Semi-Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and carrots in separate batches and saute until soft.

Add carrots, onions and celery to chicken broth in stock pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes to soften vegetables. In the meantime, skin the chicken and shred the meat in large pieces.

Add chicken to broth and simmer mixture over low heat while making dumplings.

For dumplings, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Cut in shortening. Add buttermilk, stirring with a fork until moistened. Set aside.

Add condensed cream of chicken soup to simmering broth, stirring until dissolved.

Return to dough, kneading 4 to 5 times. Roll out (or pat) dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Pull off small chunks (about 1 inch across) and stir in batches into broth simmering over low heat. Cover and simmer 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.