Christmas Notebook

Chicken soup is one of those recipes you can fudge to your heart’s content. Use what you have, substitute, leave this out, add that.

Yesterday I wanted to make chicken and dumpling soup. Instead of following the recipe I found online, I put together my own combo. Near as I can remember, the following is what I used.

Chicken Soup

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts [Whole chicken, chicken pieces, or turkey can be used.]
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 T. dry onion [May use fresh onion, diced, if you have it.]
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. dry basil
1/4 tsp. dry thyme
3 garlic cloves, minced [Fresh garlic is better than powdered garlic, but use that if it’s all you have on hand. If you use garlic SALT, reduce the amount of salt added.]
2 tsp. celery seed [Or use 2/3 c. fresh celery…I didn’t have any on hand, but celery seed imparts celery flavor.]
2 c. chicken broth
2/3 c. carrots, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dumplings
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2/3 c. mik

If you don’t want to make dumplings, you can add noodles or cooked rice to the soup.

Place the chicken in a large stock pot and add enough water to cover the meat. Add the onion, bay leaves, basil, thyme, garlic and celery seed. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down to a simmer. Simmer for one hour.

Remove the meat and let stand in a bowl. Add the chicken broth, carrots and salt to the liquid in the pot, and bring to a boil.

Mix the dumpling dough. Place the flour, baking powder and salt into a small bow. Mix well. Add the milk and stir until well combined. Add the dumplings, one at a time, to the boiling liquid. I dropped them by teaspoonfuls. They will expand as they cook.

Simmer the dumplings for ten minutes, uncovered, then cover and simmer for 10 additional minutes.

While the dumplings are cooking, dice the chicken. Add to the soup pot when the dumplings are cooked. Stir and heat through. Remove bay leaves, add freshly ground pepper to taste and serve.

~~Rhonda