Chicken and Dumplings - Mar Style

For our Tuesday night climbing night routine, we have added another component - a very nice one if I do say so myself! The new addition is that our friend Mar (just moved back to PA from MD) makes us dinner so that when we come home, food is on the table! Not only is this super convenient...and means no more 10:30 dinners, but she is a fabulous cook and impresses me time and again with her meals. This past Tuesday, she made "Chicken and Dumplings" which was more of a chicken pie with biscuits on the top. Either way, it was DE-licious. So good in fact, that I asked for the recipe so I could make it last night for my sister and her college friends at Lafayette.

If you hadn't figured it out by now, my week is very structured. Wednesday is the night where Randi and I drive our butts up to my sister's school, bring them dinner and watch us some Project Runway (Best Show EVER).

I was slightly nervous before cooking this, because Mar's was so darn good and the recipe she gave me was more of an outline of cooking. But I figured, why not? I gave it a try and I think it also turned out pretty darn good. The girls loved it and although not the toughest crowd, I have to think that means something :)

Chicken and Dumplings
makes one 9x13" pan

Ingredients
1-2 pounds white meat chicken
1 pound dark meat chicken
4 medium carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 pound potatoes, small cubes
1/2 pound green beans, cut into thirds
milk
chicken broth
salt & pepper
cornstarch
biscuit dough (we just used a simple drop biscuit recipe - but bisquick is fine)

Directions

1) Put potatos and carrots in boiling water to cook. At the same time, put chicken pieces into hot milk to poach (make sure it is not too hot - the milk will scald). Season everything!

2) Remove vegetables from water and set aside. Saute the garlic, beans and onions until tender. Remove cooked chicken from milk and cut into bite sized pieces. Save milk! Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

3) Add about one cup of milk from the chicken to onion mixture. Mix in the carrots, potatoes and chicken. Add more milk and an equal amount of chicken broth. Just eyeball it, you want the liquid to cover all the ingredients.

4) Cook down and add some cornstarch to thicken. Season again!

5) Pour mixture into casserole dish and cover with biscuit dough lumps. Cook for about 20 minutes in oven or until golden brown.

Again, these directions are not exact, cook from your gut, if it tastes like it needs something, add it. It was very easy and very yummy! I will definately be making it again. Top Chef eat your heart out ;)