Chicken & Dumplings

3-4 chicken breast halves (with bones and skin)
1 onion, peeled and quartered
celery tops
salt & pepper to taste
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
4 potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cans cream of chicken soup (not the healthy, low-fat brand!)
1 and 2/3 cups Bisquick (not the reduced fat brand)
2/3 cup 2% milk

In a large Dutch oven, add water to cover chicken, onion and celery. Add salt and pepper and bring to boil. Continue to cook chicken over moderate heat, uncovered, until cooked.
Pour entire contents of pot through a colander, into another large pot.
Allow chicken to cool; remove skin and bones and discard along with the onion and celery.
Cut chicken into bite-size pieces.
Boil carrots and potatoes in broth until tender.
Mix the cream of chicken soup with some of the broth in a separate bowl.
Add soup mixture back to the pot and add the chicken to the soup.

In a separate bowl, mix the Bisquick and milk until soft dough forms.
Bring soup to boil.
Drop dumpling batter by the spoonful into the soup.
Reduce heat and cook, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
Place cover on pot and continue cooking for another 15 minutes.

Notes:

I like to let the chicken/onions/celery simmer for at least an hour, if not longer.

I never measure how much water to use. If the final pot of soup looks too thick and rich with the 2 cans of cream of chicken, simply add a little more water until it's to the consistency you prefer. Some people like this as a thick stew and others may prefer it to have a thinner broth.

Defrosted petite peas are a nice addition. I try to occasionally sneak them in!

I got this recipe from my cousin, Karen Kirschenbauer. I had never had Chicken & Dumplings and not only was it delicious, but quite easy to prepare. It's best served with warm, crusty bread (dripping with real butter).