Chicken and Dumplings

First off I feel like I need to apologize for my lack of posts this month.  For the last 3 weeks we have had at least one family member sick.  One had pneumonia....another with bronchitis....I celebrated a birthday.....I had my weekend away with my sister.  Yikes!  So after lots of antibiotics both boys are back to school and I am back to my laptop! 

I always remember my mom making a big pot of chicken and dumplings in the winter.  The smell was amazing and I always thought this time the dumplings will be better....but nope...still the same...and I couldn't eat them.  See....I am one of those "texture" people.  The dumpling..... no matter how delish always seemed slimy to me and I couldn't stand the feel in my mouth. 

After 23 years of marriage this has caused a bit of a problem for me since chicken and dumplings is a favorite of the hubby.  Over the years he has been treated occasionally when my mom has made a big pot to share with him.  So I guess maybe it was the guilt of not making it for him....but I went on the search for a version that would make him happy as well as a version that wouldn't send my taste buds screaming. 

I found something over at www.heythattastesgood.com that I thought I could work with and I am so glad that I did.  This was amazing!  It had the flavor of all day cooking... when really start to finish it was less than an hour.  And the best part....the dumplings.....were not slimy!  They bake in the broth mixture so the bottoms are dumpling like but the tops are crispy and browned.....really best of both worlds.

I did go the easy way though......I didn't make biscuit dough from scratch....I used Bisqick.  My family doesn't mind them that way and it was quick and easy.  But feel free to use any biscuit recipe you prefer.  I suppose a tube of refrigerated biscuits would work as well.

Chicken and Dumplings

 

3 lb chicken (I used thighs, boneless and skinless)

salt and pepper

4 T butter

1 large or 1 1/2 medium diced onions

1/2 c  flour

3 c chicken stock

2 c mushrooms, quartered

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 t dried thyme

1 t salt

1/2 t pepper

1 batch biscuit dough (your fave-I used Bisquick)

 

 

1.  Cut the chicken into pieces of whatever size you'd like in your dinner. I cut mine into 1" pieces, but you can use bigger or smaller pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

 

 2.  Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the chicken, then cook for 3-5 minutes without stirring, then toss and cook until browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pan.

 

3.  Add the onions. Cook until slightly softened, then sprinkle with the flour and cook for a minute,

 

4.  Whisk in the stock. Bring to a boil, then add meat back to the pan with the vegetables, thyme, salt and pepper. 

 

 5.  Bring to a simmer and cook, covered, while you mix up the biscuit dough.

 

6.  Preheat the oven to 400.

 

7.  Pour the chicken and gravy into an oven safe casserole dish, then plop the dough on top in meatball sized balls.

 

8.  Bake 20-25 minutes until golden brown, and serve hot.

 

 

Happy Tuesday!  Enjoy!