SHAWN'S CRACKER BARREL STYLE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• boil chicken at a low boil in very large dutch oven with celery, onion, and garlic. season with salt and pepper, add chicken bouillon.
• let chicken low boil for about 1 hour.
• remove all chicken, celery, onion, and garlic from pot- let cool until you can work with the chicken. debone chicken and shred a little with hands. discard celery, onion and garlic.
• in bowl mix dumpling ingredients well and turn onto a floured surface. knead 5-6 times and divide into 2 parts.
• roll out one section into 1/8" thickness and cut into 1" squaresrepeat with other section.
• in large pot boil water with 3 bouillon cubes.
• cook about half of the dumplins unitl just about cooked through remove, strain and set aside. repeat until all are done.
• in sauce pot melt butter add salt and flour and whisk together. once incorporated increase heat to medium high.
• add milk and whisk until smooth, whisk in chicken base unitl disolved into mixture reduce heat to a low simmer.
• add the 1/2 cup of cooking water (either the dumpling liquid or the chicken water) simmer whisking to make sure there are no lumps. remove from heat.
• bring chicken water to a boil, return chicken to the pot and add dumplings.
• scoop out one ladel of sauce and add to chicken pot stirring constantly. continue to add ladel at a time until the desired thickness you like is achieved.
• taste for seasoning. serve in deep bowls!