Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Make It Monday!

Chow Down Chicken 'n Dumplings
Here's a hearty, thick, and filling meal especially good for those of us that live in b-r-r-r winter climates!

Ingredients
  • 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts cut into chunky or bite size pieces
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 can cream of chicken soup
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • 1 onion, diced finely
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 tubes refrigerated biscuit dough cut into pieces -  These will not go in until the very end, so do not prepare them until you need them.  I use a pizza cutter to cut the biscuit dough - it makes it go zip, zip, very quick!  I cut the round dough pieces into thirds.  Then, I cut the thirds in half.  You can cut these into any size you’d like, but keep in mind these little suckers puff up when cooking!  The first time I made it I quartered the biscuit dough and it was a tad too big.
  • 1 16 oz. frozen bag of mixed veggies - I use the bag that has peas, corn, lima beans, and carrots, but use whatever veggies you like.  If you want less veggies, don’t use the whole bag.
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon parsley
  • Poultry seasoning – use just a tad because you’ll be using chicken broth too and too much of either will make it too salty.  I use Wyler’s instant bouillon granules and only use 1 teaspoon. 
  • Pepper
Directions
  1. Place all ingredients in slow cooker EXCEPT FOR THE BISCUITS. 
  2. Fill the slow cooker with chicken broth to cover all the ingredients.  I keep a carton of this in my fridge to add to many dishes when I’m sauteing veggies or chicken dishes.  A little bit goes a long way!  I also use the low sodium/low fat chicken broth.
  3. Cover and cook 5-6 hours on high.  Of course, peek in every now and again to stir it up so the flavorings seep through.  
  4. 2 hours before you’d like to eat, prepare the biscuits and add them to the slow cooker.  Cook until the dough is no longer raw.  Pop back every  now and then once you add the biscuits because they rise to the top, which is fine, but sink them back down a few times during the time they are cooking so they don’t stick to the side of your slow cooker and over cook. 
Is your broth too thin?  Perhaps you accidentally added too much broth.  If so, add very small amounts of sifted flour & give it a stir to thicken it back up.

NOTE: My slow cooker seems to cook very hot on high.  You may have to adjust your times with your slow cooker.