Chicken and Dumplings – This easy old fashioned chicken and dumplings consists of juicy dumplings in a thick creamy chicken soup.
What are Chicken and Dumplings?
It is a traditional American dish with variations found throughout the Southern US. It typically consists of:
Savory Broth – Made by simmering chicken with aromatics like onions, carrots, celery, and herbs.
Tender Chicken – Cooked in the broth until falling-off-the-bone tender. You can use leftover chicken, rotisserie chicken, or even poached chicken breasts.
Light and Fluffy Dumplings – Made from a simple dough of flour, baking powder, milk, and fat (like butter or shortening). These dumplings are steamed in the hot broth, cooking right on top.
Chicken and Dumplings – Tips
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough. A slightly shaggy dough will result in lighter, fluffier dumplings.
- Let the dumplings rest. After dropping them into the broth, let them simmer undisturbed for at least 10 minutes to allow them to cook through properly.
- Adjust the broth thickness to your preference. You can add more water or chicken broth to thin out the soup, or mash some cooked potatoes into the broth for a thicker consistency.
Chicken and Dumplings – Variations
- Add your favorite chopped vegetables like carrots, peas, corn, or green beans to the broth for extra flavor and nutrition.
- Fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley, or sage can add a lovely depth of flavor to the broth.
- Add a pinch of red pepper flakes or Cajun seasoning to the broth.
- Make a vegetarian version by using vegetable broth and omitting the chicken. Add protein-packed options like lentils or chickpeas.
How to Serve This Best Chicken Dumplings?
- Serve hot dumplings in bowls with a side of crusty bread or dinner rolls for dipping.
- Balance the richness of the dish with a simple green salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.
- Add a side of steamed vegetables for a complete and healthy meal.
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings - This easy old fashioned chicken and dumplings consists of juicy dumplings in a thick creamy chicken soup.
Ingredients
- 7 pounds whole chicken pieces
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 teaspoons salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot place chicken pieces and add the onion, celery, chicken stock and 2 tsp of the salt.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is tender for 15 to 20 minutes, partially covered.
Dumplings Preparation
- Beat together the egg and milk in a large mixing bowl. Add baking powder, 1 cup flour, and remaining salt and mix all together.
- Into the flour mixture add the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add 1 tbsp of parsley and mix.
- On the top of the simmering chicken drop 6 large spoonfuls of dumpling mixture.
- Cover and let all simmer for 10 more minutes.
Gravy
- Remove chicken and dumplings in a large serving bowl. Cover and set aside in warm state. Strain the stock, pressing out any remaining liquid.
- Return stock to the pot. Combine water with the remaining flour and then stir into the strained stock. Bring all to a boil, to thicken, stirring constantly. Combine all gently and return the chicken and dumplings to the pot. Serve with parsley.
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Nutrition Information
Serving Size
20Amount Per Serving Calories 467Total Fat 25gSaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 143mgSodium 604mgCarbohydrates 27gSugar 13gProtein 33g
Chicken Dumplings – FAQs
Is this stew or soup?
Chicken and dumplings can fall into either category depending on the thickness of the broth. Some recipes create a thicker, stew-like consistency, while others have a lighter, soupier base.
What kind of dumplings are used?
The dumplings in this recipe are similar to biscuit dough, light and fluffy rather than dense. However, some variations use drop dumplings made with a thicker batter or even flat, noodle-like dumplings.
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