Susan’s Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 3 – 4 minced leeks (only white and pale green part)
• 1 medium minced onion
• 3 – 4 minced shallots
• 3 – 4 stalks minced celery
• 1 stick of butter
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 7 – 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 quarts good chicken stock (The author uses half bone broth)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 package Costco shredded rotisserie chicken breast (2 pounds, 10 ounces)
• Either 2 packages of Anne’s Old Fashioned frozen flat dumplings or Sour Cream & Chive drop Drop Dumplings (recipe below)

Directions:

1. Melt butter in 8 quart dutch oven.
2. Cook vegetables in butter uncovered for about 5 minutes, cover and let cook for about 5 more minutes.
3. Continue cooking until vegetables are soft and water has cooked off.
4. Add flour, salt, and pepper.
5. Stir and cook until flour starts to turn golden, adding more butter if necessary. Mixture should be thick but not too thick to stir.
6. Add broth and bring to a boil.
7. Add dumplings, cover, and cook according to package directions.
8. Meanwhile, heat chicken in a casserole dish.
9. To serve, use tongs to put desired amount of chicken in a bowl.
10. Top with dumplings and broth.

Sour Cream & Chive Drop Dumplings Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• Dried chives
• 6 tablespoons butter (melted and cooled slightly)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup half & half or heavy cream

Sour Cream & Chive Drop Dumplings Directions:

1. Mix together dry ingredients.
2. Stir in chives.
3. Add butter, sour cream, and half & half.
4. Mix only until combined.
5. Drop rounded spoonful into simmering broth.
6. Cook 10 minutes.
7. Cover and cook 15 minutes without lifting lid.