Chicken Fricassee with Dumplings

4 1/2 to 5 pound chicken, cut up
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Shortening or veg oil
1 cup water
3 tablespoons flour
Milk
Dumplings (below)

Wash the chicken and pat dry. Mix 1 cup flour, the salt, paprika and pepper; coat chicken with the flour mixture. Heat a thin layer of shortening in a large skillet or dutch oven and brown chicken over medium heat. Drain off fat and reserve.

Add water to the skillet. Cover and simmer until the chicken is for-tender, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours, adding more water if necessary. Remove the chicken and keep warm while making the gravy. Pur the liquid from skillet and reserve.

To make the gravy, heat 3 tablespoons of the reserved fat in skillet. Blend in 3 tablespoons flour. Cook over low heat, stirring until the mixture is smooth and bubbly. Remove from heat. Add eenough milk to the reserved liquid to measure 3 cups and pour into the skillet. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, boil and stir 1 minute.

Return chicken to the gravy in the skillet. Prepare dough for Dumplings and drop by spoonfuls onto hot chicken. Cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook 20 minutes longer.
6 to 8 servings.

Dumplings

1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening
3/4 cup milk

Measure flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Cut in shortening thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture looks like meal. Stir in the milk.

Opt. If you like, mix a couple of tablespoons of snipped chives or parsley into the dumpling batter. Or add more flavor to chicken by adding sliced onions, celery , carrots or you favorite herbs to simmering chicken.