Chicken and Dumplings

You know how there are those foods that can bring you right back to a memory and every time you make it you find yourself right back there. That’s me and the yummy, creamy goodness of chicken and dumplings. I go right back to cold winter (yes I mean cold like 40 degree cold) nights, pj’s and a Disney movie. This was one of my mom’s best broke food recipes that we enjoyed so much that even after the finances weren’t so scarce we still begged for it yearly. I have adapted her straight from scratch recipe into a crock pot friendly recipe that uses some soups in place of the broth base we use when cooking on the stove top. I will gladly share the stove top version with anyone who wants the recipe. Hope you all enjoy the yummy goodness of this family favorite. Oh and by the way, I’m planning on improving the recipe sharing here on the blog and include photo instructions weekly of my recipes. So if there is something you love and don’t know how to cook or don’t have a recipe for let me know and I will do my best to perfect it and then post it with instructions. So much fun!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
3 skinless boneless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons butter
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
1 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced celery
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 recipe biscuits, see below (you can also use 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit
dough, torn into pieces
½ teaspoon thyme
1 tablespoon parsley
1 teaspoon pepper
Chicken broth
Salt to taste (taste just before adding the biscuits and then add the salt and pepper. Remember that there is salt in the soups, celery and butter so you may not need to add very much.)

DIRECTIONS
Place the chicken, butter, soups, onion, carrots, celery in a slow cooker, and fill with enough chicken broth to just barely cover the chicken.
Cover, and cook for 5 to 6 hours on High (or on low for 8-9 hours). About 1 hour before serving, place the torn biscuit dough in the slow cooker, on high. Cook until the dough is no longer raw in the center. Dish up and enjoy.

Biscuits
2 – cups all purpose flour, unbleached
4 – teaspoons baking powder
1/2 – teaspoon salt
Pinch of garlic
3 – tablespoons grated or shredded cheese, cheddar
2 – tablespoons shortening (you can sub with butter)
3/4 – cup butter milk

Start by mixing and then sifting the dry ingredients. Mix in ceddar cheese. Rub the shortening into the mixture using your fingertips. Next gradually add milk while stirring mixture with a knife. A soft dough will form. Using a couple of spoons drop the dough into the soup. My suggestion when using homemade dough is to dunk them a bit, this can help them from forming a huge dough ball on top of the soup. Also, don’t crowd the pot with biscuit mix, you can bake off the remaining biscuits in a 450 degree oven for 10 -12 minutes and serve with dinner, or save them for some yummy sausage and gravy the next day.