Chicken & Dumplings

Growing up, my mom usually did all the cooking. If it was my dad's night to cook, our options were limited to pizza, mac and cheese, or chicken and dumplings. I love chicken and dumplings more than any other meal. If I were going to die and was given a last meal, this would be it... except for maybe the world's most perfectly cooked steak, but I don't have a recipe for that ...yet.

I once made the mistake of ordering chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel. This was a very bad idea. As it turns out, there are two different recipes: southern chicken and dumplings, like Cracker Barrel makes, and northern chicken and dumplings, like my dad made. Northern is the way to go.

Switching gears a little bit: I went out drinking with a friend the other night at a club where he works. A week night. As soon as I woke up the next morning to head to work, I regretted the third, and fourth, martini. I felt awful all day. Serves me right. When I got home, I knew the only thing I wanted to eat was chicken and dumplings, the world's most perfect hangover meal. Plus it's freezing cold again this week and this is classic cold weather food.

This is the easiest recipe in the whole world. I promise.

First, as always, gather ingredients. Bisquick, a can of cream of chicken soup, a can of chicken (any size you'd like), a cup of chicken broth, and milk. I decided this would also be a good time to show off my new wine glass...full of Dr. Pepper. You can't tell, but it has a faint white spiral around the whole glass. I'm in love with it, even if the sound of putting wine in it still makes me cringe.

Pour the chicken broth, the cream of chicken soup and the can of chicken into a medium sized pot and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, mix together the bisquick and milk. Also, invest in some mixing bowls.

Drop the dough into the boiling soup mixture by spoonfuls. Try to evenly space them out in the pot, but don't worry when they crowd.. because they will. Cook for 10 minutes then cover and cook for 10 more. This is the hardest part because the kitchen will smell AMAZING, but be patient.

When it's ready, it will look awful, but have some faith. So delicious.

Scoop out a lot into a bowl, cover with salt and pepper and devour. You will not regret it. In fact, you'll love it so much that you'll make some for your friends and then they will love it and nickname it something disgusting like Chicken & Dumps and ask you to make it all the time. I swear.


Chicken & Dumplings
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can chicken
2 1/4 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk

1. Pour the broth, cream of chicken soup and chicken into a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Mix together the bisquick and the milk until it forms a dough.
3. Drop the dough by spoonfuls into the boiling soup.
4. Cook for 10 minutes, cover and cook for 10 more minutes.
5. Ladle in a bowl, cover with salt and pepper and enjoy. :)

Easiest recipe ever. Also easy to double, or triple, like my family always had to. One bowl is never enough.

In case you can't remember this recipe (and then I might be worried about you) it's on the Bisquick box! Clearly Bisquick understands that northern chicken and dumplings is the way to go.

PS. After a BIG helping of Chicken and Dumplings and a good night's sleep, I'm feeling much better. :)