Williamsburg Inn
Chicken and Dumplings

   When I was attending graduate school at the University of Virginia, Gail and I visited Williamsburg often. On one of our trips, we purchased The Williamsburg Cookbook. We have made Williamsburg Inn's recipe for chicken and dumplings many times. It is a simple and delicious braised dish, more precisely a blanquette, since the chicken is not browned in fat first.

1 4 to 5 pound chicken
1 small onion
1 carrot
2 ribs of celery with leaves
1 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter 
6 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/2 cup light cream
white pepper

   Put the chicken, onion, carrot, celery, and salt in your braiser or stew pot with enough water to cover the chicken; simmer until the chicken is done, from 11/2 to 2 hours. Remove the chicken from the broth. Remove meat from the bones. Strain stock and add enough water to make 1 quart. Make a roux for thickening the stock: melt butter in saucepan and stir in flour with paprika. Add chicken stock gradually, stirring constantly and cook for 2 minutes. Add cream, white pepper, and salt to taste, place meat in the sauce.  Spoon dumplings on top of simmering chicken mixture and cover. Cook for 15 minutes.

The Dumplings

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 tablespoon shortening
3/4 cup milk

   Sift the dry ingredients three times. Blend in shortening with pastry blender or fork. Add milk and mix well. Dip a teaspoon into cold water, then into the dough, and spoon the dough onto the chicken mixture as instructed above.