Old Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings

• 1 (2 1/2-3 lb) broiler-fryer chickens
• 2 quarts water
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

1. Place chicken in Dutch oven; add water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour or until tender. Remove chicken and let cool slightly. Bone chicken; cutting meat into bite-size pieces; set aside. Bring broth to a boil; add pepper.
2. Combine flour, soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk stirring with fork until dry ingredients are moistened. Turn dough out onto a well floured surface, and knead lightly 4 or 5 times.
3. For drop dumplings, pat dough to 1/4 inch thick. Pinch off dough to 1 1/2 inch pieces and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium low, and cook 8 to 10 minutes or to desired consistency stirring occasionally. Stir in chicken.
4. For rolled dumplings roll dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut dough into 4 x 1/2 inch pieces. Drop dough one piece at a time into boiling broth, gently stirring after each addition.

chickens, water, salt, pepper, flour, baking soda, salt, shortening, buttermilk

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/old-fashioned-chicken-and-dumplings-175532 (may not work)