Description
Paula Deen’s Chicken and Pastry embodies Southern comfort with tender chicken nestled in creamy, homemade pastry. Rich layers of flavor and hearty ingredients create a classic family-style dish that warms souls and brings diners closer together around the table.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Protein:
- 1 2.5 lb chicken
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
Vegetables and Seasonings:
- 1 large chopped onion
- 3 ribs chopped celery
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon Paula Deen’s House Seasoning
Liquid and Thickening Ingredients:
- 4 quarts water
- 1 10.75 ounces (306 grams) can condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup ice water
- 2 tablespoons corn starch (optional)
Instructions
- Initiate chicken preparation by dissecting the poultry, preserving skin and bones to enhance flavor depth. Combine chicken, chopped celery, diced onion, bay leaves, bouillon cubes, and House Seasoning in a large stockpot, covering with water.
- Gradually elevate the liquid to a gentle simmer, allowing the chicken to cook for 30 to 45 minutes until meat becomes exceptionally tender and effortlessly separates from the bone structure.
- Meticulously extract the chicken from the liquid, discard skin, bones, and bay leaves, then carefully reintroduce the shredded meat back into the flavorful broth.
- Incorporate cream of celery or cream of chicken soup, stirring thoroughly to create a harmonious blend. Bring the mixture to a soft, rolling boil.
- For enhanced stock consistency, whisk 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) of cornstarch with 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) of cold water, then gently fold into the bubbling liquid.
- Craft the dumpling foundation by combining flour and salt in a mixing bowl. Gradually introduce ice-cold water, using fingertips to blend from the center outward until a cohesive dough forms. Knead into a compact, smooth ball.
- Liberally dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough to a precise 1/8 inch (3 millimeters) thickness. Allow the sheet to rest briefly, then slice into 1-inch (2.5 centimeters) wide strips.
- Delicately lower dumpling strips into the simmering stock, strategically halving each strip before submersion. Gently agitate the pot to ensure uniform cooking without disturbing the dumplings.
- Monitor cooking process until dumplings rise to the surface, approximately 3-4 minutes, ensuring complete cooking while maintaining a delicate texture.
Notes
- Slice Dumplings with Precision: Maintain uniform strip sizes while cutting dumpling dough to guarantee consistent cooking throughout the entire batch.
- Gentle Pot Movement Matters: Circularly shake the pot after adding dumplings instead of stirring, preserving their delicate structure and preventing unwanted breakage.
- Arctic-Temperature Water Technique: Incorporate ice-cold water when preparing dumpling dough to enhance firmness and simplify handling during preparation.
- Chicken Cooking Sweet Spot: Prepare chicken until it begins loosening from bones, protecting meat’s tenderness and maintaining optimal texture within the dish.
- Strategic Cornstarch Integration: Incrementally introduce cornstarch mixture while continuously stirring broth, ensuring silky smoothness without unsightly lumps forming.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 339 kcal
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 930mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7.7g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 20g
- Cholesterol: 90mg