Chicken and Dumplings

Adapted from my mother's recipes.

Ingredients
3 qts. water
4 T. Chicken Better Than Bouillon
a pinch of Ghost Chili Pepper Flakes
cracked black pepper
2 T. Litehouse Instantly Fresh Poultry Herb Blend
1 large bay leaf
1 lb. chicken breast tenders
4 stalks celery
6 medium carrots
1 medium sweet onion
2 T. butter
2 c. flour
1 t. salt
3 t. baking powder
1/2 T. sage or poultry herb blend, optional
1 c. milk

Directions
Bring the water, bouillon, peppers, bay, and herb blend to a simmer in a large stock pot.

Carefully drop in the chicken to poach for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice vegetables using a food processor.  Put vegetables in a medium bowl.

Using tongs, remove chicken from broth and let cool slightly on a plate or cutting board.

Grate butter into the emptied food processor work bowl.  Change to the chopping blade.  Sift in flour, salt, baking powder and optional sage.  Mix well.  While running, pour in milk and mix until just smooth.  Be careful not to over work the dough.

Using two forks, shred the chicken and return it to the simmering broth.  Add the vegetables.  Return to a simmer.

Using a 1.5-2 oz. disher, drop dollops of dumplings onto the surface of the simmering soup.  The dumplings will likely need to be done in two batches, and the dough can be refrigerated uncooked separate from the soup overnight, as well.  (Alternatively, place the dough in a 1 quart plastic zipper food bag, close and snip a 1" hole from one corner.  Discard the corner piece of plastic.  Squeeze the bag over the soup to extrude the dough, and with clean kitchen shears snip the dough into 1" pieces, being careful not to cut the plastic.) 

Note: Can multiply the soup by 1.5 and still fit in my largest pot, and double the dumplings and still fit in my food processor.

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0

Amount Per Serving
calories 494
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 20 g	31 %
Saturated Fat 6 g	29 %
Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 46 mg	15 %
Sodium 1967 mg	82 %
Potassium 264 mg	8 %
Total Carbohydrate 60 g	20 %
Dietary Fiber 5 g	20 %
Sugars 10 g
Protein 19 g	38 %
Vitamin A	215 %
Vitamin C	14 %
Calcium	12 %
Iron	18 %