UPDATE 2024: I’ve kept this old post here for nostalgic purposes, because it was one of the VERY first posts on my blog (just look at these photos!!), made and shot in our tiny apartment when Eric and I were first married, back in 2011.

I’ve since revamped Grandma Georgia’s recipe! You can find it here: Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings.

My Grandma Georgia was a fabulous cook.  I’m sad that I didn’t become interested in cooking until after she had passed away.  She could have taught me some amazing stuff.  I love thinking about her every time I make a mistake in the kitchen. 

On one of her first dates with my grandpa, she made him dinner, complete with an apple pie for dessert.  She must have been too full for pie, but she gave a healthy slice to my grandpa.  The next day, she took one bite of the pie and spit it back out.  She had accidentally used cayenne pepper instead of cinnamon. 

Can you believe he ate the whole slice?  Whenever she told that story, she always exclaimed about how he never said anything.  He must have really liked her!  So whenever a recipe blows up in my face I always think to myself, well, at least I didn’t put cayenne pepper in the apple pie.  It’s also encouraging that by the time she was my grandmother she wasn’t making mistakes like that…maybe someday I won’t either (maybe).

Chicken & Dumplings on platter

My favorite recipe that grandma made (besides her blackberry pie and fresh grape juice and Chicken Continental and and and) was chicken and dumplings.  It is like the ultimate comfort food for me.  Sadly, I don’t have her original recipe, but this one from Better Homes and Gardens is pretty close.

Want to save this recipe?
Just drop your email here and I’ll send it right away! Plus you’ll get new recipes from me every week. Yes please!
Chopped carrots and celery in bowl

This recipe calls for mushrooms, which I omitted because I’m not a huge fan, plus Grandma didn’t use them.  Instead I just used more celery and carrots.

Chicken and Dumplings

Source: slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook

2 1/2 to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces, such as breast halves, thighs, or drumsticks (I used breasts because that’s what I had on hand, but next time I think I will use thighs)
3 cups water
1 medium onion, cut into wedges
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried sage or marjoram, crushed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 cup sliced celery (2 stalks)
1 cup thinly sliced carrot (2 medium)
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (or just up your celery and carrot a bit)
1/2 cup cold water
1/4 cup four

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup buttermilk (I always use powdered buttermilk and it works fine)

(^^double dumplings. add pepper and dried parsley.)

Skin chicken.  In a 4-quart Dutch oven combine chicken, the 3 cups water, onion, salt, sage, pepper, and bay leaf.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered for 25 minutes.

Add celery, carrot, and mushrooms.  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, about 10 minutes more or until veggies are tender and chicken is no longer pink.  Discard bay leaf.  Arrange chicken on top of vegetables.

Prepare dumplings.  In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt.  Cut in shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs.  Add buttermilk, stirring just until moistened.

Spoon batter into 9 mounds on top of chicken.   (Do no spoon batter into liquid.)  Return to boiling; reduce heat.  Simmer, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  With a slotted spoon, transfer chicken, dumplings, and vegetables to a serving platter; keep warm.

For gravy, in a small bowl stir the 1/2 cup cold water into flour.  Stir into remaining liquid in the pot.  Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Cook and stir for 1 minute more.  Serve gravy over chicken, vegetables, and dumplings.

More great comfort food you’ll love!

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings << The set it and forget version!

Classic Beef Stroganoff Recipe (Crock Pot) << I made this after I had it a restaurant and I’m so glad I did

Classic Shepherd’s Pie Recipe << Another staple from growing up. I love meat and potatoes!

Easy Fall-Apart Pot Roast (Slow Cooker) << One of the top recipes on my site!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup from The Girl Who Ate Everything

Categorized as , ,

We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

You May Also Like...

Comments

  1. You never asked! Here’s the recipe Grandma gave me for her dumplings:

    1 whole chicken
    1 stalk celery
    2 carrots
    1 onion
    bisquick
    ½ C. shortening

    Cook chicken, celery, carrots, & onion in water. Skim fat. Drop bisquick & shortening mix into dumplings. Let boil, then reduce to simmer.

    1. Thanks Nate!!! I think you emailed me this. I need to try it her way, for sure. As soon as I figure out how to cook a whole chicken.

  2. karen, i might have forgotten to tell you, but pauline thinks grandma probably did use the bhg recipe, tho probably from 1947! that’s the one she herself uses, and she thought georgia did, too.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.