Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
September 11, 2023
Welcome to my new series on Southern Comfort Foods! I grew up in (and currently live in) Southeast Tennessee. This post starts a new series on Southern cuisine, and the first dish I’m sharing is Vegan Chicken and Dumplings!
As I began brainstorming ideas, I knew I had to reach out to a proper Southern food authority. My mother –a genuine Southern Food Queen in her own right- offered to help me out. This recipe holds a lot of meaning for her. I’ll let her explain it to you in her own words:
Hello! I’m Kate’s mom, Debbie. I was born in the early 1950s and my mother grew up in Mississippi during The Great Depression. My favorite childhood food was Chicken and Dumplings. I have fond memories of standing on a stool as a toddler, watching her roll out the dumplings. I’d ask for a taste and then burn my tongue because I couldn’t wait for them to cool! There are many versions of dumplings; some are like biscuits, and some are like noodles. But my mom always said, ‘A real dumpling is made with chicken broth, instead of milk or water.’ To this day I make them that way. After you mix your dry ingredients, you take a warm cup of broth and melt the butter in it. Then slowly pour your buttered broth into the dry mix. Then roll them out!”
Chicken and dumplings are a beloved staple in Southern cooking. Rural families used other types of meat as well. Evidently, my grandmother’s family sometimes hunted squirrels for this recipe when other options were scarce! However, this dish is most often made with chicken, so that’s what I’m aiming for. Dumplings offered a hearty and filling addition to the meal, keeping everyone full for longer. They prepared the dish in large pots or cast-iron Dutch ovens, making it a practical choice for feeding hungry, hardworking families and communities.
This vegan chicken and dumplings recipe carries so much comfort and nostalgia. A true staple in Southern households, this dish transcends generations, offering a taste of tradition and connection to our ancestors. I try to imagine how my grandmother and her family survived The Great Depression with the help of this staple. In her early years, life was hard, and she ensured her descendants were well cared for. by working tirelessly throughout her life.
With my mother’s guidance and her family recipe in hand, I present to you a veganized version that pays homage to our Southern culinary heritage without the need for chicken (or squirrels :P).
Vegan Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp oil of choice separated (one is to saute veg and one is to saute chicken in a separate pan)
- 2 large carrots diced
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 7 cups vegan no-chicken broth
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1 cup flour
- 1 Tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 8-16 oz thawed vegan chicken** shredded or roughly chopped
- 1 splash soy sauce or liquid aminos (2-3 tsp)
Instructions
- Add 1 T oil of choice to a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add carrots and celery and saute for 4 minutes, making sure they don't brown.
- Add no-chicken broth and poultry seasoning to the pot, stir, and bring to a simmer.
- Take 1 cup of broth from the pot (try to avoid the veggies) and add to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter to the broth and allow it to melt.
- In a different bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add broth and butter mixture to dry ingredients and combine with a sturdy spoon. The dough should be a little sticky, but solid enough to be able to roll out.
- Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. A pizza cutter works great.
- Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings into squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact; just eyeball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.
- Now, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth.
- Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they are not doughy.
- While the dumplings are cooking, add 1 Tbsp oil of choice along with the vegan chicken to a medium saute pan over medium heat. After 2 minutes. splash with soy sauce or liquid aminos. Make sure to stir and brown on both sides, then remove from heat.
- Add the cooked chicken to the pot and serve.
jr
made this for my daughter.
I resisted the urge to devour it myself!
I used Gardein No chicken broth..EXCELLENT