1 whole chicken, boiled (or two frozen breasts, thawed)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1 onion (red, yellow or white)
1/2 cup honey or sugar (optional)
1 bundle celery, chopped
1/2 cup Bisquick or pancake mix
4 cups boxed chicken stock (or from boiling bird)
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups half & half
1 can carrots (baby or sliced)
1 can French's fried onions
2 tbsp. salt
1 tbsp. fresh ground pepper

DUMPLINGS:

2 cups Bisquick or pancake mix
2/3 cup milk

Boil whole chicken in large covered pot using 4 cups water until solid white, keeping broth afterwards to replace boxed if desired.

Take breasts or whole chicken (once cooked) and cut into 1x2-inch pieces (I prefer to use breasts cut along longest length in 1/2-inch thick slices then cut those into pieces at 2-inch length). Once cooled pull bird apart and set broth aside for later.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot. Add chicken and cook until brown on both sides, remove chicken and set aside. Add chopped onion to large pot and sauté until brown - you can caramelize them if you want by adding 1/2 cup honey or sugar and cook until sticky. Set on top of chicken and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons butter to pot and sauté chopped celery until soft or starts to brown, set on top of chicken. Drain oils from all cooked ingredients set aside into large pot - you should have about 1/2 to 1 cup oil. If not or you want more quantity just add some butter / oil.

Heat oil to bubbling, then mix in 1/2 cup Bisquick or pancake mix to make paste, slowly add 2 cups chicken broth or stock set aside from boiling chicken, mix to smooth consistency, add heavy cream and stir, add half & half and stir, simmer until creamy consistency. If too runny add more pancake mix or flour, if too thick add more stock and or milk/heavy cream.

With a wooden spoon mix 2 cups Bisquick or pancake mix with 2/3 cup milk in bowl then cover and set aside to rise.

Once stock mixture is smooth and texture is of melted ice cream, return meat and vegetables to pot. Add carrots and French's fried onions or any other ingredients you might like (mushrooms / peas / bay leaves), cover and let simmer for 10 minutes. Remove bay leaves (if used) and turn up to medium / high heat.

Once mixture starts to bubble drop dough in by spoonfuls (size is not relevant but I like 2x2-inch dumplings so I drop in 1x1-inch size), cover and simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste, let cool before serving.

Submitted by: Lord James