Monday, February 4, 2013

My Chicken and (Flat) Dumpling Soup


 

I’ve been making chicken dumpling soup for a couple years now.  Long ago I had made soup with vegetables and a large can of Sweet Sue Chicken and Dumplings.  Then I discovered frozen flat dumplings by Annie.  They come in strips.  You snap them into pieces.  I usually aim for widths somewhere between ½” inch and 1” wide.  You drop them in boiling stock and boil for about 45 minutes.  I think the dumplings have a good texture.  Add some chicken and vegetables, and you have a really delicious soup. 

Chicken Dumpling Soup Ingredients 

1-2 large chicken breasts with skin and rib meat

1-2 boxes chicken broth

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

1/3 package of frozen flat dumpling strips, such as Annie’s Old Fashioned Dumplings

 
Chicken Dumpling Soup Instructions 

1.  For my soup this week, I cooked 2 chicken breasts overnight in the crockpot, completely covered with water.  I used all the stock and the meat from one chicken breast for my soup.  Alternatively, you can cook the chicken on top of the stove.  Cover chicken with water and cook over low boil for 1-2 hours until it pulls apart easily. 

2.  Remove chicken from stock and set aside.  Pour chicken stock into a large pot, such as a Dutch oven pot.  Add boxed stock as needed to fill the pan about 2/3 full.  Bring to rolling boil. 

3.  While stock is heating, break dumpling strips into pieces about ¾” wide.  Once stock is boiling, start dropping dumpling pieces into stock, one at a time.  Stir occasionally to make sure dumplings do not stick.  Stock should be at a boil at all times. 

4.  Add salt if needed.  Cover and boil dumplings about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  While dumplings are boiling, remove skin and bones from chicken and cut or tear into bite-sized pieces. 

5.  When dumplings have been boiling 20 minutes, add frozen vegetables, and boil another 15 minutes. 

6.  Add chicken and cook a final 10 minutes.  At this point, I add 1-2 cups of additional frozen corn.