Chicken and Dumplings

This recipe for Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food! It’s easy to make and packed with layers of tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a silky broth. Topped with pillowy drop dumplings that melt in your mouth, this homemade chicken and dumplings recipe will make you feel warm and cozy inside!

Everyone has a favorite recipe they want to make again and again and find comfort in. This chicken and dumplings recipe is precisely that for me. From the moment the chicken hits the hot pan, you’re building a base for the best chicken and dumplings recipe. Those bits of golden, savory chicken pieces cook with the vegetables and then infuse every layer of the chicken soup with amazing flavor.

Why I love Homemade Chicken and Drop Dumplings

• So comforting and filling – Each layer builds on top of the other to create a warm, silky, creamy soup that is full of hearty chunks of veggies, chicken, and potatoes.
• The best dumplings – The drop dumplings are soft and pillowy, fragrant with the addition of thyme.
• A family favorite – This is one of my go-to recipes when we want something familiar, flavorful, and incredibly wholesome.

Ingredients to Make Chicken and Dumplings

• Chicken: Use chicken thighs or chicken breasts. Both work great in this recipe, though chicken thighs are more flavorful and less likely to overcook.
• Oil and butter
• Seasonings: poultry seasoning, dried thyme, salt, pepper
• Mirquiox + garlic: onions, celery, carrots. I love use baby carrots because it’s one less thing to chop and they add to the heartiness of the soup. You can use regular carrots and chop them, if preferred.
• Potatoes: I’ve always added potatoes to my chicken and dumplings, but you can leave them out, too.
• All-purpose flour
• Chicken broth: Or Better than Bullion Roasted Chicken with water
• Heavy cream

Drop Dumplings

• Dry mix: All-purpose flour, baking powder, dried thyme, and salt
• Milk: Whole milk works best but any milk works
• Butter: Melted butter adds a richness to the biscuit

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

Step 1: Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Season chicken with poultry seasoning and sear until golden brown. Remove and let it rest before cutting into bite-sized cubes.

Step 2: Add butter to the same pot. Once melted, add onions, celery, and carrots. Sauté until onions soften, scraping up bits from the bottom. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Sprinkle flour over veggies and stir to coat, cooking until golden brown.

Step 3: Pour in chicken broth, stirring continuously until smooth. Add potatoes and simmer.

Step 5: Add chopped chicken and heavy cream to the mixture, stirring well.

Step 6: Using a scoop, drop dumpling batter around the pot evenly.

Step 7: Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through. Enjoy your homemade chicken and dumplings!

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

• Dumpling Texture: For light and fluffy dumplings, avoid overmixing the dough. Stir just until the ingredients are combined to prevent tough dumplings.
• Consistency: The creamy chicken and dumpling broth should be silky and slightly thickened, coating the back of a spoon. If it’s too thick, add more broth or water, or simmer longer to reduce if it’s too thin. You can also make a small amount of cornstarch slurry to thicken if needed.
• Let the dumpling batter rest -This will allow the flour to fully absorb the milk, butter, and fragrant dried thyme, resulting in a better flavor. Additionally, the baking powder has time to activate, which will make the dumplings fluffier and more tender.

How to Store

Chicken and dumplings are best served immediately. If you have leftovers, store the dumplings separately so they don’t soak up too much liquid. Leftovers will last up to 3 days in the fridge.

When ready to enjoy, reheat together in the microwave until heated through.

Frequently Asked Questions

This recipe for chicken and dumplings with potatoes is definitely worth the effort! If you’re pressed for time, you can take some shortcuts, but even if you make it from scratch, it will only take under an hour to prepare. It’s perfect for a weeknight dinner, a family gathering, or whenever you want a comforting and hearty meal. Enjoy!

More Dinner Recipes

• Lentil Beef Stuffed Peppers
• Pan-fried Pork Chops with Gravy
• Braised Beef Short Ribs
• Spicy Slow Cooker Chili

Chicken and Drop Dumplings

Recipe by Dianna MoatesCourse: All Recipes, DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Intermediate

Servings

6

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

This homemade chicken and dumplings recipe is a cozy blend of silky broth, hearty veggies, tender chicken, and pillowy drop dumplings. Comfort made simple!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 3 tablespoons butter

• 1 large yellow onion, chopped

• 1 1/2 cups baby carrots or chopped

• 3 celery ribs, chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, minced

• 5 tablespoons flour

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 3/4 pound red potatoes, halved or quartered

• 3/4 cup heavy cream

• 2 teaspoons soy sauce, optional

• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

• salt and pepper to taste

• Drop Dumplings

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 cup milk

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

Directions

• Heat oil in a Dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Season the chicken on both sides with poultry seasoning. Add the chicken and sear each side until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. Allow to rest before cutting into bite-sized cubes.
• Add the butter to the same pot. Once melted and bubbly, add the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute until onions have softened, about 3-4 minutes, using a wooden spatula to scrape up all the little bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and cook another 1 minute or until fragrant. Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and stir to fully coat, cooking for an additional two minutes.
• Once your roux is golden brown, pour in the chicken broth, stirring continuously until smooth. Add the potatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
• Drop Dumplings
• Combine the flour, baking powder, thyme, and salt in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
• Add milk and melted butter to the flour mixture and stir together until just combined. Allow to rest for about 5 minutes to allow the wet ingredients to absorb fully.
• Add the chopped chicken and heavy cream and stir to combine.
• Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the dumpling batter around the pot in an even layer. You should have about 15-16 dumplings.
• Cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean

Notes

• Tools used (affiliate links): Dutch Oven,