How To: Make a quick and easy chicken & dumplings

Unexpected guest? Families coming for dinner? or Just in the mood of some soul food? Chicken and dumplings, this fast track version will take few ingredients and little time. This two part tutorial will never have you doubting "whats for dinner?" ever again.

What you will need to make this dish:

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 and 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders with the cartlidge removed
1 medium onion chopped roughly
3 stalks of celery sliced thinly along with the greens
1 8 ounce tray of fresh sliced mushrooms
1/2 pound of baby carrots
4 cups hot water
2 chicken boullion cubes
1 recipe of quick biscuit mix biscuits with 1 tablespoon of dried parsley added
Salt and Pepper
Dried Parsley
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Dried Tarragon
Celery Seed
1/4 cup Wondra flour or all purpose flour

In a large deep skillet or dutch oven, heat olive oil, add onion, celery and mushrooms and sautee for a few minutes then add carrots and place a lid on pan for about 5 minutes to allow veggies to steam. Then Dissolve 2 boullion cubes in 4 cups of hot water and mix well, add this liquid to the pan along with the chicken tenders blend well, cover and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes until the chicken is completely cooked. If using Wondra or granulated flour, use a whisk to quickly blend flour into boiling liquid, incorporate so that all the veggies and chicken are coated with the thickened gravy. If using regular all purpose flour, make sure that you make a slurry, in a clean jar, place flour and about 1/2 cup cold water, put a lid on the jar and shake vigorously then whisk the slurry into the hot liquid. This allows for no lumps if using the all purpose flour.

Now drop or scoop the biscuit mixture into even mounds atop the chicken and veggie mixture. Once you have used the entire batch of dough, place a lid on the pan and simmer for about 5 to 7 minutes longer, until the dumplings have steamed and doubled or more in size.