Southern Chicken and Dumplings
User Reviews
5
Southern Chicken and Dumplings
Description
This recipe for Southern Chicken and Dumplings assembles partially cooked chicken thighs and wings with sautéed onions, celery, and carrots, then simmers them together with dry sherry and chicken broth. The dumplings are prepared with flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, half and half, and melted butter, folded into dough that is dropped into the gentle simmering broth to steam and puff up.
The chicken is cooked carefully to render fat and develop flavor before simmering, while the vegetables contribute sweetness and depth. The dumplings achieve a tender, fluffy texture by cooking at the proper temperature, avoiding vigorous boiling. Adding half and half near the end enriches the broth lightly without making it heavy.
Serving the dish warm with fresh chopped parsley adds brightness. Key tips include starting the chicken in a cold pan to render fat properly, maintaining gentle simmer for dumplings, and using fresh baking soda for best rising. Separating and folding in beaten egg whites can lighten the dumplings further if desired.
Ingredients
- 2 pounds chicken thighs bone-in, skin-on
- salt divided use
- black pepper ground
- 2 cups white onion chopped
- 3 ribs celery sliced
- 3 medium carrot sliced
- 1/2 cup dry sherry
- 1 pound chicken wings
- 32 ounces chicken broth
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup half and half
- 8 tablespoons butter melted
- parsley optional, chopped, fresh
Instructions
- Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and place them in a skillet over low heat. When the fat from the chicken begins to render out, raise the heat to medium. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the chicken thighs from the skillet and set aside. The thighs will be only partially cooked.
- Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the skillet. Sprinkle a small amount of salt over the vegetables and sauté until the onions are translucent.
- Add the dry Sherry to deglaze the skillet, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- Transfer the vegetables and liquid from the skillet into a stockpot. Add the chicken wings, chicken broth, and the partially cooked chicken thighs and cook for about 30 minutes over medium heat.
- Remove the chicken wings and thighs from the stockpot and allow them to cool. Leave the stockpot on the stove over medium heat.
- While the chicken is cooling, prepare the dumplings: In a medium-sized bowl add the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda and stir to combine. Add the half and half and melted butter and stir until the dough forms a ball. Shape the dough into golf ball–sized pieces and drop them into the stockpot.
- Debone the chicken and return the meat to the stockpot. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes until the dumplings are fully cooked and have increased in size.
- If desired, sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Notes
- Start cooking the chicken thighs in a cold pan to slowly render fat for better flavor.
- Maintain a gentle simmer for the dumplings to prevent them from falling apart or undercooking.
- Use fresh baking soda to ensure the dumplings rise properly.
- For lighter dumplings, fold in beaten egg whites before cooking.
- Adding half and half in the last minutes of cooking creates a slightly creamy broth without heaviness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 478 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 478kcal | 24% |
| Carbohydrates | 26g | 9% |
| Protein | 23g | 46% |
| Fat | 29g | 45% |
| Saturated Fat | 11g | 55% |
| Cholesterol | 136mg | 45% |
| Sodium | 816mg | 34% |
| Potassium | 484mg | 10% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 3g | 6% |
| Vitamin A | 3540IU | 71% |
| Vitamin C | 10.5mg | 12% |
| Calcium | 54mg | 5% |
| Iron | 2.4mg | 13% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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