How Slippery Dumplings Became A Delaware Staple

Ravioli, pierogi, gyoza, it seems like every culture has its own version of a dumpling and Delawareans are no different. If you haven't heard of slippery dumplings — also known as slickers or slickies — then you're probably not from The First State. For those unfamiliar with this coastal delicacy, think of it as a hearty chicken noodle soup with deconstructed dumplings instead of noodles. For those extremely familiar with this coastal delicacy, sorry for reducing your beloved state dish to a simple chicken noodle soup. 

All joking aside, it's no surprise slippery dumplings, which share a lot of the comfort food qualities of a delicious chicken noodle soup, are a staple of Delaware-specific cooking. Just last year, the Delmarva region — which consists of Delaware and parts of Maryland and Virginia — broke over $4 billion in chicken sales and raised over 600 million chickens. That's a lot of chicken, for not a lot of people. On top of that, slippery dumplings have been a mainstay for social gatherings throughout the state of Delaware for decades. That's why you're not in a true Delawarean kitchen unless at least one chicken is cooking in a pot somewhere. 

This easy one-pot dish includes a rich chicken broth made with celery, carrots, and onion along with your typical broth aromatics. As the name suggests, it also includes toothsome, diamond-shaped dumpling dough typically made of flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening. Everything is heated to perfection and served in a big, steaming bowl, of rich and savory flavors.

Depending on what kind of dumplings you're used to, you may be surprised to hear the small nuggets of doughy goodness don't necessarily have to have any filling — like the dumplings featured in this slippery dumplings dish. That's the beautiful thing about dumplings; fried, steamed, boiled, stuffed, or plain there really isn't one agreed-upon method of making dumplings.

The reason Delaware dumplings gained the title of slippery, is because they're always boiled, making the dough slick and chewy. One word of advice, when rolling out the dough, try to make it as thin as possible, and cook it right away. Making the dough as thin and fresh as possible will ensure you have a good elastic snap to your dough, instead of a rubbery, gummy-like quality. We also recommend serving and eating right away, the delicate quality of the dumplings, means they don't freeze or reheat very well.