BEST FROZEN DUMPLINGS FOR CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS RECIPES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes. Push vegetable mixture to the sides and add chicken; cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
• Pour enough water over the chicken to cover by 3 inches; bring to a boil. Stir, scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour. Transfer chicken and carrots to a serving plate with a large slotted spoon; let cool.
• Ladle 1/4 cup cooking liquid into a bowl; cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons flour. Stir back into the pot.
• Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl; cut in shortening with 2 knives until mixture forms pea-sized bits. Mix in chilled chicken broth until dough is combined.
• Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead 5 to 6 times; pat down to 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle lightly with flour; roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into squares with a sharp knife.
• Drop squares, in batches, into simmering cooking liquid, moving squares to the side with each addition. Partially cover pot; simmer until dumplings are firm, about 12 minutes. Separate any dumplings that stick together. Remove from heat; keep covered.
• Bone chicken; cut into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot. Chop carrot; return to the pot. Cool chicken and dumplings, about 30 minutes, before serving.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.
• Remove the skin from the breast, thigh and back of the chicken, but leave it on the legs and wings. Season chicken with seasoning salt, and place in a large stock pot. Pour in water. Add onion, celery and margarine. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours, until chicken falls off the bone.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough to about 1/8 inch thick. Cut into 2 inch squares. Drop into simmering broth, and let cook for about 2 minutes. Stir gently to prevent sticking; add more water if needed. Season broth while dumplings are cooking with salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Simmer for about 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through.