Chicken and Dumplings

(video)

So some of you were asking for a chicken and dumpling recipe.  Well above is a clip from Chef Scott Peacock showing you how to make a delicious, decadant chicken and dumpling.  I originally asked my mom for the family recipe, but once I saw this, I realized our recipe was no secret.   Check it out!

Ingredients  (Serves 6)

1 large chicken (4 to 4 1/2 pounds), cut into quarters
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
8 cups Scott’s Chicken Stock (or regular chicken stock)
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise
2 ribs celery, preferably inner ribs with leaves attached
1 large egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled and sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup heavy cream

Directions

Generously season chicken with salt. Cover, and refrigerate overnight.
In a large Dutch oven, combine chicken stock, 4 cups water, onion, celery, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil over high heat Add the leg portions and the backbone of the chicken to the Dutch oven. Place the breasts, skin side down, on top of the legs. Reduce heat to just below a simmer. Cover partially, and cook, making sure the stock mixture does not come to a simmer, until breasts are cooked through, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove breasts, and set aside. Continue cooking legs until very tender and meat begins to pull away from the bone, 30 to 40 minutes more. Remove chicken and vegetables, reserving liquid. Discard vegetables and set chicken aside until cool enough to handle.
Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together egg, oil, 3 tablespoons cold water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir in flour until well combined. Cover and refrigerate dough for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
When chicken has cooled, remove skin and discard. Remove meat from bones and tear into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces; set aside.

Turn dough out onto a generously floured work surface. Roll out dough until it is about 1/16-inch thick. Cut dough into 1 1/2-by-2 1/2-inch rectangles. Bring reserved stock mixture to a boil over high heat, and season with salt. Add dough rectangles to boiling liquid, shaking pot as necessary, but not stirring. Cook until, dough is cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Add reserved chicken and reduce to a simmer. Add sliced egg, butter, and heavy cream; season with pepper. Continue cooking 2 to 3 minutes more; season with salt and pepper.
Remove from heat and cover; let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving in shallow bowl.

How wonderful does that sound!  Not to mention, this is a super easy dish to prepare.  If you are able to use a grill, take a moment to go fire it up.  If you don’t have the pleasure of using a grill, hopefully you have a George Foreman grill or a stovetop griddle.   If you don’t have either of those, GO GET ONE!  You can do this in a pan, but we are looking for the sear marks, and you just can’t get those in a pan.  Read on….
 

What you’ll need:

4 pieces of boneless chicken breast
*If you get those enormous ones, just use 2.  Be sure the thickness of the chicken is equal.  If it is not, either butterfly it, or if you don’t have mad knife skill like I do; beat down the thicker side with a mallet.*
Juice of 3 limes
¼ cup cilantro
3 cloves of garlic (fresh if possible) minced very fine.
*You can use a grater to get the desired consistency.*
1 shallot minced (you can substitute an onion, about 1 heaping tablespoon)
¼ cup olive oil
Salt/Pepper

In a flat pan, lay out your chicken.  In a separate bowl, mix limejuice, olive oil, garlic, onion and cilantro, with a pinch of salt and 3-4 cranks of pepper.  Salt and pepper your chicken, then take half 2/3 of that mixture and add it to the chicken.  Cover chicken and let marinate in the fridge for at least 15 minutes, but no longer than 30.  In the mean time, take the rest of your mixture, put it in a saucepan and let simmer at a low heat.  DON’T BURN THE GARLIC.  If there is not a lot of marinade left add a little chicken stock or a little white wine.  After the chicken is grilled, plate it up and pour the remainder of the cooked marinade over the chicken. 

A nice simple green salad would go perfect with this.  I love arugula with some cherry tomatoes and Parmesan cheese with a simple oil and vinegar dressing.  For a starch, you can make some couscous cooked in chicken stock and add some green peas.  This one is healthy, easy and guaranteed to make someone happy!