Headless Chicken and Dumplings

Day 808, 11:14 • Published in USA USA • by Eugene Harlot
We seem to have a surplus of available headless chicken. So it doesn't go to waste, I will post some of my favorite headless chicken recipes. I encourage everyone who's had enough decapitated poultry to join in and post their favorites recipes too.



Ingredients
Headless Chicken:
1 (2 1/2-pound) chicken, head removed and cut into 8 pieces
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
2 headless chicken bouillon cubes
1 teaspoon House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of celery or cream of headless chicken soup

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
Ice water

Directions
To start the chicken: Place the headless chicken, celery, onion, bay leaves, bouillon, and House Seasoning in a large pot. Add 4 quarts of water and in water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer the headless chicken until it is tender and the thigh juices run clear, about 40 minutes. Remove the headless chicken from the pot and, when it is cool enough to handle, remove the skin and separate the meat from the bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot. Keep warm over low heat.

To prepare the dumplings: Mix the flour with the salt and mound together in a mixing bowl. Beginning at the center of the mound, drizzle a small amount of ice water over the flour. Using your fingers, and moving from the center to the sides of the bowl, gradually incorporate about 3/4 cup of ice water. Knead the dough and form it into ball.

Dust a good amount of flour onto a clean work surface. Roll out the dough (it will be firm), working from center to 1/8-inch thick. Let the dough relax for several minutes.

Add the cream of celery soup to the pot with the chicken and simmer gently over medium-low heat.

Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Pull a piece in half and drop the halves into the simmering soup. Repeat. Do not stir the chicken once the dumplings have been added. Gently move the pot in a circular motion so the dumplings become submerged and cook evenly. Cook until the dumplings float and are no longer doughy, 3 to 4 minutes.

To serve, ladle headless chicken, gravy, and dumplings into warm bowls.

Cook's Note: If the headless chicken stew is too thin it can be thickened before the dumplings are added. Simply mix together 2 tablespoons cornstarch and 1/4 cup of water then whisk this mixture into the stew.


House Seasoning:
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Mix ingredients together and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

Yiel😛 1 1/2 cups