In the novel, The Wonder Boy of Whistle Stop Fannie Flagg reminisces about Christmas Day dinners at the Whistle Stop Cafe. Each year Idgie and Ruth, along with Sipsey and Big George, would serve lunch to the entire town. In addition to the wild turkeys brought in by local hunters, they served fried chicken and pork chops, plenty of mashed potatoes and gravy, chicken and dumplings, homemade rolls, cornbread, and biscuits, and at least ten different kinds of dessert. What a feast for those lonely railroad workers, people suffering through the depression. What a joy for the community to be in fellowship on Christmas Day.

I love chicken and dumplings, but my late husband did not like them. I decided to give them a try for the first time in nearly forty years. In the first batch, I used frozen chicken, regular chicken broth, and a can of cream of chicken soup in the broth. I took the easy route and used a baking mix for the dumplings. It tasted like a salt lick. Yuck. I threw it out.

Thankfully, this next recipe is much better. The moral of the story: Use fresh chicken, low-sodium broth, and make your own dumplings. It only takes a few minutes longer and is worth the extra effort.

Print Recipe

Chicken and Dumplings for Two

Course

Soup

Cuisine

American

Keyword

Soups, Southern

Servings

bowls

Ingredients

For the broth

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup onions chopped
• 1 stalk celery chopped
• 6 baby carrots chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast cubed
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried sage
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth

For the dumplings

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup milk

Course Soup Cuisine American Keyword Soups, Southern Servings bowls Ingredients For the broth 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 cup onions chopped 1 stalk celery chopped 6 baby carrots chopped 1 clove garlic minced 6 ounces boneless skinless chicken breast cubed 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 teaspoon dried sage 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth For the dumplings 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon sugar 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt 2 tablespoons cold butter cut into small pieces 1/4 cup milk

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook 4 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add in the chicken breast, seasonings, and broth. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes.
2. Make the dumplings by whisking together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Toss butter into the dry ingredients. Use a fork or a pastry blender to cut butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbles. Add the milk and stir until the dough comes together. Do not over mix. Drop the dumplings by the spoonful into the soup. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes.