How to Cook Chicken for Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is a classic comfort food dish that is popular in the American South. It consists of a chicken broth with homemade dumplings, along with shredded chicken meat The key to great chicken and dumplings lies in preparing a flavorful chicken broth Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cook chicken specifically for using in chicken and dumplings.

Selecting the Chicken

For chicken and dumplings, you’ll want to use a whole chicken. This allows you to make a rich and flavorful broth. Opt for a young, small chicken if possible – they are more tender and cook faster. You can certainly use chicken breasts or thighs, but the broth won’t have as much flavor since you won’t have the bones.

Seasoning the Chicken

Before cooking, rinse the chicken and pat it completely dry. Season it generously inside and out with salt and pepper. You can also rub it with herbs like thyme, sage, and rosemary to add even more flavor. Seasoning is a key step, so don’t be shy with the salt and pepper here.

Browning the Chicken

For extra chicken flavor, many recipes call for browning the seasoned chicken in a bit of oil or butter before making the broth. This caramelization of the skin and exterior of the chicken adds tons of flavor. Simply heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Carefully place the chicken in the pot and let it brown for 4-5 minutes on each side until the skin is nice and golden.

Simmering the Chicken

Once browned remove the chicken and set it aside. Add your aromatics – onions, carrots celery, garlic, etc. Saute the veggies for 4-5 minutes until they start to soften. Then return the chicken to the pot and add enough water or chicken broth to cover the chicken by 1-2 inches.

Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 45-60 minutes You want the chicken to become extremely tender and fall off the bone easily. As it simmers, use a spoon to occasionally skim off any foam that rises to the top. This helps keep the broth clear.

Making the Broth

Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Use tongs to remove the larger pieces like onion and celery from the broth. Then strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl or container. This will remove any smaller bits and result in a smooth, sediment-free broth.

Return the strained broth back to the cooking pot. At this point, you can shred or dice the chicken meat and add it back to the broth. You can also add cream, chicken soup, or milk to enrich the broth. Season with additional salt, pepper, herbs, etc. to taste. Now your flavorful chicken broth is ready for the dumplings!

Tips for the Best Broth

Here are some additional tips for maximizing flavor and richness when making your chicken broth:

• Roast the chicken bones before making the broth to add even more flavor

• Add chicken wings, necks, or feet to the pot with the whole chicken

• Use a chicken base or bouillon to boost the flavor

• Add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves

• Include aromatic veggies like onion, celery, carrot, and garlic

• Simmer the broth for 1-2 hours for best flavor extraction

• Let broth cool and skim fat from the top for a clearer broth

• Season again just before adding dumplings if needed

Making Perfect Dumplings

An exemplary chicken broth deserves the best dumplings. There are a few secrets to ensure your dumplings come out light and tender:

• Use self-rising flour or add baking powder to regular flour

• Work the dough as little as possible to prevent toughness

• Add very cold water or milk to help keep dumplings light

• Drop spoonfuls of dough into boiling broth using two spoons

• Cook dumplings until they float to the top, about 10 minutes

• Resist the urge to stir the dumplings once added to the broth

With a properly cooked chicken and a rich homemade broth, you’ll be ready to create the ultimate chicken and dumplings. The secret is taking the time to build an incredibly flavorful broth. Follow these steps for cooking chicken specifically for use in this quintessential comfort food dish.