Ingredients

1. 1 (4- to 5-pound) roasting hen or fryer chicken
2. 1/2 cup butter (if using fryer chicken)
3. Salt to taste
4. 4 cups all-purpose flour
5. 2 teaspoons salt
6. 3/4 cup vegetable shortening
7. Ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. In a large stockpot, place hen or chicken and add just enough water to cover poultry. (Too much water makes a weak broth.) Bring to a boil over medium heat on stovetop. Add butter and salt to taste. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for approximately 1 1/2 to 2 hours until chicken is falling-apart tender.
2. Carefully remove chicken from broth and allow to cool. Debone chicken into strips or small chunks. (Bea uses only the breast meat.) Discard skin and bones. Set chicken aside. Set broth aside, reserving 1 1/2 cups broth for making dumplings.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour and 2 teaspoons salt. Stir well. Cut in shortening with a pastry blender until flour resembles coarse cornmeal. Add just enough reserved chicken broth to make a stiff dough. (You may not need all 1 1/2 cups; return any leftover broth to pot.) Be careful not to mix dough too long; over-mixing will make dough tough.
4. In a stockpot, heat chicken broth to a rolling boil over high heat on stovetop.
5. Using one-third of the dough ball, roll out dough on a floured surface to approximately 1/8-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife, cut into thumb-length strips. Drop dumplings into boiling broth. Repeat with remaining dough, using one-third of dough at a time.
6. After all dumplings have been added to broth, reduce heat to a simmer. Season with black pepper and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
7. Add reserved chicken and stir very slowly. Continue cooking until chicken is heated through.