• Combine chicken, onion, carrots and celery in a large pot. Season to taste.
• Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered 45-60 minutes or until chicken is tender. While broth is simmering, prepare dumplings below.
• Remove chicken and vegetables from broth. Discard skin and bones and chop remaining chicken, set aside.
• Gently add dumplings to broth. Simmer 15-20 minutes or until tender.
• Stir chicken (and vegetables if desired) into broth and cook about 2-3 minutes or until heated through.

dumplings

• Combine flour, baking powder, salt and shortening with a fork until shortening is mixed in.
• Add milk a little at a time and mix until combined (you may not need all of it, you want a soft but not sticky dough).
• Knead a few times on a floured surface until dough is smooth.
• Generously flour your surface and roll the dough out to ⅛″ thick. Cut dough into 1″ x 2″ strips. Flour generously to avoid sticking.
• Cook in broth as directed above.

to thicken broth (optional)

• In a small bowl combine 4 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons water.
• Add to boiling broth a little bit at a time stirring to reach desired consistency