Chicken & Dumpling Casserole

My mom made this for dinner one night up at the lake and everyone went on and on about how good it was. So I got the recipe from her and made it at home.  It's good stuff.

One of my all-time favorite meals is chicken and dumplings and I make it several times during the fall and winter months.  But it takes a long time if you're doing everything, including the chicken stock, from scratch. Not exactly weeknight material for most people.  This one goes together quick with some helpers from the grocery store, and then you stick it in the oven and forget about it until it's time to eat.

It isn't exactly the most beautiful thing to photograph, but just trust me, 'kay?  Some of my favorite fall foods aren't winnin' any beauty contests anytime soon.  Have you ever tried to take pictures of a fall-apart-amazingly-delicious-melt-in-your-mouth roast with gravy on it?  Yeah, case in point.

Here's the recipe with my notes:

Chicken & Dumpling Casserole
Printable Recipe
The secret is to not stir anything.  That's what makes your dumplings.  When you dish it out, the dumplings are on the top.

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded (I just boiled mine for about 15 minutes, but the recipe suggests using a rotisserie, as well)
2 C chicken broth
1/2 stick butter, melted
2 C Bisquick (I used a different brand and it worked just as good)
2 C whole milk (we have this on hand because of Baby, but I'm sure any milk would be fine)
1 can cream of chicken soup, the herbed one if you can find it (I couldn't find it)
3 tsp chicken granules like Wyler's (my mom used boullion - mine was packed away, so I used poultry seasoning)
1/2 tsp dried sage (I used fresh)
1 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
*I added dried tarragon with the sage, because I love it in chicken and dumplings.

Preheat oven to 350.

Layer 1:  

In a 9-by-13 baking dish, pour in your melted butter.  Scatter chicken on top of butter.  Sprinkle salt, pepper, and sage (and any other seasonings or herbs you like - this is when I added the tarragon).  

Do not stir.

Layer 2:  

In a small bowl, mix milk and Bisquick.  Slowly pour all over chicken.  

Do not stir.

Layer 3:  

In a medium bowl, whisk together chicken broth, chicken granules, and soup.  Once blended, slowly pour over the Bisquick layer.  

Do not stir.

Bake casserole for 45 minutes, or until the top is golden brown.

Eat up!

I made a bag of ready to go Caesar salad and threw some cherry tomatoes in it from the garden.

Easy peasy.

Here's dinner in my bowl.

Again, not that pretty to look at, but it makes up for it in taste.

Yummy stuff.

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