Chicken and Dumplings

I made this on Sunday and it turned out pretty good. The dumplings are more biscuity than noodley, so depending on how you like your dumplings, you may or may not like this recipe. If you have a good recipe or suggestion on making dumplings, please leave a comment and I'll publish it on this post with your first name to give you credit. As always, share the wisdom!

CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans (or approx. 3 cups) chicken broth (preferrably low sodium)
1 cup milk
1 small onion, chopped
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 med. carrots, peeled and chopped
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp. dried basil (optional - I like it but others don't)
ground black pepper to taste.

1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine soup, broth, and milk. Add onion, celery, carrots, chicken, basil (if using), and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer for 30-45 minutes. Remove chicken from pot and shred or chop into bite-size pieces; return to pot.

At this point the sauce is runny like a soup. If you like it thicker like a stew (like I do), you can thicken it with a mixture of equal parts cornstarch and water. Just don't make it too thick, because the dumplings will absorb much of the liquid.

To make dumplings: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a small bowl, mix together the 1/2 cup milk and vegetable oil; pour into the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.

Drop tablespoonfuls (I use a small cookie scoop) of the dumpling mixture into simmering chicken stew. Cover pot tightly and bring to a boil. Simmer for another 12 -15 minutes. Serve hot.