Chicken Soup for the Soul

SO... I'm reading in the weather forecast there's a big rainstorm coming in this weekend; Therefore I'm planning on my hubby to not be working too much as well as a 'warm for the soul, comfort food' dish for that rainy night-in tomorrow night; For an attempt at a new recipe I am cooking based on an archived article from fellow blogger Monica. Thanks for the recipe!

Chicken and Dumplings Stew

Stew

• 3 Tbsp. butter


• 1 large onion, chopped


• 1 bunch celery, chopped


• 1 whole chicken fryer (about 4 lbs.)


• 3 chicken bouillon cubes


• 6 cups chicken broth or water


• salt and pepper to taste

Dumplings:

• 2 cups flour


• 4 tsps. baking powder


• 1/2 tsp. salt


• 2 Tbsp. dried basil (optional)


• 2 Tbsp. Crisco shortening


• 3/4 -1 cup buttermilk
  

In a large pot over high heat, saute onions, celery and bouillon cubes in butter til tender. Add whole chicken fryer to pot and cover with 6 cups water or chicken stock. Cook over medium heat til chicken is cooked through.
Once chicken is cooked through, pull out and place on a cutting board. Once cool enough to handle, take off all the meat and shred into bite sided pieces. Add chicken back to pot and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Bring to boil.
While the chicken stew is coming to a boil, make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt and dried basil. Mix dry ingredients and cut in shortening with a fork or a pastry cutter. Stir dough while adding buttermilk. Start with 3/4 cup and add more til completely moistened and biscuit like but not wet.
Drop by the spoon full onto the boiling stew. Do not stir dumplings. Reduce heat to low and cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Allow dumplings to steam for 15 minutes. Once dumplings are cooked through, stir dumplings into the stew and serve. The flour from the dumplings will thicken the stew.