Homestyle Chicken & Dumplins

Sunday Supper Simplicity: My Love Affair with Chicken & Dumplings

The aroma wafting from the kitchen on a crisp autumn evening – a symphony of simmering chicken, rich broth, and fluffy dumplings – is a scent that takes me right back to my grandmother's kitchen. Sunday suppers were a ritual in her home, a time for family to gather around a table laden with comfort food and share the stories of their week. And at the heart of those gatherings, more often than not, was a steaming pot of her famous chicken and dumplings.

My grandmother wasn't a fancy cook. She didn’t use complicated techniques or exotic ingredients. Her magic lay in her simplicity, her ability to transform humble ingredients into dishes that warmed the heart and nourished the soul. Her chicken and dumplings were a testament to this. There was nothing pretentious about it, just pure, unadulterated comfort in every bite. The tender chicken, the pillowy dumplings soaking up the flavorful broth…it was a hug in a bowl. And to this day, it remains one of my most cherished food memories.

Over the years, I’ve tried countless variations of chicken and dumplings. Some have been more elaborate, incorporating herbs and spices from far-off lands. Others have been quick weeknight versions, relying on store-bought shortcuts. But none have ever truly captured the essence of my grandmother's recipe. Perhaps it's the nostalgia factor, the memories tied to each bite. Or maybe it's her secret ingredient – a pinch of love, a dash of family tradition – that I’ve yet to replicate.

As a busy businesswoman, weeknight dinners are often a rushed affair. There are deadlines to meet, emails to answer, and a never-ending to-do list that looms over me. But on Sundays, I try to carve out some time to reconnect with my culinary roots. I pull out my grandmother’s well-worn recipe card, stained with flour and the markings of time, and I embark on the familiar ritual of making chicken and dumplings. It’s a slow process, a meditative act that allows me to unwind and reconnect with a simpler time. The rhythmic chopping of vegetables, the gentle kneading of the dough, the simmering of the broth – it’s a therapeutic process that soothes my soul and brings me a sense of peace.

My children, like me, have grown to love this Sunday ritual. They gather around the kitchen counter, their eager eyes watching my every move. They help roll out the dough, their small hands clumsily shaping the dumplings. It’s a messy affair, flour dusting their faces and giggles filling the air. But it’s in those moments, surrounded by the warmth of family and the aroma of simmering chicken and dumplings, that I truly feel at home. It’s a reminder of the simple joys in life, the importance of family, and the power of food to connect us to our past and to each other.

And as I watch them savor each bite, their faces beaming with contentment, I know that I’ve passed on more than just a recipe. I've shared a piece of my heart, a taste of my grandmother's love, and a tradition that will hopefully continue for generations to come.

So, the next time you find yourself craving a comforting meal, a taste of home, I encourage you to try your hand at making chicken and dumplings. It doesn't have to be fancy or complicated. Just simple ingredients, a little bit of love, and a whole lot of heart. And who knows, maybe it will become a cherished tradition in your family too.

Step-by-step

• Add Chicken Breast to about 6 cups of water. Boil chicken until done. Remove bone and meat to a plate, strain broth retaining broth into a large boiler.
• Put broth from chicken in a large pot. Add 1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup to broth and bring to a boil over medium heat. Add bay leaves and chicken bouillon cubes
• Mix flour salt and pepper in a bowl.
• Once broth and soup are combined take 1 cup broth mixture and add to flour mixture.
• Add buttermilk, egg, butter and stir until it is a pasty dough turn out on pastry sheet and work in small amounts of flour (you’ll work in about a cup and a half of flour) until it holds together good.
• Shred the chicken fine and add to broth. Add additional broth until it gets to desired consistency. (You’ll want a little more than what you want your final consistency to be, the dumplings and simmering will condense it considerable.
• Roll out to bout 1/8th inch thick cut into squares and drop into soup and cook 45 minutes until tender. Stir occasionally.