Cooking Classics
The Main Dish Staples
A Classic Cure For The Winter Blues
A simple bowl of chicken with dumplings can be as comforting at the supper table as a toboggan perched over a cascade of golden locks in the winter months… nothing quite warms you better inside or out. While there are many recipes to choose from when making this classic southern dish so much depends upon the dumplings. You’ll find shortcut versions filled with quartered refrigerator biscuits that leave behind faint, sweet notes while other recipes take on more complex methods of preparation. Pastry strips & homemade biscuits offer more traditional approaches with the added effort rewarding you come mealtime. These are fine routes to take, by all means, but if texture is a deal breaker when it comes to certain foods, these dumpling notions may not be for you. Enter. A love of cornbread married to a satisfying bowl of warmth. Ladle a round of Lemon-Thyme Chicken & Dumplings into thick-walled pottery cups & you’ve just created a group hug in a mug.
Fresh lemon & thyme sprigs that can be tossed into the pot without effort brighten this hearty southern supper. The Buttermilk Cornbread Dumplings can be mixed quickly & offer a lovely texture to this cozy winter-perfect dish. The broth is gently thickened with a blonde roux that allows you to quickly sauté a mix of good-for-you vegetables & steer clear of the condensed soup aisle. A handful of fresh spinach leaves add appealing color with a boost of nutritional value. If you’re short on time, pick up a rotisserie chicken which yields enough to prepare the dish or try my recipe for Salt & Pepper Chicken to make your own.
Lemon-Thyme Chicken & Dumplings
makes 6 servings
If you like to use concentrated chicken soup base to make broth, prepare as directed or cut the amount you add to the water for a lower sodium variation. My rule of thumb is to simply taste & adjust the broth concentration before adding to the main dish.
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
3 carrots, peeled & sliced
2 celery ribs, sliced
1/2 medium sweet onion, diced
8 cups chicken broth
2 to 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
3 cups shredded, cooked chicken
1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
3 sprigs fresh thyme
Buttermilk Cornbread Dumplings
Fresh thyme leaves & freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh spinach leaves
Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over Medium heat. Stir in the flour until smooth. Add the carrots, the celery & the onion. Cook 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the broth, the lemon juice, the chicken, the poultry seasoning & the thyme. Bring to a boil over Medium-High heat. Reduce to Medium heat & simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Remove the thyme stems.
Prepare the Buttermilk Cornbread Dumplings. Drop into the chicken mixture using a tablespoon-size cookie scoop. The dumplings will double in size & cover the surface of the Dutch oven as they cook. Reduce the heat to Medium-Low & cover partially with the lid. Cook 10 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. Sprinkle the surface with additional thyme leaves & freshly ground pepper. Portion the spinach leaves between 6 bowls. Ladle the chicken & dumpling mixture over the top. Let stand a few minutes until the spinach wilts.
Buttermilk Cornbread Dumplings
makes 13 dumplings
3/4 cup self-rising cornmeal mix
1/4 cup ap flour
1/2 cup whole buttermilk
1 egg
Stir together all of the ingredients. Use as directed.
FROM THE KITCHEN OF BUTTERMILK LIPSTICK
{testing notes}
How To Brighten Up A Southern Classic
Country-style chicken & dumplings have long hailed as a dinner staple south of the Mason-Dixon– it gets a well-deserved makeover. As our lifestyles change & evolve so do our needs at mealtime which have become extremely hard working in our household. We don’t want to abandon our southern heritage so by switching up the traditional recipe method to prepare this heartwarming dish, you can hang on to those valuable nutrients from the vegetables plus indulge your palate with a burst of fresh flavor from the lemon & the herbs. If you lead a relatively active lifestyle, you’ll find a fair balance of protein, fat & carbs that will help you go the extra mile when needed plus the combination will kick in overtime to help warm your soul.
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Cooking Lessons 101
How To Make Chopped or Shredded, Cooked Chicken
Use these tips as a guide & visit the post for more valuable information.
Salt & Pepper Chicken
Many of your mealtime favorites call to use chicken that’s already cooked & ready to add to recipes. If you have a little extra time, preparing your own is effortless & a savvy way to stretch your dollar. The birds are generally larger & will yield approximately twice as much meat than the standard rotisserie chicken. You do not have to use the meat right away either. Portion into 1 or 3 cup servings & top with some of the broth. Freeze up to 1 month & simply thaw in the refrigerator when you’re ready to use the meat. It will taste much better than anything packaged for convenience.
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“Things Ain’t What They Used To Be” The Swingville All Stars Featuring Pee Wee Russell
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