Chicken and Cornbread Dumplings

Chicken

3 skinned, bone-in chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb.)

6 skinned and boned chicken thighs (about 1 lb.)

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1/2 pound carrots, sliced

1/2 pound parsnips, sliced

4 celery ribs, sliced

1 sweet onion, chopped

2 (10 3/4-oz.) cans cream of chicken soup

1 (32-oz.) container chicken broth

Cornbread Dumplings

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup self-rising yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley



1. Prepare Chicken: Rub chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Place breasts in a 6-qt. slow cooker; top with thighs. Add carrots and next 3 ingredients. Whisk together soup and broth until smooth. Pour soup mixture over vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH 3 1/2 hours or until chicken shreds easily with a fork. Remove chicken; cool 10 minutes. Bone and shred chicken. Stir chicken into soup-and-vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour or until boiling.



2. Meanwhile, prepare Dumplings: Whisk together flour and next 3 ingredients. Make a well in center of mixture. Add milk, butter, thyme, and parsley to dry ingredients, gently stirring just until moistened.



3. Drop dough by 1/4 cupfuls into simmering chicken mixture, leaving about 1/4-inch space between dumplings. Cover and cook on HIGH 30 to 35 minutes or until dumplings have doubled in size.



Southern Living