Everybody has their own versions of comfort food whether it's mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, a grilled cheese sandwich, or meat loaf. But my favorite comfort food of all time will always be chicken and dumplings.
My mother made them the old-fashioned way, starting with a whole chicken simmering in a pot until tender. She would let the chicken cool enough to remove the meat from the bones. Once the chicken was shredded and the broth was strained, she would make the dumplings with flour and some of the broth, then roll them out and set them aside to rest. To build the dish she sautéed chopped onions, celery, and carrots until soft and put everything back in the pot, adding in the dumplings last, slowly, one by one. It became a big pot of gold! I remember it so well that I can close my eyes and smell all that goodness.
Over the years I have perfected my own way of making chicken and dumplings. Considering modern convenience foods we have now, my method comes together quickly using a rotisserie chicken, a couple boxes of chicken broth, 3 cans of cream of chicken soup, one large chopped onion, three ribs of celery, poultry seasoning and garlic powder and believe it or not, flour tortillas. Yes indeed, and they work perfectly as a stand-in for dumplings.
Give my version of chicken and dumplings a try. You'll be really surprised how comforting this pot of gold can be.
Quick and Easy Chicken and Dumplings
1 rotisserie chicken
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 ribs of celery, chopped
1 heaping Tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 (32 ounce) boxes of chicken broth, low sodium
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 package of large flour tortillas, about 8 tortillas
Remove the meat of the chicken from the skin and bones. Using a pizza cutter, slice the flour tortillas into 1-inch strips and then across into 2-inch pieces. Set aside. In a large Dutch oven or pot add in the oil over medium-high heat. Add in the onions and celery and sauté, stirring with a wooden spoon until they are tender. Add in the poultry seasoning and garlic powder, stirring for about a 1 minute. Add in 1 box of chicken broth and all 3 cans of cream of chicken soup. Using a whisk, stir until soup and broth become smooth. Add in the other box of chicken broth and add in the meat of the chicken. Taste for seasonings and add in salt and black pepper. While stirring occasionally bring the mixture to a boil. Add in the tortilla strips, just a few at a time while stirring them in so not to let stick them together. Reduce heat down to a low simmer and cook for about 10 minutes and then serve.
Cathey Noell writes about food and cooking for The Gaston Gazette and The Shelby Star. You can email her at catheynoell@gmail.com