The short answer: Chicken and dumplings is a creamy chicken stew topped with soft biscuit dumplings that steam right in the pot. **Cook a diced onion, 2 carrots and 2 celery ribs in 4 tablespoons of butter, stir in ⅓ cup of flour, then add 8 cups of chicken broth and 1½ pounds of boneless chicken thighs or breasts and simmer about 20 minutes, until the chicken reaches 165°F.
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Prep time: 20 minCook time: 46 minTotal time: 1 hr 6 minServings: 6 servings
Shred the chicken, stir in ½ cup of cream, drop on spoonfuls of dumpling dough, cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid.** It serves 6 and is ready in about an hour. Below are both kinds of dumplings, a canned biscuit shortcut, a slow cooker method and storage tips.
I love cooking, and when the weather turns cold, a big pot that the whole family can gather around is exactly what I want on the stove.
Chicken and dumplings ingredients
For the stew
| Ingredient | Amount | Swap |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | 4 tablespoons | Olive oil |
| Onion | 1, diced | |
| Carrots | 2, diced | |
| Celery | 2 ribs, diced | |
| Garlic | 2 cloves, minced | |
| All-purpose flour | ⅓ cup | |
| Chicken broth, low sodium | 8 cups | |
| Boneless chicken thighs or breasts | 1½ pounds | 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken |
| Dried thyme | 1 teaspoon | Poultry seasoning |
| Bay leaf | 1 | |
| Heavy cream or whole milk | ½ cup | Skip for a brothier stew |
| Frozen peas | 1 cup (optional) |
For the drop dumplings: 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 tablespoons cold butter cut in, and 1 cup cold milk, stirred just until combined. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley if you like.
How to make chicken and dumplings
- Cook the vegetables. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onion, carrots and celery for 6 minutes. Add the garlic for 1 minute.
- Add the flour. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute so it loses its raw taste.
- Simmer the chicken. Whisk in the broth slowly, add the chicken, thyme and bay leaf, and simmer 20 to 25 minutes. The USDA's safe temperature chart lists 165°F for poultry, so check the thickest piece.
- Shred. Lift out the chicken, shred it with two forks and return it to the pot with the cream and peas. Remove the bay leaf. Wash your board and hands after handling the raw chicken, as the CDC's chicken safety page advises.
- Make the dumplings. Whisk the dry ingredients, cut in the butter until it looks like coarse crumbs, and stir in the milk just until a shaggy dough forms.
- Drop and steam. Bring the stew to a gentle simmer and drop heaping tablespoons of dough across the top. Cover and cook 15 minutes. Don't lift the lid.
- Check. A toothpick in the center of a dumpling should come out clean. Season the broth and serve.
Drop, rolled or biscuit shortcut
| Dumpling style | How | Texture | Time in the pot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drop (fluffy) | Spoonfuls of soft biscuit dough | Light and puffy | 15 minutes, covered |
| Rolled (Southern) | Firm dough rolled ⅛ inch thick, cut in strips | Dense, noodle-like | 15 to 20 minutes, stirred gently |
| Canned biscuits | Quartered refrigerated biscuits | Soft, a little sweet | 12 to 15 minutes, covered |
| Tortilla strips | Flour tortillas cut in strips | Chewy, quick | 8 to 10 minutes |
Make it in a slow cooker
Add the vegetables, broth, raw chicken, thyme and bay leaf to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours. Shred the chicken, whisk ⅓ cup of flour with ½ cup of the cream and stir it in, then turn to high, drop the dumpling dough on top, cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes until set. Find more hands-off dinners in our slow cooker recipes.
Storing and reheating
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours. FoodSafety.gov's cold storage chart gives cooked chicken dishes 3 to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat on the stove over low heat with a splash of broth, since the dumplings drink up liquid overnight.
For more ways to use a pound or two of chicken, see our chicken dinner ideas, or browse all our soup recipes for more cozy bowls. Prefer a chunky potato-and-chicken pot without the dumplings? Make our chicken stew.
