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.
You can freeze chicken & dumplings right? I am single & don’t need a whole pot – I’d just like to make them & eat what I want right then & then freeze the rest for another time.
Hi Kelly, you could try freezing it for another time. The soup itself would work well but the dumplings will soften and change in texture.
this is a very well constructed recipe and is delicious! authentic a nd no shortcuts which I appreciate. thanks for sharing!
Love the recipe but my dumplings seem to always disintegrate and I’m left with just a few (we’re big dumplings fans so they are essential). Any suggestions on how to avoid this?
Thanks!
Hmm, I haven’t had that problem Raewyn. Are you using shortening (and not butter)? Do your dumplings have the same consistency as the ones in the video when you roll them?
I’m waiting to see how this dish turn out.
I’ve made this like 15 times now, and I’ll make it one hundred more
That is so wonderful to hear Danny!
Very good and easy to make. Taste just like my grandma’s dumplings. I did add more freshly ground pepper, but we like lots of pepper.
So happy you loved it Sarah!
Love old fashion ones want to show young ones what we loved on the supper table! ♥️
We are in South Texas!
So happy you enjoyed this one Betty!
My family is from the exact center of Pennsylvania (Centre County) and we have always called this Chicken Pot Pie – it’s also delicious with beef, or cubed (home) canned venison.
I see some comments calling these pot pie dumplings “pastry” or “noodles,” but I can attest that these are neither!
So happy you enjoyed it Nikki!
I was looking for the real thing and this was perfect. I used a Rotisserie chicken that I wasn’t thrilled with and the recipe came out so well. I wanted the real dumplings not Bisquick so this was perfect. I did add a touch of Corn Starch once the dumplings were done but it really wasn’t essential. This will now be a go to recipe when needed. Thank you!
So happy to hear that Connie! :)
This sounds and looks so good…I never made dumplings other than bisquick. I don’t have shortening what can I use instead? Thank you so much for your help I really appreciate it.
You can use butter, but as a general rule of thumb when making this substitution use just a little more butter. So for this recipe it would be ⅓ cup of butter + 1 tablespoon. I hope this helps Fran!
Thank you so much for your help. …I really appreciate it. ..I’m going to try this tonight
Glad we could help, let us know how it turns out Fran!
My Goodness I tried your recipe yesterday and it was freaking GOOD! I will be making this again Thanks So Much!
*doing a happy dance* So happy you loved it Erica!
Love these recipes
Why thank you Clementine!
Gotta try for sure
Let us know what you think Barbara!
Got to make tomorrow
Definitely a must make Cindy! Have fun cooking.
This is how my grandma taught me to make chicken and dumplings! Over the years, I have added my own modifications! I use the Emeril’s chicken rub on my whole chicken, to add some flavor to the chicken and broth, also a head of garlic unpeeled. Also, I use butter instead of shortening for my dumplings, and add dried sage to my dumpling mix before rolling out. I really like the flavor the sage gives the dumplings! I use a pizza cutter to cut my dumplings into about 2 inch strips, and add the dumplings VERY SLOWLY, dunking them carefully as I go. This seems to help them puff up instead of dropping to botttom and turning to goo. I hope this helps some of you with questions or failed attempts! Don’t give up! This is the BEST comfort food!
Thank you for all the great tips Susie. We appreciate it!
My mother made the best which this recipe comes close. TIP: mom always stressed a rich broth which comes from the chicken with skin. Once chicken is removed from broth & before dropping dumplings into broth the broth needs to be brought to rolling.
Looks so good
Just wait until you try it Maria ;) It is absolutely delicious!
I’m planning to make this for dinner this week. Can you expand on this “one chicken cut into pieces” line? I’m not what you would call an intuitive cook. I need this broken down for me in simple steps lol. Are we talking a whole chicken, or breasts, or what?
This recipe uses a whole chicken broken down into 2 breasts, 2 thighs, 2 drumsticks and wings. You can often purchase a whole chicken cut into pieces at the grocery store. If you don’t see it, you can substitute 2 bone in chicken breasts and 2 bone in chicken legs (with the thigh and drumstick together). I have added a video in just above the recipe. I hope that helps!
Please let us know how it goes!
Whole chicken taken apart..take legs off
Take thighs off
Take breast off
Use the rest for stock…
I just love your chicken and Dumplings.can i get the Recipes..Thanks
I found your website and I love your recipe for chicken and dumplings IAM not able to eat a lot of red meat.so this was a wonderful experience thank you
.
Thanks Linda! I am glad you found us and enjoyed the chicken and dumplings!
Just made this! My very first time at making chicken n dumplings. They were awesome! Followed the recipe to the t. Turned out great. I would highly recommend. So easy to make as well. Plenty of leftovers. I know what we’re having tomorrow lol.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe Lisa!