Chicken and Pastry

This southern dish is known by several names depending upon region and tradition. The absolute "proper name" is "Chicken and Slippery Noodles" but it has erroneously been called "Chicken and Dumplings" by those who do not know exactly what "dumplings" are and/or think themselves being more "fancy/proper" by saying "dumplings".  Lord, help us all.

You may soon decide that the most difficult part of this recipe is actually reading it! My reason for being so wordy is to explain the recipe to the best of my knowledge so that you will understand why we do things this way now as well as why it was done to certain specifics in the past.  Please read on...

There was a time when an old hen or rooster, who had out lived their usefulness on the farm, was the preferred bird and would be stewed on the back of the stove for hours trying to get the tough old foul cooked into something edible. The broth that this cooking process gave up was so delicious that it just had to be made into something wonderful for the family.

This was also during the time when no one knew that heart disease was related to consuming fat and the broth was yellow from all the grease that had oozed from the bird. Today, hopefully we know better but we still aren't willing to give up our Sunday dinner with Chicken and Pastry as the star attraction. What to do? Below is my adaptation of our family recipe which has brought raves for years.

Let's Purchase a Bird

First, if you want that old home flavor (and are fortunate enough to find one) purchase a free range chicken. They are a bit pricey but do seem to have a bit more flavor than the chickens we find filling the poultry section of the grocer's counter which are "mass produced". The next thing to remember is that the "yellow bird" has no more flavor but instead has been injected with chemicals to give a plump appearance and is solely for marketing eye appeal. (I won't address what these chemicals are or what the long term effects of ingesting them might be.)

You may still use a bird marked "Hen" but remember she's loaded with fat. I prefer to simply roast these. As we are time conscious as well as fat aware, choose a good sized fryer that you feel you will enjoy.  

Once you're home and ready to prepare the recipe, it's your option as to whether you cut the chicken up or leave it whole to stew it. I prefer to cut it up because the flavor seems to be better with more bone exposed. More fat will also release itself in the cooking process with cut-up chicken parts. 

Be sure to wash the bird in cold water, paying particular attention to the removal of pin feathers on the wing tips and any other visible undesirables. Remove the bishops nose (the last piece that went over the fence) as your first cut whether left whole or not. That is nothing but pure fat and serves no purpose to man. 

Cooks Note:  Important!!! Once the chicken is in a large stew pot, make certain you clean up behind yourself. (I keep a sprayer bottle under my counter that is a 50/50 mix of household bleach and water.) Wash all surfaces and utensils that the raw poultry has touched with hot water and anti-bacterial soap. I then spray the area with bleach mixture. Dry with a clean paper towel and dispose of properly. 

Now, for the actual low-fat recipe of today...

1 whole chicken
1 Tablespoon Wylers Chicken flavored granules 
(you can substitute 2 low sodium bouillon cubes for this)
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 level teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 teaspoons salt
Enough cold water to cover chicken by one inch

Cook's Note: Start any food in cold water to draw out the most flavor from it when your primary goal is to have a tasty broth.

Bring chicken to boil and reduce heat to slow simmer. Skim foam/scum from top of pot as it accumulates. After removing foam/scum add seasonings and continue to cook until fork tender. Some cooks prefer to cook until the meat is falling off the bone tender.

Remove  pot from heat and remove chicken from pot. Cover and store chicken in refrigerator for safe keeping. Now, the choice is yours as to how you remove fat from the broth. If time does not allow for my preferred method below, once broth is cool enough for the fat to rise to the top you can proceed to carefully skim it off  with a large spoon.  I prefer to place pot in the refrigerator until the fat solidifies. Then, it can be lifted out with ease.

Pastry/Noodles

3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg - beaten well

1 cup milk (more or less depending upon humidity)

Option: 1 teaspoon yellow food coloring may be added to the milk if you want those noodles you remember as a child that really brought a smile as your mouth ran water of anticipation.

This is a "hands in" recipe. (All good southern cooks know that) Sift  the salt with the flour and make a well with your hand. Add the beaten egg and milk and proceed as if you were making dough for biscuits. Add as much flour as the dough will "take" without becoming tough. Remove the dough from the bowl and wrap with plastic wrap. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for 20 - 30 minutes or until completely chilled. 

When you are ready to roll the pastry, sprinkle a generous amount of board flour on your work area. Divide the dough in half and proceed to roll very very thin (less than 1/4 inch if possible on the floured surface. With a pizza cutter or knife, cut the pastry into strips that would measure approximately 2x4 inches. Do NOT begin cooking process until all pastry is made. 

Drop pastry noodles one at the time into the rapidly boiling chicken broth.   Occasionally, stir gently as you drop, so pastry does not stick to the bottom of the pot and scorch. When all the pastry is in, immediately lower heat, cover and allow to cook for about 10 minutes. Again, keep an eye on this and gently lift the noodles from the bottom with a large spoon if you feel like they are sticking. You can also add a bit of water if necessary... but be scant so you do not reduce the flavor. 

After 10 minutes, gently return the de-boned chicken to the pot, adjust seasonings to taste, cover and turn off heat. Allow to "set" for another 15 minutes or so to absorb as much of the flavor as possible. 

Serve and take your bows!

As I stated earlier, this appears labor intensive but it's authentic and well worth the effort. And... the hardest part was reading it! 

Enjoy!