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Chicken and Dumplings

Old-fashioned chicken and dumplings with tender shredded chicken, vegetables and fluffy drop dumplings in a creamy broth. Southern comfort food in one pot.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Main Course, Soup
Cuisine American
Servings 6 servings
Calories 520 kcal

Ingredients
  

Chicken stew:

  • 3 tbsp butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion diced
  • 2 medium carrots diced
  • 2 ribs celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas optional

Dumplings:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp cold butter cubed
  • 1 cup cold whole milk
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Instructions
 

  • Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook 6 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
  • Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Slowly whisk in the broth. Add the chicken, thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer.
  • Cover and simmer 20 to 25 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F (74°C). Remove the chicken, shred it and return it to the pot with the cream and peas. Remove the bay leaf.
  • For the dumplings, whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or pastry cutter until crumbly. Stir in the milk and parsley just until a soft, sticky dough forms.
  • Bring the stew back to a gentle simmer. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on top, spacing them out. Cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
  • Check that the dumplings are cooked through (a toothpick comes out clean). Taste the broth, adjust the salt and serve hot.

Notes

Make ahead: Make the chicken stew up to 2 days ahead. Reheat to a simmer and cook the dumplings fresh.
Storage: Refrigerate leftovers up to 3 days. The dumplings soak up broth as they sit.
Reheat: Warm gently on the stove with a splash of broth until hot.
Variations: Use rotisserie chicken (add it with the cream), use refrigerated biscuit dough cut into pieces for quick dumplings, or add a pinch of nutmeg to the dumplings.
Keyword chicken and dumplings, Comfort Food, homemade chicken and dumplings, southern chicken and dumplings