Here’s a classic, comforting Chicken and Dumplings recipe—tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and a rich, creamy broth.
Chicken and Dumplings
Servings: 4–6
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2 lbs chicken (bone-in pieces like thighs or breasts)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (or 1 tbsp fresh)
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 tbsp butter or oil
For the Dumplings:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsp butter, cold
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Cook the chicken
- In a large pot, heat butter or oil over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5 minutes until softened.
- Add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Add chicken, chicken broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 25–30 minutes until chicken is cooked through.
- Shred chicken
- Remove chicken from pot, let cool slightly, then shred meat, discarding bones and skin. Return shredded chicken to pot.
- Make dumplings
- In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in milk until just combined.
- Cook dumplings
- Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto simmering soup.
- Cover pot and simmer 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid until dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
- Serve
- Remove bay leaf. Ladle chicken, vegetables, and dumplings into bowls and serve hot.
Pro Tips
- Richer broth: Use a mix of chicken thighs and breasts for more flavor.
- Extra creamy: Stir in ½ cup heavy cream at the end for a richer soup.
- Vegetable variations: Add peas, corn, or green beans for more color.
- Make-ahead: Soup can be made a day in advance; add dumplings just before serving.
If you want, I can also provide an Instant Pot version that cooks the chicken and dumplings quickly and keeps the broth super flavorful.
Do you want me to do that?
