GF Chicken and Dumplings

I am grateful my grandmother shared some of her classic recipes and showed me how to make them.  This is one of my favorites and was successful in converting it to gluten free.  Her dumplings were made from a simple biscuit recipe - you can stir it by hand or with a mixer - just don’t over mix!

Dumplings

1 ½ cups of GF flour - I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour

1 egg - beaten

3 tablespoons of shortening

½ teaspoon of salt

5 tablespoons of cold water

Combine and mix until soft.  Roll out on a floured surface very thin.  Cut into strips.  Let dry for at least 20 (twenty) minutes.

Boil chicken - I use 2 large boneless chicken breasts with one bay leaf (optional), one sliced or chopped onion, a generous teaspoon of minced garlic, one tablespoon of celery flakes or ½ cup of sliced celery and salt and pepper.  Boil until done for about 15-20 minutes.  Remove chicken from the broth and cut into small bite size pieces.  Remove the bay leaf (if used).  Strain or carefully puree the broth.  Bring the strained or pureed broth back to  a boil.  Drop the dumplings into the boiling broth and cook until tender.  Add chicken back into the broth.  Cover and simmer for one hour - stirring every few minutes.  

Special note:  After 30 minutes I add one cup of milk and one sliced stick (½ cup) of butter and cook for 30 more minutes.  It makes a richer broth.  

I also add some parsley in the last five minutes and stir. This is for digestive purposes and adds color.

If the broth is too thin - add some of the broth to ¼ cup of GF flour or 2 Tablespoons of GF corn starch making a paste.  Continue to add more broth until you are able to easily stir it into the chicken and dumplings.  You will need to cook and stir for at least 15 more minutes so all the flavors blend.

Also - you can purchase a GF rotisserie chicken - pull off the bone and cut into small bite size pieces and proceed as above.  

Easily serves 4-6 servings 

Enjoy my modified Grandmother’s Chicken and Dumplings!  Let me know what you think  - what memories did it bring to your mind?