Addie Mae's Chicken and Dumplings
You won't be able to get enough of Art Smith's mouthwatering recipe for chicken and dumplings! This recipe was featured on Art's "Back to Our Roots Dinner Menu," as served to the cast of Roots during their 35th anniversary special at Oprah's California home.
Ingredients- One 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced into rounds
- 2 quarts water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- Pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. water
- 1 Tbsp. canola oil
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Place the chicken, onion, celery and carrots in a 5-quart Dutch oven or covered casserole dish, and add the water, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce, occasionally skimming the broth, until the chicken is tender, about 50 minutes.
Using tongs, transfer the chicken to a platter (keep the broth and vegetables simmering) and cool it until it's easy to handle. Discard the skin and bones and cut the meat into bite-size pieces.
Meanwhile, increase the heat under the broth to high and cook until the liquid is reduced to 6 cups. (If you're in a hurry, strain the broth, reserving the vegetables, and measure 6 cups of broth, reserving the remaining broth for another use. Return the 6 cups of broth and vegetables to the pot.) Skim off any fat from the surface of the broth. Stir the chicken back into the pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
To make the dumplings, place the flour, salt and oil in a medium bowl and gradually stir in the water to make a stiff dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Roll out 1/4 inch thick. Using a sharp knife, cut the dough into 1-inch-wide strips. (You can also make the dumpling strips while the chicken is simmering. Or make them ahead of time and freeze until ready to cook.)
Slide the strips into the simmering soup, placing them next to each other without stacking or crowding. Cover tightly and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the dumplings are cooked through and tender, about 10 minutes.
Sprinkle the dumplings with parsley. Serve from the pot, breaking up the dumplings as needed.
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