The first step in making chicken and dumplings from scratch is making chicken stock. Do not use chicken broth or just a bullion cube; it won't taste the same, and you'll still need to cook a whole chicken anyway. Making stock is a bit of an guestimation. For this stock, this is what you'll need:
1 whole chicken, broken down
1 celery rib, washed cut into chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c parsley, chopped
2 bay leafs
pinch of Bourbon Smoked Salt
Add the chicken, vegetables, and salt to a stock pot. Fill the stock pot with water until there is at least an inch of water covering everything. Bring the stock to medium heat until it begins to simmer, and take the stock down to medium-low to low. Do not let the stock boil. Cover and simmer for two hours. Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through. Drain the stock, and remove some of the fat off the top of the strained stock.
The stock will be very hot for at least an hour, so feel free to let it sit while you prepare the dumplings.
2 c flour + 2-3 TBS
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend
1/2 tsp Bourbon Smoked Pepper
1/3 c Cristco
1 c buttermilk
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend, and Bourbon Smoked Pepper. With a fork, mash in Cristco to the flour mixture. You can also use a whisk, but make sure all of the shortening is combined into the flour mixture; it should not be smooth and powdery. Gradually stir in buttermilk. Form a dough ball, and cut it into fourths. Roll each fourth out onto a floured surface to about 1/8 of an inch thick. You may need to sprinkle the top of the rolled out dumplings with flour. With a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 2x2 inch squares. Place the cut dumplings onto parchment. Set the dumplings aside.
Now that you've created a total mess, it is time to make the broth-gravy-goodness.
1 stick of butter
1/3 c all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/3 c corn starch or tapioca starch
chicken stock (about eight cups)
Bourbon Smoked Salt and Pepper to taste
2 TBS Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend
1 garlic clove, minced
4 TBS Bourbon Barrel Aged Worcestershire Sauce
Chicken, tear into large chunks.
Remove the contents of the stock pot into a large bowl. Discard the parsley and bay leaf. Melt the butter on medium high. Whisk in flour a little bit at a time; do not let it clump. In a separate smaller bowl, stir together corn starch and milk so that no clumps remain. Pour the chicken stock into the butter and flour. Add the starch and milk mixture a little bit at a time. Reduce heat to medium. Add all other ingredients including the chicken pieces and stock vegetables. Carefully put the dumplings into the mixture. Cook the dumplings for about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook the dumplings; they'll get chewy.
Chicken and dumplings go great with light sides of vegetables or a big piece of hearty cornbread. This recipe freezes really well. Try freezing it in several small containers; it makes it easy to defrost for a quick meal.
The first step in making chicken and dumplings from scratch is making chicken stock. Do not use chicken broth or just a bullion cube; it won't taste the same, and you'll still need to cook a whole chicken anyway. Making stock is a bit of an guestimation. For this stock, this is what you'll need:
1 whole chicken, broken down
1 celery rib, washed cut into chunks
3 large carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
1 onion, chopped
1/3 c parsley, chopped
2 bay leafs
pinch of Bourbon Smoked Salt
Add the chicken, vegetables, and salt to a stock pot. Fill the stock pot with water until there is at least an inch of water covering everything. Bring the stock to medium heat until it begins to simmer, and take the stock down to medium-low to low. Do not let the stock boil. Cover and simmer for two hours. Make sure the chicken is completely cooked through. Drain the stock, and remove some of the fat off the top of the strained stock.
The stock will be very hot for at least an hour, so feel free to let it sit while you prepare the dumplings.
2 c flour + 2-3 TBS
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend
1/2 tsp Bourbon Smoked Pepper
1/3 c Cristco
1 c buttermilk
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend, and Bourbon Smoked Pepper. With a fork, mash in Cristco to the flour mixture. You can also use a whisk, but make sure all of the shortening is combined into the flour mixture; it should not be smooth and powdery. Gradually stir in buttermilk. Form a dough ball, and cut it into fourths. Roll each fourth out onto a floured surface to about 1/8 of an inch thick. You may need to sprinkle the top of the rolled out dumplings with flour. With a pizza cutter, slice the dough into 2x2 inch squares. Place the cut dumplings onto parchment. Set the dumplings aside.
Now that you've created a total mess, it is time to make the broth-gravy-goodness.
1 stick of butter
1/3 c all purpose flour
1 cup whole milk
1/3 c corn starch or tapioca starch
chicken stock (about eight cups)
Bourbon Smoked Salt and Pepper to taste
2 TBS Woodford Reserve's Chef's Blend
1 garlic clove, minced
4 TBS Bourbon Barrel Aged Worcestershire Sauce
Chicken, tear into large chunks.
Remove the contents of the stock pot into a large bowl. Discard the parsley and bay leaf. Melt the butter on medium high. Whisk in flour a little bit at a time; do not let it clump. In a separate smaller bowl, stir together corn starch and milk so that no clumps remain. Pour the chicken stock into the butter and flour. Add the starch and milk mixture a little bit at a time. Reduce heat to medium. Add all other ingredients including the chicken pieces and stock vegetables. Carefully put the dumplings into the mixture. Cook the dumplings for about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to over-cook the dumplings; they'll get chewy.
Chicken and dumplings go great with light sides of vegetables or a big piece of hearty cornbread. This recipe freezes really well. Try freezing it in several small containers; it makes it easy to defrost for a quick meal.
