Pat chicken (1 pound) dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.

In a Dutch oven, heat oil (2 tablespoons) over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until golden, 3-4 minutes. Remove the browned chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, place on a cutting board and cut into bite sized pieces; set aside.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter to the Dutch oven. Sauté onion (½ cup), carrot (1 cup), and celery (1 cup) over medium-low heat, until the onion is translucent and the other vegetables are soft and tender, about 7-9 minutes.

Add the broth (8 cups), Better Than Bouillon (1 tablespoon), and bay leaf (1) to the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer.

While the chicken and veggies are cooking, prepare the dumplings.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour (2 cups), baking powder (½ teaspoon), and salt (1 teaspoon). Slowly, add milk (1 cup), just until it mixes into dough and creates a shaggy dough.

Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface then roll out to about ¼ inch or thinner. (Dumplings will thicken significantly as they cook).

Using a long knife or pizza cutter, cut the dumplings into ½ X 1-inch pieces.

Add the dough strips to the simmering broth and cook, uncovered, for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally, so the dumplings don't stick together. Moderate heat as necessary to maintain a simmer, allowing the dumplings to cook and the broth to thicken.

When the noodles are almost cooked through, return the cut chicken pieces to the Dutch oven.