Chicken and Dumplings

Photo: flickr user KellyK

Ingredients

pound

3 ribs celery, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 chicken bouillon cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

1 pinch garlic powder

1 can cream of celery or cream of chicken soup

Dumplings:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

Ice water

Preparation

Simmer the chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot; when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot and keep warm over low heat.

To prepare the dumplings: Mix the flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.

Dust flour onto a clean work surface. Roll out the dough (it will be firm), working from center to 1/8-inch thick. Let the dough relax for several minutes.

Add the cream of celery soup to the pot with the chicken and simmer gently over medium-low heat.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop the halves into the simmering s oup. Repeat.

Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes.

To serve, ladle chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls.