Wondering what to do with that old, tough bird? Whenever we have an old stew-hen or rooster past it’s prime, it’s chicken and dumplings time. I don’t recall where I came across this Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe, but I’ve been using it for a long time, and found that it adapts very nicely to a gluten-free version to accommodate my son’s special diet. It is one of my kids’ favorite meals, and they even requested it for their birthday dinner this year. If you don’t have an old stew bird hanging around your barnyard, don’t fret, a whole fryer chicken from the store will do just as well and make for an even juicier meal. And as the song goes, it makes a great meal to serve up when company comes!
Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings
3 quarts water
one 3-4 pound chicken (cut up)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 onion sliced
2 stalks celery chopped
1 clove garlic diced (or more)
1 bay leaf
parsley
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp lemon juice
Dumplings:
2 cups gluten-free flour or baking mix of choice
1 tbsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp milk, buttermilk, rice milk, or whatever you use
1. Boil water in a soup pot. Add chicken and 1 tsp salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parsley. Cook 2 hours (3 if it’s a really tough old bird)
2. Remove chicken and strain. Keep the stock.
3. Pour 1 1/2 quarts of the stock back into the pot. Add pepper, 1/2 tsp salt and lemon juice. Reheat over medium heat.
4. Mix flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt and milk. Stir until smooth and let dough rest 5-10 minutes. Roll dough onto floured surface (I often use potato starch here for thickening) 1/2″ thick.
5. Cut dough into squares and drop into simmering pot. The dumplings will thicken the stock into a gravy. Simmer 20-30 minutes until thick.
6. Tear meat from bones and cut up into chunks, then add to the pot. Simmer chicken and dumplings 5-10 minutes, stirring gently.
Serve hot and enjoy!
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