From the Midwest to the Deep South, everyone has their own favorite recipe for chicken and dumplings. My version stars easy drop dumplings, which you make first before gently poaching chicken breasts to create a rich broth that you then use to cook the dumplings. The result is a hearty, concentrated chicken dish with fluffy dumplings that soak up all the cozy flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Ingredients do I Need?
This recipe is made with wholesome, nutritious and simple ingredients. Even the dumplings are super quick and easy to make (I’m talking 5 mins) here’s what you need;
- Self-raising flour, butter & milk – these three simple ingredients are what you need to make the dumplings.
- Carrot, onion, celery – the holy trinity of veggies that makes any soup taste incredible!
- Garlic – freshly minced garlic for an extra flavor punch!
- Chicken – I used chicken breasts which are browned, poached then shredded. You can also use leftover roast chicken if you prefer.
- Broth – chicken broth adds incredible flavor and has nourishing benefits.
- Thyme – you can also sub it for fresh parsley or rosemary.
Can I Make this in Advance?
Yes, you can even poach the dumplings in advance but make sure to scoop them out and refrigerate them on a tray as they’ll become too soggy sitting in the soup for too long.
The chicken soup will taste even better the next day, just make sure to store it in a suitable container in the fridge.
How do I Know that the Dumplings are Cooked?
The dumplings will puff up when they are cooked, to be sure you can insert a wooden toothpick into the center of one dumpling and if it comes out clean they are cooked through.
Pro Tip: Make sure not to overcook them or they can fall apart and start to stick to each other!
Can I Freeze Chicken and Dumplings?
Yes, you can freeze this recipe. I recommend freezing the soup only, thawing it overnight and make the dumplings as the soup simmers. The dumplings are so quick and easy to make it doesn’t require much effort at all plus freshly cooked dumplings taste 10x better.
That being said you can freeze the chicken and dumplings together although the texture may differ slightly once thawed. Make sure to freeze it for no more than 3 months for the best flavor!
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
1.. Put the flour, melted butter and milk in a mixing bowl.
2. Mix the ingredients together until well combined then set aside for later.
3. Add the veggies and garlic to a Dutch oven with a little oil and saute.
4. Add the chicken breasts and lightly brown on each side.
5. Add the broth and thyme and simmer.
6. Remove the chicken and shread then add it back in.
7. Using a scoop, drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough into the simmering chicken soup until they are puffed up and cooked through.
8. Serve with extra thyme if desired.
Serving Suggestions
This recipe is super comforting with the warm broth, pieces of tender chicken, soft veggies and hearty delicious dumplings to fill you right up. Add some crusty bread for dunking and you’re all set for a healthy and delicious meal.
If you want to make it extra indulgent then adding some creamy to the broth is a super easy way to do it (and so tasty).
Tips for Making Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- You can make the dumpling batter a few hours ahead. You can even go ahead and scoop them out, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Just be sure to store them covered in the refrigerator, and add them to the broth one at a time so they don’t clump together.
- When cooking the chicken, you’re just shooting for a little bit of color; you’re not aiming to cook it through since the chicken will cook gently in the broth mixture.
- For an extra-cozy version of this recipe, stir in 1 1/2 cups cream when you add the shredded chicken before cooking the dumplings
More Cozy Chicken Recipes You Might Like
If you’ve tried this Chicken and Dumplings Recipe then don’t forget to leave a rating and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 1 /2 cups self-rising flour
- 2/3 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp. melted butter
- 3 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 cup sliced celery
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup sliced carrot
- 2 tsp. kosher salt divided
- 1 tsp. ground black pepper divided
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 Tbsp. minced garlic
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme plus more for garnish
- Thyme leaves for garnish
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, stir together self-rising flour, milk, and melted butter for dumplings. Set aside.
- Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat.
- Add celery, onion, carrot, and half of salt and pepper to pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes.
- Add chicken, garlic, and remaining salt and pepper. Cook until chicken takes on just a little color, about 2 minutes per side.
- Stir in broth and thyme sprigs. Bring to a simmer.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 18 minutes.
- Remove chicken from broth; shred with two forks. Return to broth, and bring back to a simmer.
- Using a spoon, scoop about 1 tablespoon dumpling mixture, and drop into simmering broth.
- Repeat with remaining dumpling mixture, working one at a time.
- Reduce heat to medium-low; cover, and cook until dumplings are puffed a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean, about 15 minutes.
- Sprinkle servings with parsley, if desired.
Notes
- You can make the dumpling batter a few hours ahead. You can even go ahead and scoop them out, and place them on a rimmed baking sheet. Just be sure to store them covered in the refrigerator, and add them to the broth one at a time so they don’t clump together.
- When cooking the chicken, you’re just shooting for a little bit of color; you’re not aiming to cook it through, since the chicken will cook gently in the broth mixture.
- For an extra-cozy version of this recipe, stir in 1 1/2 cups cream when you add the shredded chicken before cooking the dumplings.
