Cold Weather Dinner: Easy Chicken and Dumplings

I'm loving this cold weather! The change in temperature has me craving soup. Last night I made Chicken and Dumplings. So yummy and so easy. I cheat and use refrigerated biscuit dough for the dumplings. Like the kind out of the can. Please forgive me. But if you have all kinds of time to make homemade dumplings from scratch, then by all means do it. And bring me some.

I've heard Cracker Barrel has the best Chicken and Dumplings. I've never been there but I am positive this recipe must compare. I have a feeling that they don't use biscuits out of a can though. And what beats canned biscuits? MAYBE Nutella.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

1 pound chicken breasts, uncooked
1 32-ounce box chicken stock
1 cup milk
1 can cream of chicken
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
pinch of dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough *I used a can of Grand's buttermilk biscuits.

Directions

• In a Dutch oven, heat vegetable oil over medium heat.
• Saute the carrots, celery, and onion about 5 minutes.
• Add the chicken stock, milk, and cream of chicken. Bring to a simmer.
• Add salt and pepper, thyme, bay leaf, and chicken breasts.
• Let simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove chicken and shred. Return to pot.
• Drop in pieces of the biscuit dough to the simmering liquid. *I usually take each biscuit piece and divide it into three or four chunks. Cover pot, reduce heat, and let the dumplings cook for 12 minutes.
• Remove lid, stir, and enjoy!