Chicken and Dumplings

Is there any better comfort food than Chicken and Dumplings?  This recipe makes traditional chicken and dumplings - just a little faster and a little healthier.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2-pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4 large carrots, sliced into rounds
• 1 can cram of chicken soup
• 2 cups frozen corn
• 2 cups frozen peas
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Ice water

Directions:

To start the chicken:  Spray the bottom of a large pot with cooking spray, and heat over medium heat.  Add the chicken breasts and saute for 3 minutes. Turn and saute for another 3 minutes.

Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Add the carrots and onion and simmer for about 15 minutes.

To start the dumplings:  Mix the flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.

While the dough is resting, remove the chicken from the pot and cut into bite-sized pieces.  Return the chicken to the pot, add the cream of chicken soup, corn and peas, and simmer over medium-low heat.

Dust a clean work surface with flour. Roll out the dough (it will be firm), working from center to about 1/8-inch thick, and let the dough rest for several minutes.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. 

Pull a piece in half and drop the halves into the simmering soup. Repeat. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 5 to 10 minutes.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls.

This was exactly what I wanted - old-fashioned, but guilt-free.  And you can scale this up quickly - just add more vegetables or more chicken breast!

If you are looking for a wonderful comfort food, try this.  You won't be disappointed!