This old-fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate hearty comfort food. It features simple, healthy ingredients, including onions, celery, carrots, homemade chicken broth, and fluffy, herbed dumplings. This chicken and dumplings recipe is made completely from scratch, which means no shortcuts on this one! All you need to make this recipe is a few pantry staples, a little time, and a lot of love!
This recipe is a tried and true generational tradition. If there is one recipe that takes me back to my childhood, it’s chicken and dumplings. Just one bite and I am immediately transported back into my mother’s kitchen. My mom always made the best chicken and dumplings, and I am pretty sure she learned to make chicken and dumplings from my granny! In my family, the only way you are allowed to make chicken and dumplings is by using the whole chicken; there is no other way! I can’t argue with tradition because adding the slow, simmered chicken does make the best broth with the most flavor.
Chicken and dumplings are a simple, delicious, and budget-friendly meal, perfect for cold winter nights or any day that you are craving a comforting, warm meal. This recipe is also my daughter’s favorite and most requested meal. Her eyes light up when she finds out that I am making chicken and dumplings for dinner. I always chuckle a little bit, but I love to make meals that I know my kids will enjoy.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLING INGREDIENTS
Jump to the bottom of the recipe card below this post for full ingredient measurements and instructions.
- Chicken – This recipe uses one whole 2 to 2 1/2-pound chicken. I find that this makes for the best flavor base.
- Onion – one medium onion yellow or white, diced.
- Carrots – about 3 large carrots, sliced
- Celery – about 3 ribs of celery, sliced
- Garlic – 3 cloves or more if you want!
- Chicken stock – can be substituted with vegetable broth or water
- All-purpose flour – Used to thicken the soup and as the base for the dumplings. Can be substituted with gluten-free flour.
- Spices & Seasoning – bouillon, fresh thyme, salt, pepper and bay leaf
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
Follow these steps to make this recipe:
Saute the vegetables: In a Dutch oven or a large pot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then saute for 5 minutes or until soft and translucent.
Add the chicken and stock: Add the water, bouillion, the chicken, chicken stock, bay leaves, and the fresh thyme. Bring the pot to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low to low and simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
Shred the chicken: Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and shred it.
Make the dumpling: In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the dumplings. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk. Form a well in the center of the flour, then add the egg mixture and the fresh herbs.
Cook the dumplings: Drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter into the hot soup.
Add the shredded chicken: Add the shredded chicken back to the pot with the dumplings. Garnish and serve.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING THIS RECIPE
- Precut chicken. If you prefer, you can use a precut chicken or cut the chicken into pieces before adding it to the pot. This will save you a few minutes of cooking time and make the cooked chicken easier to remove from the pot to shred.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Avoid overmixing the dumpling batter by only mixing it to combine. By doing this you will avoid making dense dumplings and will instead have fluffy, airy dumplings.
- Don’t stir the dumplings. Once the dumplings are in the pot, do not mix them! Gently shake your pot, if needed to make sure the dumplings do not stick together.
- Keep the lid on. Once the dumplings are cooking. Keep the lid on the pot to ensure the dumplings receive enough steam to cook them. While opening the lid may be tempting, continually opening it could result in the dumplings taking longer to cook.
- Add fresh lemon. A little lemon juice or zest is an excellent way to add freshness to this recipe. Stir in the lemon juice or zest when adding the fresh parsley before serving.
- Add cream. A little fresh cream helps balance this soup and makes it creamier and richer-flavored.
Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
8
servings10
minutes2
hours2
hours10
minutesOld-fashioned chicken and dumplings with slow-simmered broth, onions, celery, carrots, and fluffy herbed dumplings.
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Ingredients
1 2 1/2 pound chicken
1 large onion, chopped
3 large carrots, diced
4 ribs of celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 cups chicken stock
3 cups water
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
3 tsp better than bouillion or chicken base
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
3 sprigs fresh thyme
- For The Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 cup cold buttermilk or cold water
1 egg
2 tsp fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill), chopped
1/2 tsp salt
Directions
- In a Dutch oven or a large pot, add the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and celery. Season with salt and pepper, then saute for 3 minutes.
- Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the pot. Add the water, bouillion, the chicken, chicken stock, bay leaves, and the fresh thyme. Bring the pot to a boil. Use a large spoon to skim and remove any foam that rises to the top of the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium-low to low and partially cover the lid. Simmer for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until the chicken is cooked and tender.
- Once the chicken is cooked remove it from the pot and shred it, separating the meat, and discarding the bones.
- Whisk in the 3 Tbsp of flour along with the minced garlic and allow the sauce to thicken, about five minutes. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and the salt. In a small bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk. Form a well in the center of the flour, then add the egg mixture and the fresh herbs. Stir well to form a thick, sticky dough.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter into the hot soup. Dumplings will fill and cover the top of the pot, but do not stir! To keep the dumplings from sticking, gently shake the pot if needed. Allow the dumplings to cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until firm, puffy, and tender.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the pot, stirring to combine. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley and serve.
Notes
- Avoid overmixing the dumpling batter by only mixing it to combine. By doing this you will avoid making dense dumplings and will instead have fluffy, airy dumplings.
- Once the dumplings are in the pot, do not stir them! Gently shake your pot, if needed, to make sure the dumplings do not stick together.
- A little fresh lemon juice or zest is an excellent way to add freshness to this recipe. Stir in the lemon juice or zest when adding the fresh parsley before serving.
- Use a meat thermometer to ensure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F before safely consuming.
Did you make this recipe?
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While I have you here… may I suggest a few for you to try next:
- The Best Roasted Pepper & Corn Chowder | How To Make Poblano Corn Chowder
- How To Make Broccoli Cheddar Soup
- Chicken Tortilla Soup
Until next time. Keep following and commenting. Join me on Youtube next week where I will be cooking up another recipe and maybe telling a few of my terrible jokes! Yes, that’s right.
