How to Cook Light Chicken & Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings is a popular dish in the southern United States. It's traditionally made by cooking chicken pieces with dumplings made from flour. The dish can be made lighter by removing fat from the chicken broth and using other ingredients with a lower fat content. This recipe yields approximately six servings of light chicken and dumplings, with each serving containing only three grams of fat.

Things You'll Need

• Large sauce pan 6-8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves Serving plate Plastic wrap Large mixing bowls Slotted spoon ½ cup egg substitute 1 cup non-fat milk 2 cups all-purpose flour Salt Pepper

Instructions

1. Bring three cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan over high heat. Add the chicken and return the water to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cover. Simmer the chicken for 25-30 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.

2. Remove the chicken from the pan and place on a serving plate. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. Pour the broth from the pan into a large mixing bowl and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

3. Remove the chilled broth from the refrigerator and use a slotted spoon to skim off any fat that has accumulated on the surface of the liquid. This process is known as de-fatting and will reduce the fat and calories in the broth, resulting in a lighter dish.

4. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and unwrap. Return the defatted broth and chicken breast halves to the sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

5. Combine the egg substitute, non-fat milk, and all-purpose flour in a large mixing bowl. Stir well until a soft dough is formed. Drop rounded spoonfuls into the boiling chicken broth until all the dough has been added.

6. Boil the mixture for approximately 15 minutes without stirring or covering the pan. Remove the pan from heat and serve the light chicken and dumplings immediately while hot. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Tips & Warnings

• Chopped vegetables such as celery, carrots, and potatoes may be added to the light chicken and dumplings for a more flavorful dish. Add vegetables to the boiling chicken and broth before making the dumplings to give them time to cook. If you desire a thicker broth for chicken and dumplings, combine one tablespoon of cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water and add the mixture to the pan 5-10 minutes before the end of cooking time.

References

• Book: So Fat, Low Fat, No Fat; Betty Rohde; 1995