Low Sodium Chicken and Dumplings (or Low Sodium Chicken Noodle Soup)

A very delicious comfort food. If you cut back a bit on the veggies (but not the carrots or celery, they add essential flavor for the broth), omit the dumplings, and add some noodles, the recipe easily converts to chicken noodle soup.

INGREDIENTS

For soup:

1 (4 lb) whole chicken (or 4lbs of chicken pieces with the bone)

6 cups water

1 t poultry seasoning

1 t dried thyme

1 t dried sage

1/2 t rosemary

1/4 t black pepper

1 T minced garlic

1 onion chopped

1 1/2 cups chopped celery

1 cup chopped carrots

1 cup chopped green beans (or other veggie of your choice)

1 cup broccoli (or other veggie of your choice)

For dumplings:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 t baking powder

3 T shortening or unsalted butter

3/4 cup milk

for extra flavor: add 3T fresh chopped parsley or chives; or 1/2 t dried herbs (sage, celery seed, or thyme)

STOVE DIRECTIONS

1. In a large pot over medium high heat, combine the chicken (with the bones in), water, seasonings, onion, celery, and carrots. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot, and simmer for 1 to 3 hours (the longer it boils the more flavor will come out of the chicken bones and hence the more flavor your broth will have)

2. After the soup has cooked for the desired time. Remove chicken, take off skin, and debone. Chop the chicken meat and return to pot

3. Add the green beans and broccoli (if you substitute other vegetables add them at the correct time based on how long they take to cook)

4. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs (if desired). Cut in shortening thouroughly, until the mixture looks like meal (using a fork or a pastry tool). Stir in milk.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the simmering soup.

6. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Cover; cook about 10 minutes longer or until dumplings are fluffy.

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS

1. Put all the ingredients for the soup into your crockpot.

2. Cook on low for 8 or more hours, or on high for 4 or more hours

3. Turn crock pot on high

4. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and herbs (if desired). Cut in shortening thouroughly, until the mixture looks like meal (using a fork or a pastry tool). Stir in milk.

5. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto the soup.

6. Cook uncovered for 15 minutes. Cover; cook about 15 minutes longer or until dumplings are fluffy.

NUTRITION

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