Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

(updated pics - 6/1/13)

This is one of those dishes that the picture does not capture its awesomeness.  I'll admit, I was skeptical. Being a Southern girl and all, being brought up eating traditional chicken and pastry/chicken and dumplings, I did not think this would be all that great.  I was WRONG!  This was delicious - comfort food at its best.  My husband and I ate the entire thing, minus one little portion.

I think one of the reasons it was so delicious is that I made a little boo-boo in melting my butter, and actually browned my butter instead.  Best mistake I ever made! Browned butter is really awesome. Like, awesome x 10.  This dish had so much yummy, buttery flavor, that I think the amount of butter could be reduced and it would still be the bomb.

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole 

adapted from Plain Chicken

3-4 cups of cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie chicken)
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 cup unsalted browned butter
1 cup flour
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup skim milk
1 can Campbell's Cream of Chicken soup (I've also made with Cream of Mushroom) 
         *I use this homemade Cream of Chicken recipe

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Place butter in a 9x13 pan and put in oven while it is preheating, to melt and brown. Once butter is melted, watch for it to start turning brown. You will also probably start to smell it.  It would be good to stir it a couple of times while it is browning, but I didn't (b/c I forgot all about the butter being in the oven until I started smelling it!) You can also brown the butter on the stove, which will give you more control over even browning, and prevent burning. Once the butter has browned, remove from oven - be careful, it will spatter! You will see some little brown bits from the browned butter, this is okay.
• Shred the chicken and spread it on top of the butter.
• Whisk together the milk, flour, baking powder and salt.  Pour over the chicken, but do not stir.
• Whisk together chicken broth and cream of mushroom (or chicken) soup. 
• Pour over the top of casserole, again, do not stir.  

Bake uncovered for 35 to 45 minutes. It will start to brown in spots, and look thick and bubbly.

This is definitely going to make a regular appearance on our dinner table.  As a matter of fact, I think I am going to make it again this week since I have some leftover crockpot beer chicken from last week. (update - I did, and it was delicious! The more flavorful your chicken, the better this dish is!)

Speaking of this week's menu....we have 3 nights of volleyball games, un-solidified birthday plans (Number One is turning 12!) and now my little one has a terrible cold...so it will be interesting...and probably not in a good way. Wish me luck! You can check out the menu here.

I am linking this recipe up at (Monday) The Tumbleweed Contessa, Holly's Stamping Addiction, The Dedicated House, Homemaker on a Dime,Delightfully Dowling, Skip to my Lou, Project Inspire, Making the World Cuter, Mrs. Happy Homemaker, I Should Be Mopping the Floor, This Gal Cooks, Watch Out, Martha!, My Favorite Finds (Tuesday) Snappee Turtle, Naptime Creations, Mandy's Recipe Box, Pocket Change Gourmet,  33 Shades of Green, Blessed with Grace, Zentmrs. & The Mr., Memories By the Mile, Hun...What's for Dinner?, Inside BruCrew Life (Wednesday) Fluster Buster, Semi Homemade Mom, Adorned from Above, Lady Behind the Curtain, Ginger Snap Crafts, Hungry Little Girl, Naptime is My Time, Bloom Designs, Cherished Handmade Treasures  (Thursday) Joyful Homemaking, Designed Decor, Taste and Tell,  Miz Helen's Country Cottage, The Mandatory Mooch,  The Busy Bee's, (Friday) Not Your Ordinary Recipes,  Simple Living and Eating, Just Us Four, Bacon Time with the Hungry Hungry Hypo, Diana Rambles, The Better Baker,Craftionary, Mummy Deals, One Artsy Mama, The Best Blog Recipes, One Creative Mommy, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Close to Home (Saturday) Sassy Little Lady,  Lemons for Lulu,  Or So She Says..., Six Sisters' Stuff, Sweet as Sugar Cookies (Sunday) Mommy's Sweet Confessions 

**I have had some people inquire about my casserole dish...it came from The Polka-Dot Palm :-)