Nelson Chicken and Dumplings

You are in for a treat today! Chicken and Dumplings is such a family favorite around here! Its a real treat and something we often make for special birthday meals. This recipe hails all the back to the 80's. So grab a turtle neck and curl your bangs, and lets get to it! 

Ingredients: 

1 Roast Chicken
1 pkg cream cheese (room temperature) 
2 pkgs pillsbury crescent roll dough
1 cup butter (room temperature) 
1 cup pepperidge farm herbed season bread crumb stuffing
1 cup crushed walnuts 

The night before prep:The stock is the part that makes a good dumpling a delicious one.  Rinse you chicken under cool running water.  Put in a large stock pot and cover with water.  Add salt, peppercorns, onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, sage and whatever else you have. Bring to a boil and simmer until chicken is cooked.  One way I tell if it is cooked, is if I can pull the leg off the chicken.  Remove your chicken from the liquid and refrigerate both separately over night. 

The next day all the fat will have risen to the top of your liquid, skim that off. You will use this liquid to create a gravy. Drain the stock of all veggies.To make the gravy, take a couple of cups of stock and add 2 chicken bullion cubes.  Mix about 2 tbs. of cornstarch with a bit of water add to stock, stirring well, and bring to a boil.  You can make it as thick or as thin depending on the amount of cornstarch

Remove the chicken from the carcass (debone it) and shred. Mix the chicken with the 1 cube of butter and cream cheese. 

Take the crescent roll dough out and pat out each triangle to make it a little larger. Place spoonful of the chicken mixture in the middle of the dough and fold the sides over so the mixture is completely covered by the dough. 

Melt your other cube of butter in a bowl. Pat your chicken rolls flat then dip in the butter. Then dip in the breadcrumbs and walnuts and place them all on a cookie sheet. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve over rice and top with the gravy you have made from your chicken drippings. 

This is seriously such a wonderful family favorite of ours. Its something you'll be certain to love as well.