Chicken and Dumplings

Notes: I use my own homemade chicken broth and just skip down to the last two paragraphs in the method section. I've also tried this with 1/2 wheat flour and it works well.

Source: http://www.cookinglight.com/food/quick-healthy/healthy-soup-recipes-00412000070018/page77.html

  Chicken and Rosemary Dumplings

Spoonfuls of seasoned buttermilk biscuit dough form light, fluffy dumplings in this classic American dish.

•       •     Soup:

•       •       4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

•       •       3 cups water

•       •       1 pound chicken drumsticks, skinned

•       •       1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

•       •       2 thyme sprigs

•       •       2 teaspoons olive oil

•       •       1 1/2 cups diced carrots

•       •       1 1/2 cups chopped celery

•       •       1 cup diced onion

•       •       2 garlic cloves, minced

•       •       1/2 teaspoon salt

•       •      Dumplings:

•       •       1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

•       •       1 tablespoon chopped fresh or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

•       •       2 teaspoons baking powder

•       •       1/4 teaspoon salt

•       •       2 tablespoons butter, softened

•       •       1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk

•       •       1 large egg

•       •       1/4 cup all-purpose flour

•       •       1/4 cup water

•       •       Remaining ingredient:

•       •       Freshly ground black pepper

directions

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove pan from heat. Remove chicken pieces from broth; cool slightly. Strain broth through a sieve into a large bowl; discard solids. Remove chicken from bones. Discard bones; chop chicken into bite-sized pieces. Set chicken aside.

Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic; sauté 6 minutes or until onion is tender. Add reserved broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon salt; simmer 10 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs. Keep warm.

To prepare dumplings, lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine 1 1/4 cups flour, rosemary, baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Combine buttermilk and egg, stirring with a whisk. Add buttermilk mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until combined.

Return chopped chicken to the broth mixture; bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Combine 1/4 cup flour and 1/4 cup water, stirring with a whisk until well blended to form a slurry. Add flour mixture to pan; simmer 3 minutes. Drop the dumpling dough, 1 tablespoon per dumpling, onto chicken mixture to form 12 dumplings. Cover and cook 7 minutes (do not let broth boil). Sprinkle with black pepper.