I can honestly say I have been looking forward to this column since I started writing these in August.
This is one of my absolute favorite dishes and I struggled to wait, however, I feel that this dish is better suited for fall/winter temperatures, so I held strong.
With that build up out of the way, I guess I should go ahead and spill the beans, metaphorically of course, and tell you the name of the dish.
It is Crockpot chicken and dumplings.
I have been a fan of chicken and dumplings for as long as I can remember.
I never pass up the opportunity to have them and I can never stop at just one bowl. They are my Kryptonite.
I’m not sure exactly why I have such an affinity for them, but I really don’t care to dig into it either. They are good and I enjoy them, that’s good enough for me.
But onto the dish itself.
We traditionally made chicken and dumplings in a big pot on the stove. This was how I ate them for a huge chunk of my life. I still eat them that way, just not as often.
One day, and I’m not even sure how this came about now, we decided to make them in the Crockpot. It changed everything.
The dish had a thick, creamy texture that I absolutely loved. The chicken was tender and flavorful. The dumplings themselves had a great texture.
I had found my new favorite dish.
Now, I don’t eat them as much during the warmer months because it is a hearty dish that lends itself better to colder temperatures. That isn’t to say that I don’t eat them at all, just not as frequently.
I will admit, as with just about any form of chicken and dumplings, there is some prep work involved.
I for one hand make my dumplings, which takes extra time but is well worth it in my opinion.
I also like to boil my chicken and shred it as opposed to canned chicken, but this comes down to preference and I don’t think there is any significant difference.
I may be alone in my love for this dish, but I would encourage everyone to try it at least once.
CROCKPOT CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
1 ½ — 2 pounds chicken
2 quarts water or chicken broth
Dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
1 cup milk
■ To make the dumplings, combine flour, salt and shortening until crumbly.
■ Mix in the milk.
■ Roll out dough on a floured surface until it is the desired thickness, about ¼ inch, and cut into 2-inch strips using a pizza cutter.
■ Place the chicken in the Crockpot and season with salt and pepper.
■ Cover with water or broth.
■ Cook on high for 5-6 hours.
■ Remove cooked chicken and shred/remove from the bone.
■ Add back to the Crockpot.
■ One hour before ready to serve, add dumplings.
■ Stir once to break apart and cook on high for an hour.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 46 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
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