Here’s a cozy, from-scratch Chicken and Dumplings recipe 🥣🍗 — thick, creamy, and pure comfort food.
🍲 Classic Chicken and Dumplings
🥣 Ingredients (Serves 6)
For the soup:
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ cup milk or heavy cream (optional for creamier broth)
For the dumplings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp butter, melted
- ½ cup milk
👩🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Make the Soup Base
- In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook 5 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir for 1–2 minutes (this thickens the broth).
2️⃣ Add Broth & Chicken
- Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring.
- Add shredded chicken, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bring to a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
- Stir in milk/cream if using.
3️⃣ Prepare Dumplings
- In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined (don’t overmix).
4️⃣ Cook Dumplings
- Drop spoonfuls of dough directly into the simmering soup.
- Cover pot tightly and reduce heat to low.
- Cook 15 minutes (do NOT lift lid while cooking).
Dumplings should be fluffy and cooked through.
🍽️ Serve
Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
🌟 Tips for Best Results
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience.
- Keep heat low while dumplings steam — high heat makes them dense.
- For richer flavor, add a splash of heavy cream at the end.
- Want thicker stew? Let it simmer uncovered a few extra minutes before adding dumplings.
If you’d like, I can also give you a slow cooker version, a Southern-style rolled dumpling recipe, or a lighter healthy version.
