Chicken and Dumplings

I have a few recipes that use leftover chicken, generally rotisserie chicken. and my recipes are either two wordy or lack measurements.  I now do what I hated done to me when I began cooking.  Cooking is highly adaptable unlike baking which requires more precision.

These are my steps and comments on making chicken and dumplings.

Ingredients

• leftover chicken
• chicken broth (3-4 cups, make from bullion or buy in a can/carton)
  
• cream of chicken soup
• random bits of frozen veggies
• Bisquick
• milk
• cornstarch (optional)
• water (optional)
  

My process

• In a deep 18 in skillet add cream of chicken soup and chicken broth and set to low heat.
• The question at this point is how soupy do you like your chicken and dumplings.  I used a total of 4 cups of broth (1 from a can and 3 made with bullion and water).  This was pretty soup and I like mine thicker so I added a bit of a cornstarch slurry (more on this later).  I could have done with 2, maybe 3 cups max.
• Cut up leftover chicken, I don' t know how much a bunch of it.  Maybe 2-3 cups of chunks of chicken. Then add them to the pan.
• Add in 2 cups of frozen veggies
• I love frozen veggies because I can make as little or as much as I need.  But that also means I have just little bits of stuff left over that isn't quite enough for a meal.  This works out well for when I make this, or chicken pot pie, or shepherds pie.  I just toss in a mix of whatever I have.  It is generally some combination of peas, carrots, green beans, and corn.
  
• Let all this simmer, I don't add any additional salt because I find between the broth and rotisserie chicken it has enough but here is where you add whatever seasonings you want.  I didn't add anything because my boys like things bland. 
• A good option here would be some Italian seasoning, or just some plain black pepper, garlic, and onion powder.  
• This is also when you want to assess the thickness of your broth, if you want it thicker then add a cornstarch slurry, which is a fancy way of saying  1 tbsp of cornstarch + 1.5 tbsp of water for every cup of liquid you want to thicken.  Yes this is guess work start with 2 heaping tbsp (yes oh so accurate) plus 3 tbsp of water and add in slowly.  If it gets thick enough stop, if it doesn't make more.
  
• As that simmers make up some Bisquick dumplings
• Spoon dumplings onto the top, they don't have to touch they will grow.  Cook for 10 minutes with no lid.
• Add a lid and cook for 10 minutes more.  If you want to test to see if it is done then stick a toothpick and if it comes out clean it is cooked.

 

Dropped in dumplings, not touching

But they are touching now!