Loretta Lynn's Chicken & Dumplings Recipe Is Worth Going to Fist City For (7 Ingredients) by Donna John

Are there some dishes you would fight for? Chicken and dumplings is one I would go to fist city for, as Loretta Lynn would have put it. The late, legendary country singer loved to cook, and one of her well-known recipes is for chicken and dumplings. The southern recipe is in her cookbook, You're Cookin' It Country: My Favorite Recipes and Memories.

But first, a little trivia about Loretta Lynn's song "Fist City." According to Wikipedia, "Lynn wrote 'Fist City' in response to a woman who began pursuing her husband, Doolittle, while Lynn was frequently touring in Tennessee. The Lynns' marriage was often tumultuous; he threw her out of the house early in the relationship, ostensibly for her bad cooking."

Hmm. Well, I hope it wasn't her chicken and dumplings recipe he was complaining about. Loretta Lynn's chicken and dumplings recipe is as simple and country as it gets. With from-scratch dumplings, juicy chicken and a rich broth, this chicken recipe is one worth trying.

To make this high-protein chicken and dumplings recipe you will need the following ingredients: a whole chicken, fresh garlic, self-rising flour, salt, an egg, heavy cream, water and optional cornstarch if you like thicker broth. The homemade dumpling dough takes minutes to mix up, and rolls out easily. (Be sure to roll it thin for the most tender dumplings.)

Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and grab a spoon. That's really all you need for this comfort food dinner recipe. If you'd like, you could add a fresh vegetable or salad on the side.

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours and 10 minutes
Total Time: 2 1/2 hours
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken (about 4 pounds)
• 3 garlic cloves, smashed

Dumplings

• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup water
• 1 egg
• 6 - 8 cups chicken broth (from boiled chicken)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, to thicken if desired)

Here's how to make it: 

1. Put the chicken into a large pot with the smashed garlic cloves. Add enough water to cover the chicken. Gently simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 2 hours. (Chicken is cooked through at 165 degrees F internal temperature on a food thermometer.)
   
2. Remove the chicken and let it cool. Turn the heat off on the broth and let it sit while you make the dumplings.
   
3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones.
   
4. To make the dumplings, whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl.
   
5. Add the egg and water.
   
6. Knead the dough in the bowl until it forms a dough.
   
7. Put the dough onto a floured work surface.
   
8. Roll the dough out. (Tip: My dumplings were a bit too thick. I would recommend rolling it as thin as you can.)
   
9. Cut the dough into dumplings (I cut mine into squares. They don't have to be perfect. I used a pizza cutter, but you could use a sharp knife. Sprinkling a little flour on the dumplings helps to keep them from sticking together, and helps thicken the broth later.)
   
10. Bring the chicken broth back to a boil.
    
11. Drop the dumplings into the boiling chicken broth. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. (I stirred them every so often.)
    
12. After 10 minutes remove the lid. Add the chicken meat back to the pot.
    
13. Pour in the cream and continue to cook until the broth thickens up a bit. (If you want a thicker broth, stir the cornstarch into a little water to create a slurry, and pour it into the pot.)
    
14. Taste the broth and add more salt and black pepper, if needed. (I added quite a bit of black pepper.)
    
15. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle with parsley flakes, if desired, for a little color. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.
    

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