Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, with tender chicken, homemade dumplings, and a flavorful broth that warms you from the inside out. This classic recipe is simple to make from scratch and perfect for a cozy family dinner any night of the week.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights: Chicken and Dumplings
Flavor: The rich, savory broth, tender chicken, and soft, pillowy dumplings come together to create a comforting, hearty dish with classic homemade flavor.
Recommended Tools: A large soup pot, rolling pin, pizza cutter, and cheesecloth make preparing this recipe easier and help achieve the best results.
Serving Suggestions: I like to serve this chicken and dumplings with a simple green salad.
Total Time: 1 Hour 35 Minutes Serves: 8 Cooking Method: Stovetop
Ingredient Notes
- Whole Chicken: A whole chicken creates a rich, flavorful homemade broth while providing plenty of tender meat. Bone-in chicken thighs are a great substitute.
- Carrots and Celery: These vegetables add savory flavor to the broth as it simmers. For a heartier soup, chop and return them to the pot, or discard them for a smoother, clearer broth.
- Bay Leaf or Poultry Seasoning: While optional, either adds extra savory flavor to the broth. Poultry seasoning, thyme, or a pinch of sage all complement the chicken with a classic, comforting taste.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the homemade dumplings. Keep extra flour on hand for the work surface and dough to prevent the strips from sticking while rolling and cutting.
- Variations: Stir in frozen peas with the chicken for extra color and sweetness. For a richer finish, add a splash of cream before serving. For a shortcut version, use cooked shredded chicken, keeping in mind the broth will have a lighter flavor.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
- Place the chicken, vegetables, and seasonings into a large pot and pour in the chicken broth.
- Simmer the chicken with vegetables, broth, and seasonings.
- While chicken is simmering, start the dumplings. Cut the shortening into the dry ingredients and gradually add milk to form a soft dough.
- Gently knead the dough on a well-floured surface a few times until it becomes smooth.
- Roll the dough out thinly and use a pizza cutter to slice it into short strips.
- Strain the broth and shred the cooked chicken while discarding the skin and bones.
- Simmer the dumpling strips in the broth, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and stir the shredded chicken back in before serving.
Tips for Tender Dumplings
- For Even Cooking: Roll the dumplings thin, about ¼ inch.
- To Prevent Clumping: Flour the dough generously before cutting so the strips do not clump together.
- For Soft Dough: Add the milk slowly to the dumpling dough. Soft dough is good, sticky dough is harder to roll.
- Do Not Over-Knead: A few folds of the dough are enough to bring it together.
- Simmer the Dumplings Gently: A hard boil can break them apart.
- Add the Cornstarch Slurry Slowly: The broth thickens quickly.
Storing The Cozy Extras
- Storing Leftovers: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: The chicken and broth can be frozen for up to 3 months. For the best texture, freeze before adding the dumplings, then make fresh dumplings when reheating.
- Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave at reduced power, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of broth or water if the dumplings have absorbed too much liquid.
Cozy Chicken Dinners
Did you enjoy the following Chicken and Dumplings recipe? Leave a comment and rating below.
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
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste
- 1 bay leaf or a ¼ teaspoon poultry seasoning, optional
- 8 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
- 4 tablespoons cornstarch plus 4 tablespoons water
For the Dumplings
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- ⅓ cup shortening
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup milk
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, combine the chicken, onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, and the bay leaf.
- 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.
- Strain broth through cheesecloth. Shred or chop the chicken and discard the skin and bones. Chop the vegetables if desired (or discard). Set aside.
- Add the strained broth back to the pot. Bring to a boil and gently add dumplings to broth. Reduce heat and 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, shortening, baking powder, and salt with a fork or pastry cutter until shortening is the size of small crumbs.
- 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 5-6 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
- Chicken: *The whole chicken can be replaced with 3 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs.
- Vegetables: Carrots and celery can be served on the side or chopped and added to the broth along with the chicken. If adding to the broth, frozen peas can also be added.
- Seasonings: While I’ve kept the seasonings simple, any of the following can be added to the broth: ¾ teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves, ¼ teaspoon ground sage.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Nutrition Information
Calories: 461 | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 27g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 469mg | Potassium: 619mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 4756IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 82mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Chicken, Dinner, Entree, Main Course
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
I always add some garlic powder..it’s fantastic! Can also use rotisserie chicken for quick prep too
This is basically cream of chicken noodle soup, still good though
Didn’t follow recipe exactly..Pretty much what Ive been doing 70 years..
for those who have trouble with dumplings, I always put a lid on and do not disturb cooking process for about 15 minutes, then lid off and about 10 minutes more. I am old fashioned, so i make my dumplings and give each piece a little twist before I drop in pot. Never fail and the recipe here is a winner, spending with pennies…
absolutely delicious
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.
To make the dumplings more flavorful just add 2 tsps of Chicken bullion powder or poultry seasoning the flour before mixing. Big improvement on flavor.
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!
I rarely boil chicken for this recipe. Rotisserie chicken is so much quicker. take the skin off, debone it, chop it up, and add it right at the last 10 minutes before serving.
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!
Do you have to cover the pot while cooking the dumplings?
I do not cover the pot while cooking the dumplings.