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Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Easy homemade chicken and dumplings take a few shortcuts just for ease–but there’s no loss of flavor. Make yours as simple or complex as you’d like them and dig in to creamy sauce, tender chicken and pillowy drop dumplings. Delicious!

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a bowl of easy southern chicken and dumplings on a table with parsley

Slow cooking a whole chicken in water and then thickening your broth with dumplings is the classic way to tackle this recipe. And to be honest, most people in the south would never dare put carrots and celery in theirs.

You’re welcome to leave them out here as well–I know it’s a bit controversial.

And to speed up the process and make these chicken and dumplings easier and faster, we’re roasting the chicken then adding it to good quality pre-made broth from the store or that you have made in advance.

What are chicken and dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings are a classic Southern dish similar to chicken pot pie that consists of just thickened chicken broth, chicken and dough or a more advanced version with vegetables and added flavors.

A thick chicken and vegetable soup serves as the base for my version and delicious dumplings that are cooked in the soup itself leaving you with a one-pot meal that will warm you to the bones. 

Ingredients needed

Here’s what you’ll need for chicken and dumplings:

  • Bone in chicken
  • Celery
  • Onion
  • Carrots
  • Chicken broth
  • Milk or cream
  • Self rising flour, eggs, milk for dumplings

What kind of chicken should I use in easy homemade chicken and dumplings? 

You have a few options to choose from. People usually boil bone in skin on chicken parts when making classic chicken and dumplings. My favorite method, however, is to roast bone-in, skin-on pieces in the oven for more flavor. Roasting produces a juicier, more flavorful piece of meat. 

I realize this messes up the homemade broth part of most traditional recipes. You are absolutely welcome to simmer your chicken in water first so you can have a more flavorful homemade broth.
Or you can save time by using homemade broth you have in the freezer or canned. I use homemade chicken stock here.

In either case, you will need to shred the chicken after it is cooked before adding it to the sauce.

Cut out the long simmering time with pre made stock

Making your own stock only takes 10 minutes of active time and an hour-and-a-half-long simmer on the stove and it makes a world of a difference. Check out my post on how to make chicken stock.

Keeping good homemade on hand makes this recipe easy and fast without losing any flavor quality.

  • No additives. Store-bought stocks are often full of unnecessary goop (like MSG) that has nothing to do with chicken. Chicken might be in there, but it might also be the last ingredient on the list. 
  • Added nutrients. The bones used to make homemade stock contribute iron, collagen, and a plethora of vitamins that you are less likely to find in store-bought versions. 
  • You can skim off the fat. When you make stock at home and allow it to chill, the fat will accumulate at the top. This means you can easily skim it off if you are looking to cut some calories. I prefer to keep the fat for extra flavor, but the choice is yours. 

If you do choose to purchase a store-bought stock, look for an MSG-free product that is low in sodium and, ideally, organic. This chicken broth is a good one.

The first ingredient should be something related to chicken and water so read the label.

Bone broth is just way too strong here. I’d recommend staying away from that.

Different kinds of dumplings appropriate for chicken and dumplings. 

This heartwarming chicken and dumplings recipe uses drop dumplings, but there are a number of ways to top the hearty sauce. Let me walk you through them. 

  • Drop dumplings derive their name from the way they are cooked. Make a thick batter, form dumplings, and drop them into the simmering sauce. 
  • Rolled dumplings are formed from a biscuit dough that has been rolled flat and cut into strips before being dropped into the sauce to cook. 
  • Biscuits are a great choice for those of you uncomfortable with (or too busy for) making your own dumpling dough. Store-bought biscuit dough can be rolled into balls or just quartered right from the can and cooked like the other versions. 

Note: When making dumpling dough it is important not to over mix it. Overworking the dough will yield a tough, chewy dumpling.  

How do I know when my dumplings are done? 

Once the dumplings are done, you are ready to serve. To test the doneness of the dumplings, just poke a fork through the biggest one. If you hit a gummy center, they need a bit more time. 

They will also feel firm and puff up. Based on the size of your dumplings, they should cook in 5 minutes or so.

How to thicken the sauce when making chicken and dumplings.

The sauce should thicken up nicely just from the flour from the dumplings. You probably won’t need any additional thickener.

