Chicken and Dumplings

Motivation
To be clear, this recipe is for the type of chicken and dumplings where the dumplings are big fat noodles, not the kind where the dumplings are delicious icebergs the bob around.  Both types are legitimate dumplings.

For me, this recipe is all about the broth.  With top notch broth this is comfort food that's hard to beat.  With thin broth its just so-so.  The broth has to be unctuous and packed with chicken flavor.  In short, the stuff out of the can isn't going to cut it - you need to make a stock.

I've tried a number of ways to make stock over the years.  My current favorite is stock made out of the left over carcass of something that has been roasted, grilled, or smoked.  What's included here is about the least hassle way I've come up with to get banging good stock.  Basically I buy precooked rotisserie chickens from the local grocery store.  Strip the meat and use the carcass to make the stock.

Ingredients
For the stock
2 Rotisserie Chickens
1 Onion

For the dumplings
2 1/2 cups Flour
3 Eggs
Pinch Salt
Fresh Ground Black Pepper
~1/3 cup Water

Mise en Place
I usually make this dish over two days.  Make the stock on day one then then dumplings on day 2.

Remove meat for rotisserie chickens and save to added to the final dish.  Two chickens ought to result in more meat than you need for this dish, so there will be some spare meat to use in something else.  This is not a bad problem to have.

Throw wing tips, bones, and any other part of the rotisserie chicken that isn't chunks of meat into a stock pot and add water.  Be careful not to add too much water.  I usually add just enough to barely cover my chicken carcass parts.  Quarter the onion and throw into stock pot.  In my experience this is all that is really necessary.  You can add other vegetables if you wish.  Carrots and celery are popular.  Herbs like rosemary and thyme are nice too.  In my opinion lots of extra veggies don't make all that much difference to a good meat stock.   Simmer stock for at least 3 hours.  I usually cover it so I don't have to replace evaporated water.  Strain stock and chill.

Method
In a food processor fitted with a dough-blade add all the dumpling ingredients.  Try adding less than 1/3 of cup at water and adding more later if you need it.  If you start by dumpling all the water in you'll probably end up with dough that is too moist and needs extra flour (voice of experience talking).  Pulse the processor until a dough ball is formed and let rest for 15 minutes under a moist towel.

Bring stock to a simmer.

Kneed a few times then roll out dough into a thin sheet and cut into noodles roughly an inch wide and 2-4 inches long.  Add noodles to simmering stock a few at a time.  I don't always use up all the dough.  It depends on how much stock I have and what sort of dumpling ratio I'm in the mood for.  Once all noodles are added, add reserved chicken from the rotisserie and cook until thoroughly heated.  Serve.