chicken and dumplings

• 1 (2 1/2 lb) whole chicken, cut up
• 2 12 teaspoons salt, divided
• 34 teaspoon pepper, divided
• 12 teaspoon garlic powder
• 12 teaspoon dried thyme
• 14 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granule
• 3 cups self-rising flour
• 12 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 13 cup shortening
• 2 teaspoons bacon drippings
• 1 cup milk
• onion (optional)
• celery (optional)
• carrot (optional)

1. Cover the chicken with water and bring to a boil in a large dutch oven or pot.
2. Add 1 1/2 tsp.
3. salt.
4. Add 1/2 tsp.
5. pepper.
6. Add garlic powder, dried thyme and ground red pepper.
7. Add desired amount of chopped onion, celery and carrot (optional).
8. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour.
9. Remove chicken, saving broth in dutch oven.
10. Allow to cool.
11. Skim fat from broth.
12. (I cook the chicken the night before and pour the fat into a container and refrigerate overnight; it is easier to skim the fat this way.)
13. Bring broth to a simmer.
14. Skin, bone and coursely chop chicken.
15. Add chicken, bouillon and remaining salt & pepper to broth.
16. Return to simmer.
17. TO MAKE DUMPLINGS...
18. Combine flour and poultry seasoning in a bowl.
19. Cut in shortening and bacon drippings with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly.
20. Add milk, stirring until dry ingredients are moistened.
21. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface.
22. Roll out to 1/8 inch thickness.
23. Cut into 1 inch pieces.
24. Bring broth to a boil.
25. Drop dumplings, a few at a time, into boiling broth.
26. Stir gently.
27. Reduce heat, cover and simmer...stirring often, for about 25 minutes.
28. ENJOY THIS SOUTHERN "COMFORT" FOOD ON A COLD DAY!

chicken, salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, ground red pepper, chicken bouillon granule, flour, poultry seasoning, shortening, bacon, milk, onion, celery, carrot

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/chicken-and-dumplings-15695 (may not work)