Easy Chicken and Dumplings | foodiecrush.com

This easy chicken and dumplings recipe with creamy chicken and vegetables is topped with fluffy, tender dumplings for a comfort food dinner that comes together in less than an hour.

Comfort food is impossible to beat no matter what time of year, but it just hits differently when the weather is cold. My go-to comfort food dishes are usually chicken pot pie, my mom’s spaghetti, and chicken noodle soup. However, we have a new contender, folks. My easy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food dish and tastes like something your Grandma would have made. I add earthy thyme to the creamy chicken soup that pairs perfectly with the tender vegetables and shredded chicken. It’s all topped with tender, plump drop biscuits that make the perfect topper. And, it couldn’t be easier to make from scratch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This Southern homemade chicken and dumplings is so hearty, comforting, and full of warm, savory flavor
• The recipe is easy to follow and comes together on the stove, in under an hour
• The creamy chicken soup features soft, fluffy, and tender dumplings that are never tough or dry

Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients

For the chicken soup:

• Butter—Butter adds a lush, sweet flavor for sautéing the veggies that you won’t get from oil. It’s also the fat that pairs with the flour to make the soup broth thicken
• Onion—I use yellow onion to as a savory aromatic to the chicken soup
• Celery—Is part of the trilogy of veggie flavors for the soup base
• Carrots—Adding sweetness and color, carrots also provide texture. Avoid using baby carrots as they’ve been pumped with water to retain their freshness.
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper—Always, for coaxing out the dish’s flavors
• Flour—Flour thickens the soup broth. Cornstarch would work instead.
• Chicken stock—I use homemade chicken stock when I can swing it but a good quality storebought brand is fine too
• Fresh or dried thyme—I add a few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme to add those earthy undertones or (because the flavor is more intense, use less dried than fresh thyme.)
• Cooked, shredded chicken breast—I use my easy baked chicken breast recipe or a storebought roast chicken when I have less time.
• Frozen peas—I don’t even defrost them, just toss them straight into the mix.

For the dumplings:

• Flour—This is the main ingredient for the dumpling batter
• Kosher salt—Always, for flavor
• Baking powder—The alkaline ingredient that helps the dumplings rise
• Butter—This fat in the dumpling recipe also adds flavor
• Eggs—Eggs help bind the dumplings together
• Milk—I use whole milk but buttermilk would also work great

Find the complete recipe with measurements below.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

• Sauté the veggies. Sauté the veggies in butter in a shallow Dutch oven or heavy-bottom braiser with a lid until tender but not browned.
• Sprinkle with the flour and stir well to coat the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute for the flour to lose its raw flavor (the flour helps thicken the soup broth).

• Simmer, reduce, and thicken. Add the chicken broth, and thyme and cook the soup until it has reduced and thickened.
• Stir in the shredded chicken and peas and let it simmer on low while you make the dumplings.

• Make the dumplings. Sift the dry ingredients together and use a fork to stir the melted butter into them. Combine the eggs with the milk then stir into the flour making sure not to overmix or the dumplings will be tough.
• Scoop the dumplings. Stir the soup before adding the dumplings. Use two tablespoons or a small cookie scoop to dollop a heaping tablespoon of the dumpling dough over the chicken soup.

• Cook the dumplings. Spoon a little broth over the dumplings then reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and cook for 15 minutes. Lift the lid and spoon broth over the dumplings then cover and cook for another 5 minutes.
• Top with fresh parsley and serve.

FAQ and Recipe Tips

• Where did chicken and dumplings originate? Many of us associate chicken and dumplings with Southern cuisine, but did you know it possibly has European roots dating back to the 1600s, if not earlier?
• Cook this recipe in a heavy-bottom pot or braiser fitted with a lid. The dumplings are cook covered. I like using a 3 ½ quart low-profile braiser.
• When cooking the dumplings be sure the soup is on a low simmer (do not boil), so they don’t overcook.
• Don’t lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking. Doing this will interrupt the steaming and prevent them from cooking evenly.
• To make this chicken and dumplings recipe gluten-free, use cornstarch instead of flour to thicken the soup, and use a 1:1 swap of gluten-free flour for the dumplings.
• If you want to add a splash of half-and-half or cream to your soup, that certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Use fresh herbs instead of dried (you could even try a combo of fresh thyme, tarragon, and rosemary, or thyme and chives)
• Make this with leftover turkey instead of chicken
• Try using leeks instead of onion
• If you want to amp up the aromatics even further, consider adding a minced clove of garlic when sautéing your veggies.
• Mushrooms or potatoes would be yummy additions
• For an elevated sauce, deglaze the veggies with a little white wine, sherry, or marsala wine before adding the chicken stock.

Storage Tips

Chicken and dumplings will keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days. You can also freeze chicken and dumplings for up to 3 months. Defrost fully in the refrigerator, then gently reheat on the stove.

What to Serve With Chicken and Dumplings

If you make this recipe, please let me know! Leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating on this recipe below and leave a comment, take a photo and tag me on Instagram with #foodiecrusheats.