When Mishelle Goodhart married her husband, Jeff, her mother-in-law, Sharon Goodhart, started sharing family recipes with her, and this became one of her favorites. Sharon credits her sister-in-law, Jane Notaro Bush, who was the wife of a Marine helicopter pilot and spent much of her time in the Southern states. The trick to this exceptionally flavorful version is that because dumplings are not “over-worked” they remain light and fluffy.
SERVES 6–8
1 whole chicken
1 whole onion, chopped
4 celery stalks, chopped with the leaves
1 bay leaf
2 sage leaves
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground pepper
Water
1–2 cans cream of chicken soup*
1–2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
2 cups flour, plus extra for dusting
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ cup soft cubed unsalted butter
¾ cup chicken broth
Chopped herbs like parsley, thyme, and sage (optional)**
Rinse the whole chicken, removing the skin in the process. Place chicken, onion, celery, bay leaf, sage leaves, salt, and pepper into a large pot and cover completely with water, filling to about 1–2 inches over the chicken. Boil for 1–1½ hours.
Remove chicken from the broth and cool slightly.
Strain the onion, celery, and herbs from the broth and return broth to the stovetop. Skim any remaining fat and add 1 can of cream of chicken soup* and 1 or 2 chicken bouillon cubes. Stir to dissolve the cubes over low heat.
Once chicken is cool to the touch, pull meat from the bones and return to the broth. Add chopped parsley. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste.
While the chicken and broth are simmering, prepare the dumplings. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cubed butter. Add the ¾ cup chicken broth and stir with a fork until well combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.**
Dust a flat surface with flour and place the dumpling batter onto the flour and pat down to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut the dough into thin strips and drop into the simmering chicken and broth. Continue to simmer for 10 minutes.
Top with chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread. Enjoy as a hearty soup or serve over rice as a meal.
*Depending on how much broth is left after stewing the chicken, add a second can of cream of chicken soup if desired.
**For a more savory dish, add a handful of finely chopped fresh herbs like thyme, parsley, and sage to the dumplings.