Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

It snowed at my house today.  Can you believe it?   Snow, lovely snow in Texas for the second time this year.  Oh what fun!  It does get cold in Texas but never snows and on a cold day like this you need some good warm comfort food in your belly, something like good o`l Chicken -n- Dumplings.  I have perfected one of my all time favorites and made the best Chicken -n- Dumplings you ever had.  So says everyone that has had the chance to taste my secret recipe and I’m going to let you in on the secret!

Ingredients

1 Rotisserie Chicken (Family size) D bone when cooled, set aside for later.

To Make the Broth

• 5 Tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 Large yellow onion chopped
• 5 Carrots pealed and sliced in big chunks
• 2 32 oz boxes chicken broth
• 1 Tablespoon Chicken bullion
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

While this is working on boiling start on your dough

To Make the Dough

• 4 Cups All Purpose Flour
•  1 Tablespoon Salt
• 1 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder (optional)
• 1 Cup Shortening
• 2 Cups hot water
• 1 Cup Flour

Directions

First you pick up a family size original flavor rotisserie chicken from the store set aside.  Next, in a large pot melt your butter add the chopped onions and carrots pealed and sliced big. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the chicken broth, chicken bullion and salt and pepper. Turn up the heat and stir. While this is working on a raging boil start on your dumplings.

In a large mixing bowl add the flour,  salt, pepper and the baking powder (optional), I like mine a little fluffy, Mix well. Add the shortening and mix with your hands a pastry blender or two butter knives until mixture resembles pea size crumbles. Make a hole in the middle of the mixture and add the hot water a little at a time, you may or may not use all of the water. If your dough is sticky add a little more flour. Work the mixture till soft dough forms. Separate the dough into two equal parts. let dough rest for about 10 minutes.  While your dough is resting d bone your rotisserie chicken and set the meat aside.

Take one of the balls of dough and roll out on a well floured surface until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Cut dumplings into squares with a butter knife or a pizza cutter. At this time  your broth should be at raging boil. This is important to cook the dumplings. Carefully add the dumplings to the broth and stir. Roll out your other ball of dough, cut and add to broth. Set your timer for 15 minute and stir frequently. When the timer goes off your soup should be thickened, carefully add your chicken and set your timer for 5 more minutes.

Time for a taste test. Take out a dumpling, cool off and taste. The dumplings are done when they no longer taste like raw dough. I hope you enjoy this recipe, I have worked long and hard to get it perfect. If you have any left overs they are even better the next day.