Smoked Dirty Chicken & Dumplings

[BBQ Grail]

Original Blog Post (Check out lots more pictures)



My dear wife, Mrs. Grail, is a great cook in her own right. And her chicken and dumplings is one her greatest meals. I love this recipe. If she made it once a week I wouldn’t complain. She’s made it with smoked chicken and without and, of course, I think the smoked chicken version is better, but if you’d rather just used a roasted chicken then go right ahead.

Mrs. Grail’s Chicken & Dirty Dumplings

Ingredients:

• 1 large roasting chicken, about five pounds
• 1 large sweet onion, rough chopped
• 8 cups water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

Dumpling Ingredients:

• 2 cups flour
• 1/3 cup minced fresh herbs/green onion tops
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup + 3 tablespoons milk

Sauce Ingredients:

• 7 tablespoons butter
• 10 tablespoons flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons Todd’s Bayou Dirt (or other cajun seasoning)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 4 carrots, cut into 1/2″ pieces
• 1 large onion cut into 1″ pieces
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1 cut frozen peas, thawed
• Salt & Pepper to taste

If you’re going to use smoked chicken you want to make sure you get a the smoked flavor and the seasonings through out the bird. The best way, in my opinion, to do this is with a spatchcock chicken.

After cutting your chicken, season well with your seasoning of choice. Mrs. Grail’s recipe calls for Bayou Dirt, but if you can’t get your hands on this great seasoning, any cajun type seasoning will work. Make sure you season both sides of the chicken. And using your hands get some seasoning up under the skin too!


When the chicken has finished cooking let it cool. Once cool pull all the meat off the bones. Get as much as you can, because once you load up the sauce, having a little extra chicken for a sandwich is a good, good thing.

Place the chicken bones and water in a large stock pot and bring to a boil. When water has boiled reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1 hour. Strain out all the bones and other pieces of chicken carcass. Return the liquid to the pot and add the onions, bay leaves and salt. Bring back to a simmer and cook for an hour or so.

While the chicken stock is cooking you can prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl mix flour, herbs, baking powder and salt together.
Set flour mixture aside. In a small saucepan bring butter and milk to a simmer, over low heat. Add liquid to flour mixture, stirring with a fork until mixture just starts to come together.

Drop by the spoonful onto a baking sheet covered with plastic wrap or parchment paper. Refrigerate until read to use.

For the sauce, melt the butter in a dutch oven over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly until a golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock, Bayou Dirt and thyme. Cook until thickened. Add celery, onions and carrots and cook until tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Add chicken meat, heavy cream, peas. Season to taste with salt & pepper.

Place dumplings on top of chicken sauce mixture, cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Serve!

[zwylde1]

Oh my gosh that looks awesome, and bet it tastes even better. Will have that on the ta do list for sure.

[Leopardstripes]

Looks great! Thanks for the recipe- chix and dumplings are ALWAYS appreciated at my house.

[1FUNVET]

Looks delicious.

[Cast Iron Chef]

Very nice! Love dumplings. Thanks for sharing the recipe. Going in my file for sure.

[landarc]

Ooo, that looks terrific, love C&D

[Ron_L]

That looks great, Larry! Personally, I would wash the chicken first.

[BBQ Grail]

Originally Posted by Ron_L

That looks great, Larry! Personally, I would wash the chicken first.

There are a couple of things you've just got to be smart enough to know. Like washing your chicken...

[Ron_L]

I just take it down the street to the automatic chicken wash... Don't you have those in California?

[---k---]

Looks like a great recipe for one of my favorite great comfort food. Thanks for sharing.

[Midnight Smoke]

Thanks for the recipe, do those Dumplings end up light and fluffy or more thick and meaty?

[FullBoar]

Props to Mrs. Grail. Looks mighty tasty!! Can't remember the last time I had good chicken and dumplings.

[bluetang]

That is Heaven right here on earth!

[vhram]

That looks really good!

[BBQ Grail]

Originally Posted by {Midnight ☼ Smoke}

Thanks for the recipe, do those Dumplings end up light and fluffy or more thick and meaty?

I would consider them light and fluffy...