1 whole chicken or 1 package thighs and legs
2 (10 oz. ea.) cans cream of celery soup
2 (10 oz. ea.) cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans carrots (can use fresh but must cook them half way at least)
1 to 2 stalks celery, sliced small
2 to 3 cans cheap biscuits, cut into fourths*
3 large cans chicken broth (to cover the ingredients at least by 2-inches before the biscuits to absorb the dumpling thickness)
garlic, to taste
salt, to taste
pepper if you wish, to taste
celery seasoning, if you wish stronger celery flavor (not celery salt)

Cover and cook the chicken with water, till done. Pull out cool and skin. Then shred (pull apart by fork or fingers). Can save and use heart, and liver if you like. Rest I toss out. (RESERVE BROTH from chicken).

Pour half about 4 cups broth into large, large covered pot. Set rest aside to use later. Pour in canned chicken broth (gives it a deeper taste), carrots (drain), soups, this should be cooked on medium for 1/2 hour. And stirred often or it will stick and burn on bottom. Season to taste with salt, pepper and garlic. I make mine with a semi strong salt flavor.

Turn up heat to medium high. When boiling, drop in biscuits. Before each time you redrop another stir to keep them from sticking together. I drop each one into a pocket of boiling bubbles till all biscuits are in. (I have daughter drop or stir). Turn down to low, stir often. Keep covered. Cook till dumplings pulled out is done in center (not doughy). By this time the soup base should be thick and creamy (like a milk gravy). Use reserved broth if needed, when it becomes too thick and you still need to cook it longer or for reheating the dumplings the next day to help thin it for warming (water seems to take away from the rich flavor).

Do enjoy! I made this years ago from scratch for a friend who wanted something like his mother made. Thick rich creamy dumplings are trial and error and I finally figured it out. Tried store bought dumplings, it didn't thicken right. Tried Bisquick, it didn't thicken right. So biscuits only work best on this. Tastes better second day.

Note: Can half this, but some reason it always ends up making a lot. This can be adjusted any way you wish really. I use large celery stalks while cooking then remove them, cause I don't like celery. But love the flavor.

Submitted by: Melissa H.