4-6 bone-in skin-on chicken breasts (depends on how much chicken you like)
3 cans cream of chicken soup
1 box chicken broth (I use my homemade broth 1-2 quarts - recipe on site)
salt & pepper
onion powder
parsley
bay leaves
fresh thyme
cayenne
frozen dumplings (cut into bite size pieces)
water
(optional) 4 carrots, 4 celery stalks and 1 small onion (finely diced)
Cook chicken in a skillet on the stove-top. Add salt & pepper, onion powder, bay leaves, parsley and thyme (all herbs measurements are to your taste). Cook chicken thoroughly to a safe temp of 160 degrees, I use a meat thermometer. Let it cool and then remove the skin, pick the meat off the bones and chop it up into bite-sized pieces, remove the large herb pieces of thyme and bay leaves. (I use the bone-in skin-on so it releases more fat and keeps the chicken from drying out).
While your chicken is cooking, bring a pot of water to boil. Add frozen dumplings to boiling water and boil for about 30 minutes, until not doughy (or as directed on the package). Strain dumplings, temporarily dump them into a bowl, you need the pot.
If you decided to use the veg - then put the finely diced veg in a skillet and saute it with some butter or EVOO and salt/pepper until its soft, set it aside, you'll add it to the pot in a little while.
In the now empty pot, dump in the 3 cans of cream of chicken soup, the chicken broth and 3 cans water. You want to put enough water in to dilute the canned soup. If you like it soupier then add more water, if you like it thicker then only add a little water, stir well. Add the chicken, dumplings and veggies to the pot, I add just a small sprinkle of cayenne; stir well. At this point you want to see if your pot of yummy is as thick or thin as you prefer. If you like your chicken and dumplings on the soupier side then add more water, if you like it thicker then you may not need to add more, you be the judge, stir well. Turn the heat on low to warm it through. Serve!
*** If you won't eat it all the day you make it or the next, then I suggest freezing it. I try to keep a supply of food storage containers that are freezer/dishwasher/microwave safe.
Sometimes on the weekends I make a larger than needed batch of things on purpose so I can freeze it. Makes for a convenient week night freezer meal, sometimes you don't want to cook after working all day. Some of our favorite homemade freezer meals are chicken and dumplings, white chicken chili, beef chili, meat sauce for spaghetti or lasagna.
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