Chicken and dumplings is the ultimate comfort food.
In this recipe, a whole chicken is simmered to create tender meat and a flavorful broth. Dumplings, made with pantry ingredients, are simmered in the broth until plump and tender.
This meal is easy to make from scratch and will be requested again and again.
Holly’s Recipe Highlights for Chicken and Dumplings
This Homemade Chicken and Dumplings recipe is good ol’ comfort food at its best.
- Flavor: The flavor is savory with broth and herbs—very homey flavors similar to chicken soup or pot pie.
- Difficulty: This recipe is relatively easy but it does take time to prepare. Most of the time is hands off as the chicken simmers.
- Dumplings: There are different types of dumplings and while these are rolled out and look somewhat like noodles, the texture (and ingredients) is different—they’re more pillowy than noodles.
- Time Saving Tip: This recipe is made with awhole chicken to make the meat and broth. You can save time by using boxed chicken broth and cooked rotisserie chicken.
Ingredients Tips For Chicken and Dumplings
The Broth
This is a simple broth made with a whole chicken and vegetables. Onions and carrots add flavor. Use a large onion and leave the skin on to add extra color to the broth. You can add your favorite herbs, such as bay leaf, a pinch of poultry seasoning, and fresh parsley.
We like to eat the veggies as a side dish but feel free to chop the carrots & celery and add them back into your broth.
How to Make Dumplings
This chicken and dumplings recipe uses homemade dumplings, which are easy to make with basic ingredients. Flour, shortening, milk, baking powder, and salt are combined to make the dumplings.
Simply mix and roll, I use a pizza cutter to cut the dumplings.
How To Make Chicken and Dumplings
This is a quick overview of the steps in this chicken and dumpling recipe. Find the detailed recipe below!
- Make the broth: Cut the chicken and add all the ingredients to a large pot. Simmer.
- Make the dumplings: Stir the ingredients in a bowl, roll the dough, and cut the dumplings (recipe below).
- Debone chicken: Remove chicken from the broth. Discard the bones and skin and chop the meat.
- Cook dumplings: Add dumplings to broth and simmer.
- Serve: Add the chicken to the broth.
More Cozy Chicken Recipes
- Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings – a shortcut recipe made with boneless skinless chicken breasts and canned biscuits.
- Homemade Chicken Pot Pie – a reader favorite.
- Slow Cooker Chicken a la King – quick and creamy.
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup – a cozy favorite.
Did you enjoy this Chicken and Dumplings Recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
Broth
- 1 whole chicken 4 to 5 pounds, cut into pieces*
- 1 yellow onion cut into quarters
- 3 large carrots cut into thirds
- 3 ribs celery cut into thirds
- 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 bay leaf or a ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning, optional
For the Dumplings
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- ⅓ cup shortening
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ cup milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
Other
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch
- chopped fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine the chicken, onion, carrots, and celery. Add salt to taste (about ½ teaspoon).
- Add chicken broth. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 45-60 minutes or until the chicken is tender and cooked through. While the broth is simmering, prepare dumplings below.
- Remove chicken and vegetables from the broth. Discard skin and bones and chop remaining chicken, set aside.
- Gently add dumplings to broth. Simmer for 15-20 minutes or until tender.
- Stir chicken (and vegetables if desired) into the broth and cook about 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
To Make the Dumplings
- Combine flour, baking powder, salt, and shortening with a fork until shortening is mixed in.
- Add milk a little at a time and mix until combined (you may not need all of it, you want a soft but not sticky dough).
- Knead a few times on a floured surface until dough is smooth.
- Generously flour your surface and roll the dough out to ⅛-inch thick. Using a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the dough into 1-inch x 2-inch strips. Flour generously to avoid sticking.
- Cook in broth as directed above.
To Thicken the Broth
- In a small bowl combine 4 tablespoons cornstarch with 4 tablespoons water.
- Add to boiling broth a little bit at a time stirring to reach desired consistency.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Main Course
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This was just like my grandma used to make! It’s a stormy day here in Missouri and I wanted some comfort food, and google brought me here. Thank you so much for this recipe, it took me back 30 years ago when I would spend the night with my grandma and she would make this. To anyone nervous about the dumplings falling apart- I was too- and mine turned out perfect. My grandma would be proud.
Recipe looks very good. One question on the dough is what is your thought on the version using an egg. I go back and forth trying to find the recipe my parents used ages ago – trying to find the exact texture. Some recipes use egg others don’t.
I love this version without an egg, but I would love to hear what you think of it!
thanks for the recipe! Used the dumpling portion and they were fantastic. reminds me of my paternal grandmother’s dumplings. thank you!
didnt explain biscuits very clear
Which part are you having trouble with Nancy, I’d love to help you!
I love your cooking. You are my go to for delicious recipes. However, I have to tell you, no ma’am on those dumplings. that’s just undercooked pieces of unflavored dough. The rest is amazing.
Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that, Dawn! I am glad you are enjoying our other recipes though.
I was raise on chicken and dumbing thick sauce. We raise chickens for eggs and them
This sounds lovely, but I would cut down a lot of time, by leaving the chicken whole, cook for 30 minutes or so, remove ONLY the chicken, remove it from the bones, to add it back in when the dumplings are nearly done. Easier, peasier. The veggies will not overcook in that time.
Delicious!!! Love a great keeper recipe
My husband doesn’t like leftovers but he did with this recipe! It made enough for 2 dinners and a lunch, So good!
Love the recipe. Have to admit Icheat n either use cut up flour tortillas or can biscuits for the dumplings however they are still delish!!
absolutely the perfect chicken and dumplings recipe. I use it with a whole turkey at the holidays and just double everything else because everybody loves it so much. love this recipe!!!!
Made this recipe over a year ago. I refuse to use any other after this one came out so amazing.
Thank goodness, I found it again!
My grandma would definitely be proud ☺!
LOVE IT!!! However I did add (1)tsp poultry seasoning, regular chicken broth, and (1)tsp tumeric. Totally did the cornstarch and water and next time definitely used a lot of baby carrots in it cause all of that flavor was probably the best taste of carrots I’ve ever had in my life!!! Thanks for the recipe!!!!!
I have been using this recipe for years for the dumplings. It’s so amazing every time! I use butter instead of shortening as well as add a bit of seasonings for extra flavor and it always works like a charm. I also just grab a small ball and squish it flat rather than rolling out the dough. I plan on using this recipe for many years! :)
Omg same day too?!!! Yes sooooo amazing!!!!!
Can you use precooked rotisserie chicken
that should work well. You wouldn’t need to cook the chicken in the broth in step 2 but you could put the chicken carcass in there to infuse the broth with the flavor. Enjoy!
Very good! I didn’t roll out the dumplings, I just rolled them into little balls and sometimes I just pinch in little pieces!
I have made this several times and everyone loves it! I have tried different recipes and they were all right, but this was a home run, thank you for sharing!