Chicken and Dumplings

• In a large heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables being to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
• Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine. You are making a roux to thicken the soup and make it creamy. It's very important to keep stirring to prevent burning or lumps!
• If using raw chicken: Add 1 cup more of chicken broth (or water) and add the raw chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken and return it to the soup. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, while you make the dumplings. 
• If using pre-cooked chicken: Bring to a boil and add the chicken, thyme, black pepper and salt. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, while you make the dumplings. 

Dumplings

• In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, pepper, salt and thyme. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the milk and butter into the center of it. 
• Using a wooden spoon (or rubber spatula), stir together just until a dough ball forms. If your dough seems too dry, you can add an extra tablespoon of milk. Do not over-mix this batter, stir it until it comes together, otherwise your dumplings can be dense!
• Using a medium sized cookie scoop, scoop dough and drop directly into the simmering soup. Place them around the pot, not all in the same place. Once all dumplings have been added, gently press them down so the soup runs over just the tops of them. You can also use two spoons to scoop the dumplings. Use one spoon to scoop 2 tablespoons of dough, then use the other spoon to push the dough into the pot. Try to keep the dough balls the same size for even cooking.
• Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook dumplings for 15 minutes with the pot lid on. You don’t want the bottom of the soup to burn, but want the soup to still be simmering (a low bubble) to cook the dumplings. About half way through the cook time, I will press the dumplings back under the broth, breaking up any dumplings that are stuck together.
• Gently stir the soup/dumplings and cut one dumpling in half to make sure they are cooked through. If the dumplings are cooked through, serve hot! If not, cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes (with the lid on) and check again.