Chicken and dumplings

Chicken and dumplings
Chicken and dumplings
Alternative namesChicken and pastry, chicken and sliders, chicken and slicks
TypeDumpling
Place of originUnited States, Quebec
Region or stateSouthern and Midwestern United States
Main ingredientsFlour, shortening, water or milk or stock; chicken

Chicken and dumplings is a Southern United States, Midwestern and French Canadian dish that consists of a chicken boiled in water, with the resulting chicken broth being used to cook dumplings by boiling. A dumpling—in this context—is a biscuit dough, which is a mixture of flour, shortening, and liquid (water, milk, buttermilk, or chicken stock). The dumplings are either rolled out flat, dropped, or formed into a ball.

It is a popular comfort food dish, commonly found in the Southern and Midwestern United States, that is also attributed to being a French Canadian meal that originated during the Great Depression. Some sources say that chicken and dumplings originated in the Southern United States during the era of the Antebellum South and was considered a mainstay during harsh economic times. One of the earliest versions of the recipe was cornmeal dumplings cooked with turnip greens. Chicken and dumplings as a dish is prepared with a combination of simmered chicken meat, broth produced by simmering the chicken, multiple dumplings, and salt and pepper for seasoning. Sometimes finely chopped vegetables, such as carrots and celery, are added to the broth, and herbs such as dill, parsley, thyme, or chives are added to the dumpling dough.