Chicken and Dumplings
Homemade chicken and dumplings with fluffy drop dumplings steamed on top of a creamy chicken and vegetable stew. A one-pot Southern comfort classic.
29% of it needs you at the counter
- Hands-on
- 20 min
- Cooking
- 50 min
- Serves
- 6
- Calories
- 555
- Protein
- 34 g
- Per serving
- $2.35
Why this recipe works
Chicken and dumplings is Southern comfort in a bowl: a thick, creamy chicken stew with soft, biscuit-like dumplings cooked right on top. It all happens in one pot and needs nothing else on the table.
- Chicken thighs simmer right in the broth, so they stay juicy and flavor the stew at the same time, then get shredded and stirred back in.
- The dumplings steam under a tight lid on a gentle simmer. Lifting the lid lets the steam out, and that is what turns light dumplings dense and gummy.
- Melted butter and just enough mixing keep the dumplings tender; overworked dough turns them tough.
Ingredients
For the stew
For the dumplings
You will need
- Large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight lid (5 quart or bigger)
- Mixing bowl
Method
Tap a step number to mark it done.
Soften the vegetables
Melt the butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then the flour for 1 minute.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Simmer the chicken
Slowly whisk in the broth. Add the chicken thighs whole, with the thyme, bay leaf, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, until the chicken is tender and reaches 165°F, about 20 minutes.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Shred and finish the stew
Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot with the cream and peas. Discard the bay leaf. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Mix the dumplings
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the milk, melted butter and parsley and stir with a fork just until a soft, sticky dough forms. Don't keep mixing.
AI-generated illustration of this step. Steam the dumplings
Drop heaping 2-tablespoon mounds of dough onto the surface of the simmering stew, about 12 in all. Cover tightly and simmer gently, without lifting the lid, for 15 minutes. Cut one open: it should be fluffy and dry inside, not doughy.
AI-generated illustration of this step.
Techniques in this recipe
- Chicken and turkey165°F / 74°C
Source: USDA safe minimum internal temperatures. Measure the thickest part, away from bone. Is it done? Safe temperatures
The internal temperatures that tell you chicken, pork, beef, fish and ground meat are cooked safely, and when to pull them early for juicier results.
Read the full guideDark brown: bitter, start over Pale gold, about 30 seconds: fragrant Mince and cook garlic
Crush, peel and rock-chop garlic fine, then cook it only until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Burnt garlic turns bitter and takes the dish with it.
Read the full guideRolling boil: too hard for most sauces Simmer: small, gentle bubbles Simmer, don't boil
A boil has big, rolling bubbles; a simmer has small bubbles that break gently. Most sauces, soups and stews want a simmer.
Read the full guide
Cook's notes
- Check that your baking powder is fresh: a spoonful in hot water should fizz right away. Old baking powder makes heavy dumplings.
- Keep the stew at a gentle simmer under the dumplings. A hard boil breaks them apart.
- The stew thickens as it sits. Loosen leftovers with a splash of broth when reheating.
Nutrition per serving
555 calories
$2.35 estimated cost per serving
Where the calories come from
| Protein | 25% of calories | 34 g |
|---|---|---|
| Carbs | 35% of calories | 48 g |
| Fat | 41% of calories | 25 g |
| Fiber | 4 g | |
| Sodium | 1410 mg |
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for the listed ingredients and amounts; not lab-tested. Cost estimated from average US retail prices.
Questions people ask
Why are my dumplings gummy?
Usually the lid was lifted during cooking, the dough was overmixed, or they were undercooked. Keep the pot covered for the full 15 minutes and mix the dough only until it comes together.
Can I make chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits?
Yes. Cut refrigerated biscuits into quarters, drop them onto the simmering stew, cover and cook for about 15 minutes. They're quicker but denser and more bread-like than homemade.
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Skip simmering the thighs: simmer the broth with the vegetables and herbs for 10 minutes, then add 4 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken with the cream and peas.
