Receta Chicken and Dumplings
A Southern favorite that every good cook does her own way. This is my version, written in great detail, for my daughters-in-law.
ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS: All items are shown without measurement. This is a meal you fix per your taste. If you like something, use a lot. If you don’t like something, use a little – OR leave it out if it is an optional item. I will give indicators that will tell you how to make it “my” way.
NOTE: There is one “long cut” to this, which I pretty much never do. That is to make the dumplings from scratch. If you do this the left over seasoned flour can be incorporated in the dumplings. I usually just pour the left over flour through a sieve and save it in a zip lock baggy in the fridge until the next time I make gravy (or throw it out if I miraculously had little left over).
Southern/soul food | |
Raciónes: 1 |
Ingredientes
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Direcciones
- Clean the chicken as prep for browning in the butter. I leave some of the skin on because it adds flavor and I will debone the chicken later.
- Season the flour with salt, pepper, red pepper and any other seasoning you want to have on your chicken.
- Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture.
- Melt butter in a heavy pan. Add oil if desired to help keep the butter from burning.
- Using medium-high heat, brown the chicken parts, in batches as necessary (don’t crowd the pan). Start with the skin side down. The chicken will not be cooked through but the flour will have caused the chicken to brown and crisp somewhat.
- While the chicken is browning you have time to clean and chop the vegies. Cut them uniformly for even cooking into bite size pieces. The garlic should be minced though.
- When all the chicken is pre-cooked, add more butter/oil if necessary to the pan, and add all the cut up vegetables EXCEPT the mushrooms, and peas if you are using those.
- Wilt (sauté) the vegies until they are beginning to get tender.
- If you are using a shallow frying pan, this is when you need to move everything into a large pot, chicken and vegies. (If the pan is deep continue with it. Alternately you can start out in a heavy bottom pot and brown the chicken in it.)
- Add enough liquid to the pot to cover everything. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning if necessary (salt, pepper, red pepper, poultry seasoning).
- Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer covered on medium-low. Continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, stirring occasionally to test for doneness and to prevent sticking (adjust heat as necessary to maintain a gentle simmer). This will probably take about 20 – 40 minutes. Have a glass of wine and relax, or make a salad.
- OPTIONAL: When the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot to cool and debone. (optional – I usually do this, but I am fine with eating chicken from the bones) Lower temperature to Warm and cover the pot while you are busy with the chicken – you don’t want to cook the vegies more but you don’t want it to cool down either. You can add the mushrooms now (if you cut them large so non-mushroom fans can avoid them).
- Put the deboned chicken and the mushrooms and optional peas (if the mushrooms are cut regular size or if you skipped step 12) into the pot. Add more liquid as necessary to cover everything (otherwise your dumplings will stick to the other foods in the pot). If you are adding peas, this is when you do it.
- Bring the liquid up to a gentle boil. Cut the biscuits in 3 or 4 pieces directly into the pot of boiling liquid. Try to keep them from overlapping.
- Cover the pot tightly, reduce heat to medium-low so the liquid continues to gently simmer.) This is cooking the dumplings by steaming and it will take about 15 – 20 minutes. Have another glass of wine and relax, or set the table.
- Dinner is ready. Enjoy with a nice wine, salad, and any additional vegetable side dish as you like. My side is usually a nice Chianti. (LOL)