Put comfort food on the plan
Chicken thighs, flour, broth and a few vegetables make a big pot for a family at a low cost, and it stretches further when you plan its leftovers on purpose. Prefer dumplings floating in a clear chicken broth? Make matzo ball soup, and stretch soup week with cheap meal ideas.
- Meal Planner & Grocery List, $3.99. Plan dumpling night and the next day's lunch, and shop from one list.
- Family Recipe Binder, $6.99. Save the dumpling style your family loves on a recipe card, with your own notes.
- Holiday Season Bundle, $15.99 (regularly $25.94 for the six items bought separately). The meal planner plus the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner, a cleaning schedule and savings trackers.
Browse all our Printables or the Holiday shop.
Prefer a crust on top? Our homemade chicken pot pie uses the same creamy chicken filling under pastry or biscuits. Prefer a lighter broth bowl? Our chicken soup recipe walks through stock, veg and timing.
Frequently asked questions
How do you make chicken and dumplings? To make chicken and dumplings, cook onion, carrots and celery in butter, stir in ⅓ cup of flour, then add 8 cups of chicken broth and 1½ pounds of chicken and simmer until the chicken reaches 165°F. Shred the chicken, add ½ cup of cream, then drop spoonfuls of biscuit-style dough on top, cover and simmer 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
Why are my dumplings gummy or raw in the middle? Dumplings turn gummy when the dough is overmixed or the lid comes off while they steam. Stir the dough just until it comes together, keep the broth at a gentle simmer, and leave the lid on for the full 15 minutes.
What is the difference between drop dumplings and rolled dumplings? Drop dumplings are spoonfuls of soft biscuit dough that steam into fluffy puffs on top of the stew. Rolled dumplings, common in the South, are a firmer dough rolled thin and cut into strips that simmer in the broth like thick noodles.
Can you use canned biscuits for chicken and dumplings? Yes, refrigerated canned biscuits make an easy chicken and dumplings shortcut. Cut each biscuit into quarters, drop them into the simmering stew, cover and cook 12 to 15 minutes until puffed and cooked through.
Can you make chicken and dumplings with rotisserie chicken? Yes, a rotisserie chicken cuts the cook time to about 40 minutes. Use about 4 cups of shredded meat and add it after the broth simmers, since it's already cooked.
How do you thicken chicken and dumplings? Thicken chicken and dumplings by simmering it uncovered for 10 minutes or stirring in a slurry of 2 tablespoons of flour and ¼ cup of cold broth. The dumplings also release flour as they cook, which thickens the broth.
Can you make chicken and dumplings in a slow cooker? Yes, cook the chicken, vegetables and broth on low for 6 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours, then shred the chicken and stir in the cream. Turn it to high, add the dumpling dough, cover and cook 30 to 40 minutes until the dumplings are set.
How long does chicken and dumplings last in the fridge? Chicken and dumplings lasts 3 to 4 days in the fridge. The dumplings soak up broth overnight, so add a splash of broth when you reheat it.
Can you freeze chicken and dumplings? You can freeze chicken and dumplings for 2 to 3 months, but the dumplings get softer when thawed. For the best texture, freeze the stew alone and make fresh dumplings when you reheat it.
What are the dumplings in chicken and dumplings made of? The dumplings in chicken and dumplings are a simple biscuit dough of flour, baking powder, salt, butter and milk. Drop dumplings are spooned straight onto the simmering stew, while rolled dumplings are cut into strips and slid into the broth.
Can you make chicken and dumplings ahead of time? You can make the chicken stew a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge, then bring it back to a simmer and add fresh dumpling dough right before dinner. Dumplings cooked ahead soak up broth and turn soft, so they're best made the day you serve them.
How do I keep comfort-food dinners on budget? Plan comfort food around one inexpensive base, like a whole chicken that becomes two meals. The Meal Planner & Grocery List from HomeBase Paper Co. ($3.99) maps both dinners and the shopping list on one page.
Sources
- USDA FSIS: Safe temperature chart fsis.usda.gov
- CDC: Chicken and food poisoning cdc.gov
- FoodSafety.gov: Cold food storage chart foodsafety.gov