Start by cutting up and boiling your chicken. If you are using rotisserie chicken, cut that all up, and put in pot to bring to a boil with the chicken stock. If you are using raw chicken, leave the bones in, cook fully, then remove the chicken, cut it up, strain and keep the broth, and put cut chicken back in. You might need to add more chicken stock - your pot should be almost full.
I never really add carrots or onion - but if you are doing that, put those in with the chicken and bring up to a slow boil.
While the chicken and vegies are warming up, start to prepare your dumplings. In a mixer bowl or food processor, mix the flour, cold butter, and cold crisco until it looks like large crumbles.
One you reach large crumbles, drizzle in enough of the cold water to form a dough. You want the consistancy of a tough pie dough. If it gets too runny, add more flour. If it is too dry, add more cold water.
Sprinkle your counter or a pan with flour and roll your dough out until it is as thick as you would like your dumplings. My kids always loved somewhat thin but really long dumplings.
I use a knife or a pizza cutter to cut the dumplings into thin strips, but cut them however thin or thick you'd like. No rules!
Once you're done cutting the dumplings, put them straight into the pot with the chicken and veggies. Add a sprinkle of salt and plenty of black pepper.
Turn up the heat and bring to a slow boil. Add the evaporated milk.
Add the 1/2 stick of butter and more black pepper. Stir and let cook on low for about an hour.