Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and Dumplings

1 whole chicken (about 3-4 lbs)

Salt to taste (for chicken)

3 chicken bouillon cubes

2 ½ C frozen mixed vegetables

2 C flour

1/4 C shortening

1 egg

1/2 tsp salt (for the dumplings)

1/2 to 3/4 C chicken broth (cooled)

Place the chicken and salt in a large pot, add enough water to just cover the chicken, and let simmer for about 1 hour or until cooked through. Remove the chicken and debone, breaking the meat apart. Remove 3/4 cup of the liquid and set aside for the dumplings. To the water remaining in the pot, add the 3 bouillon cubes and bring to a medium high boil. Return chicken meat to the pot along with the vegetables. In a bowl, cream the flour, shortening, egg, and salt together. Add enough broth to form a stiff dough, but don’t add any more than you need. (If you add too much broth, just add more flour). Flour a surface on which to roll the dough. Roll the dough to about a 1/8 inch thickness or less. With a knife, slice the dough into long strips about an inch wide and 2-3” long. Pick up the strips one at a time and add to the boiling broth. After adding some of the dumpling dough, the boiling broth will start to slow in its boil. Stir gently as you add the dumplings so that they don't stick together or stick to the pot. After all the dumpling dough is added to the broth, turn the heat down to a simmer. Cook for 15 minutes; turn the heat off, cover the dumpling pan, and let sit for 20-30 minutes before serving.

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