Make this cozy classic chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch. It’s an old-fashioned comfort food classic with rich broth, tender chicken, and homemade dumplings.
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Holly’s Recipe Highlights
- Flavor: Rich and savory broth is filled with juicy chicken and soft, pillowy dumplings.
- Time-Saving Tip: Use frozen veggies and biscuit mix to keep the prep time low without sacrificing flavor.
- Recommended Tools: A pizza cutter makes quick work of cutting dumplings into perfect strips.
- Serving Suggestions: Let everyone help themselves by keeping this recipe warm in a slow cooker. Just serve some homemade breadsticks on the side to soak up all of that creamy broth.
Ingredient Notes
- Chicken Base: Use any combination of chicken up to 5 pounds for the broth; a whole bone-in chicken adds richness and body, while individual pieces of chicken work too. If using frozen chicken, thaw it overnight in the fridge.
- Vegetables: Celery, carrots, and onions are the foundation that makes a sweet and savory, balanced base for this recipe.
- Dumplings: These super-easy dumplings are soft and plump, and made with a handful of pantry staples. If short on time, replace them with any pasta that has tubes or ridges to hold the creamy broth.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
- Cook the broth and chicken.
- Prepare the dumplings (full recipe below).
- Strain the broth, shred the chicken, and add it back to the pot.
- Add dumplings to the simmering soup, and cook until tender.
Before serving, adjust the seasonings if needed.
Storage, Freezing, and Reheating
- Store leftover chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freeze chicken separately from the dumplings for up to 4 months in a zippered bag. Dumplings can be frozen separately, but taste best when made fresh.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, then reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat or in the microwave until warmed through. If the broth has thickened, stir in a splash of broth or water to loosen it up.
How to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings
Mix cornstarch + cold water into a slurry, then whisk it into boiling broth a little at a time until it’s the thickness you like.
What Goes with Chicken and Dumplings
Something fresh and simple: roasted green beans or broccoli, a basic green salad or Caesar, and dinner rolls or biscuits.
Can You Freeze Chicken and Dumplings?
Yes, but it freezes best without the dumplings. Freeze the broth and chicken, then make fresh dumplings when reheating.
Can You Make Chicken and Dumplings in a Crockpot?
Yes, I recommend following this Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
What to Serve with Chicken and Dumplings
Did you enjoy this 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.
When you make chicken and dumplings can you just use already made biscuits ?? And also can you use chicken tender lions??
I used ready made biscuits in this Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. Chicken tenders should work!
My Tennessee-born grandmother called her version of this dish “chicken and slickers.” Her fluffy dumplings and buttermilk biscuits were excellent as well, but this version has remained our family’s favorite. Grandma was born in the late 1800’s and moved north as a young bride, bringing treasured family recipes in her head and heart. So happy to find your site today; thank you for this wonderful, printable memory.
So happy to share this recipe with you Judy!
So add the cornstarch thickener to broth while boiling? Like when we first start, or after we’ve removed the chicken/veggies, and before placing in the dumplings? Also if we use butter instead, is the amount the same or different?
At the end of cooking, thicken the broth with a little bit of cornstarch and water once the dumplings are cooked. The dumplings may thicken the broth a little. Add a little bit at a time until the broth reaches the desired consistency. Hope that helps Heather! I’m not sure what you mean by using butter instead.
First time making chicken and dumplings and it turned out amazing! Thank you!
I am so glad you loved it!
I smells super good so I hope it’s as good as it smells.
I’m a beginner in the kitchen – should it be covered or uncovered after the dumplings go in?
That’s a good question Michael! I leave it uncovered. Enjoy!
I leave uncovered first 10 minutes and cover for remaining 10 minutes.
Thank you for sharing
Just like my mommom used to make
If you want to skip the cornstarch just make sure the dumplings are well floured before you slip them into the boiling broth. I dust mine with a flour while the are on the cutting board and cut them with a pizza cutter then use a spatula to slide then into the broth. I’ll confess, the idea is not original, I learned from watching my grandmother make these years ago.
Great idea Laura!
DELICIOUS! Have made many recipes for dumplings over the years and this is the best. Love how quick this recipe is to make. Rolls so easily to 1/8th inch. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it Cheryl!
Would almond milk work instead of regular? this sounds so good!
I haven’t tried the recipe with almond milk Barbara. Let us know if you try it!
I just made this and used almond milk for dumplings.It is just fine with.Great dish,hubby would eat it all the time if he could.
Hi Holly, can we substitute self rising flour in place of the all purpose and baking powder, trying to use whats on hand.
While I haven’t tried it myself, I do think that would work just fine. Please let us know how it goes if you do try it!
My mom always used self-rising flour.
I made this tonight and it was delicious. I liked how easy and quick it went together. Since there are just two of us, I halved, then halved again, the dumpling recipe and it was a perfect amount to use with 2 1/2 breasts that I had in the freezer that were already cooked, along with the broth. My old recipe is out…..this is what I’ll be using from now on. Thank you.
I’m flattered. Glad you loved this recipe Anita :)
Hi there… first time making dumpling…I was wondering if eggs are needed for dumpling dough? TIA
This recipe does not call for eggs.
Infollowed the directions, but the dumplings were little disintegrated balls of dough. Going back to bisquick!
I’m sorry you didn’t love it as much as we do. Thanks for trying it Bea :)
I have been craving home made chicken and dumplings for some time and am thrilled to find a recipe that so many people are raving about. I can’t wait to give this one a try! :)
Let me know how you like it Nicole!
Do you add a whole onion not chopped? Or do I chop it very fine?
I don’t chop the onion when adding to the broth, I usually just half it.
I am making this for the second time and I will make it again soon I’m sure because my whole family enjoyed it. I sometimes use a rotisserie chicken and sometimes throw in whatever veggies I have in the fridge or freezer. It’s a great way to use up some chicken I have and I usually make my own broth with the bones. Thanks for the dumpling idea I was intimidated to make them at first but its so easy.
That’s great Jessica, I’m happy to hear you love it!
Soooo good. It’s a good amount of work with chopping, boning, making the dumplings. That said if you muster up the motivation it’s definitely a great pay off!
Can I use buttermilk instead of regular milk?
I haven’t tried it that way, but it should work just fine Terri.
I have searched high and low for Chicken and Dumplings with dumplings like these, somewhere in between a noodle and spatzle. I really don’t like the fluffy lumpy puffy kind. This recipe is perfect!!! Search is over. Couldn’t wait to make it so I didn’t have carrots or shortening. Followed everything else to the letter and just subbed in frozen peas at the very end and used bacon grease in the dumplings. This will be a new family favorite, it’s so so good!!!
I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe Tiffany!
So yummy! Made this just as the recipe directed, except with Gardein chicken (vegetarian chicken) instead of regular. It’s easy, straight forward and was the perfect comfort food for a rainy weekend.
Great idea for a vegetarian version Dawn!
This tasted just like my mom use to make, delicious!
:) Thank you Peggy