Oh boy, those chicken and dumplings look good!
I didn’t know about real southern dumplings until moving to the south. I always used the Bisquick fluffy kind. I still like those, but the chewy noodle-like ones are definitely a more comfort-type food.
And I had to learn to make biscuits, of course.
And don’t tell the neighbors, but when nobody is looking - I make cornbread the flour AND sugar. I can’t help it....
You reminded me of my childrens' step-sister who was staying with us a long time ago; she died back in 2011 from cancer may she rest in peace. One day I was at work and came home to chicken and "dumplings." It was delicious. It was more like chicken and noodles only she cut them in squares which I thought was novel but yummy. I asked her how she knew how to make all that (from scratch, too). Her aunt taught her she said.
She had found a chicken in the freezer and the rest of the ingredients and went to work. Some people I might resent using something I might have planned for something else but not that meal.
I don't like biscuits particularly and use the can ones even though I have Bisquick and at home they were regular fare. I'll eat them but like yeast-rolls, etc., better.
The only exception is my mother would make like a chicken pie in the long glass baking pan and top it in biscuits instead as pie dough as a short cut. I loved that!