. She’s made them a lot through the years and now she doesn’t measure either. :) First I’ll give the short and sweet version of the recipe for those of you only need the overview. Then, I’ll include the detailed version for new cooks who might find the idea of homemade dumplings intimidating.

RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE CHICKEN & DUMPLIN’S
Boil & Pick 10-12 chicken thighs with skin removed in a 5 quart pot (add salt)
Return the chicken to the pot and maintain a slow boil
Add about 4 cubes or 2 tsp chicken bullion
Put 4-5 cups of All Purpose Flour in a bowl
Add cold water and mix with your hands into a ball
Roll out on the counter until thin
Cut into 1/2 – 3/4″ by 1.5 – 2″ strips (with a pizza cutter)
Drop one at a time back into the pot
Allow to cook a little while

DETAILED RECIPE FOR HOMEMADE CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

This recipe makes 5 quarts.

Boil 10-12 chicken thighs with skin removed in a 5 quart pot.
Remove the chicken from the pot, allow to cool, then pick the meat off the bones.
Add about 4 cubes or 2 tsp chicken bullion and return pot to slow boil.
Add the chicken to the pot and add water as needed to about 3/4″ from the top of the pot.
Allow it to slowly cook while you make the dumplings.

Put 4-5 cups of All Purpose Flour in a bowl
Add cold water and mix with your hands into a ball
Roll out on the counter until thin
Cut into 1/2 – 3/4″ by 1.5 – 2″ strips (with a pizza cutter)
Drop one at a time back into the pot
Allow to cook a little while