Chicken and Dumplings-- strips or balls?

Cafe Society
41

This is probably the picture on Google that looks most like our dumplings. I wouldn’t call them noodles. They’re made using a similar process to noodles, but I think there’s a little baking soda so they puff up more. That and letting them boil for awhile in gravy stock makes them significantly different from noodles, in my opinion.

The thicker wads of dumpling matter (like at Cracker Barrel) are good too. Biscuits though? On top, or dropped in, that’s just something else. Pot pie maybe? Casserole?

42

When I was a kid up north when we had chicken and dumplings it was basically a thick chicken stew and biscuits baked on top. My mother hated gooey dough balls so whether that was the Northern version or her version, I am not sure. We didn’t have it much though. I have had it with the wet balls of dough and I’m not too fond of it either.

Then I went a long time without eating it. I had some supposed chicken and dumplings at diners that were essentially chicken gravy, some veggies and noodles. Blech. Then I had the Po’ Folks version which was the thick chicken soup and big broad noodles and it was delicious. I found a Paula Deen recipe which I tried with handmade noodle strips and it was awesome. I did use my own chicken broth but I also added a can of cream of celery soup (per her recipe) and it was quite good. My boyfriend ate 3 bowls. He said he didn’t think he’d like it but it was really good.

So I vote for the strips.

43

The classic work around is to sub in chicken stock for the veal stock. I normally make it 50/50 beef and chicken, veal is too damned expensive.
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44

I really shouldn’t do this, but since all of you are such big chicken and dumplings fans I am going to share my family’s secret to making anyone’s C & D better.

While your C & D is bubbling away, take the reserved skin of the chicken you used and fry it up in a saute pan until it’s crisp and crackly. Drain on some paper towels, then crumble and sprinkle your crispy chicken cracklins on top of the dish while serving.

Adds a whole new dimension to the dish.

45

I make big fluffy steamed puff dumplings myself. The ones on the bottom that boil get doughy and the ones on top get steamed and fluffy.Best of both worlds. If I want noodles, I’ll make noodles.