Homemade Chicken 'n' Buttermilk Dumplings

I love comfort food. Oh, you too? Everyone's comfort food is different and varied, but one thing is for sure, homemade chicken 'n' dumplin's is towards the top of everyone's list. That is unless you belong to one of those native tribes in the South American rainforest that hasn't ever seen modern clothing or technology.  So, (deep breath) if you are a member one of those native South America rainforest tribe that happens to come across this recipe sans modern technology (not even going there with the clothes), then I mean no offense and you should really try this recipe.

And everyone else should too, for that matter.  But this isn't just any chicken 'n' dumplin's.  It is made-from-scratch, no biscuit-mix-for-the-dumplins-please, kind of chicken 'n' dumplin's.  It will have you tucked up under your favorite blankie with your thumb in your mouth while watching the Wizard of OZ, even if you are thirty-three and five children are running in and out of the room calling you "Mama".  {ahem}

For all of its deliciousness, this recipe does take time and prep work.  That being said, it's totally worth it because it's pretty much the best chicken 'n' dumplin's I've ever tasted.

Ingredients

• 1 stewing chicken (about 5 pounds), cut up
• 10 cups water
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 3 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 cup half-and-half cream

DUMPLINGS:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

Directions

• In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, combine the first seven ingredients. Bring to a boil; skim foam from broth. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; when cool enough to handle, debone and dice. Strain broth, reserving broth and vegetables.  This is a good job for your hubby's big muscles if your soup pot is as big as mine is. 
• In the same kettle, melt butter. Stir in flour, paprika and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in 6 cups reserved broth (save remaining broth for another use) *Make sure you have this ready to go or the butter will burn.* Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Reduce heat; stir in the cream, reserved vegetables and chicken. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce the heat to simmer.
• For dumplings, combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Combine eggs, buttermilk and butter; stir into dry ingredients to form a stiff batter.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering mixture. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean (do not lift cover while simmering). Serve immediately. Yield: 6-8 servings.

*Just a note or two:  I ask the butcher at our neighborhood grocery store to cut up the whole chicken for me so that I don't have to do it when I get home.  (GAG!)  Did you know they would do that for you?  They always smile and are so gracious to me when I ask.  Okay, maybe not every time, but with five children, an astronomical grocery bill and with an interest in their own job security (which they benefit from), they'd better be at least smiling at me on the outside.  Also, even though it's already 100 degrees for us here, this is something that my family would eat year round.  It's nice to not have to heat up the oven or stand outside in the heat over a grill.