But if for some reason you feel your sauce is too thin, you can add a cornstarch slurry prior to dropping in the dumplings. Add 1/3 cup cold water to a bowl bit then add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and mixing well.

Add the mixture back to the pot and stir. 

a bowl of cooked chicken being shredded with two forks
a pot of celery, carrots and onions being cooked for chicken and dumplings
vegetables in a pot with flour and butter added to thicken
a pot of chicken and dumplings with milk added to make a creamy sauce
two eggs in a bowl of self rising flour to make drop dumplings
dumpling dough mixed in a bowl

Can southern chicken and dumplings be made ahead?

Yes they absolutely can.

To keep your dumplings from getting too soft, you may want to add those when you reheat the broth to serve, but if you don’t mind the texture you can make a batch, cool to room temperature and refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Can chicken and dumplings be frozen?

Yes! Make a big batch and save some for a busy day. You can either freeze everything together in one airtight container or freeze the chicken and sauce without the dumplings.

Sometimes the dumplings can change texture when thawed and reheated or even dissolve completely into the broth so it’s really better to add them later or be prepared to thin the thawed broth and drop in a few more when reheating.

a spoon close up in a bowl of chicken and dumplings

What substitutions can I use when making old fashioned southern chicken and dumplings? 

This recipe is easily adaptable to a variety of dietary needs and ingredient availability. Here are some substitutions you might find useful. 

  • Gluten-free. Use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free flour in place of conventional flour if your body cannot tolerate gluten. 
  • Oil. You are welcome to use avocado or refined coconut oil instead of vegetable oil here. 
  • No buttermilk? No problem. Mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and you’re set to go.
  • No heavy cream? Combine ¾ cup milk and ¼  cup melted butter instead. Whole milk will also substitute and of course I’m a huge supporter of raw milk.

Variations on southern chicken and dumplings. 

Use up what you have on hand in your chicken and dumplings. While it won’t be “classic” it’s a great time to throw in extra vegetables from the fridge and any white meat you have on hand.

  • Turkey and dumplings. Just use turkey breast instead of chicken for the protein. 
  • Vegetarian. Feel free to leave out the chicken and add some extra veggies (mushrooms are a great option) instead. 
  • Enhance the flavor of chicken and dumplings by adding a little Worcestershire sauce and/or mustard powder

What should I serve chicken and dumplings with? 

This heartwarming classic really is a complete meal on its own. If you would like to play around with side dishes, feel free to serve chicken and dumplings with any of the following: 

a bowl of easy southern chicken and dumplings on a table with parsley

Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings are one of the foundation recipes of a southern cook and will soothe you to your toes. Curl up with their comfort. 
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8 people
Author Rachel Ballard

Ingredients
  

For roasting the chicken

  • 3 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts about 2 pounds total
  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper

For the sauce

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 tablespoon avocado oil any flavorless oil works here
  • 1/2 cup diced celery about 1/2 inch pieces
  • 1/2 cup diced carrots about 1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 3 cloves fresh garlic minced or finely chopped
  • 5 tablespoons all purpose flour gluten free flour works
  • 6 cups chicken broth homemade preferred
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream raw is best
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste

For the dumplings

Instructions
 

To roast the chicken

  • Preheat the oven to 400
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and lay on the chicken, skin side up. Drizzle over the oil, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. 
  • Roast until no pink remains in the center, approximately 45-55 minutes.
  • When the chicken is done, remove any skin or fat and using two forks, shred the meat and set aside. 

For the sauce

  • In a large pot, melt the butter and oil. Add the celery, carrots and garlic and cook on medium low until the vegetables start to soften--about 8 minutes--stirring often so the garlic doesn't burn. 
  • Add the bay leaf and the flour and stir to cook the flour--two minutes. Add the broth and bring to a simmer. Cook until the broth thickens slightly, about 8 to 10 minutes more. 
  • Add the shredded chicken and cream and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper as needed. This will depend on a lot on how salty your chicken broth is. 

For the dumplings

  • Once the broth is added and is returning to a simmer as directed above, make the dumplings. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to combine.
  • Add the eggs and buttermilk or milk and stir just until no raw flour remains. Do not over mix.
  • After the broth as simmered for 8 to 10 minutes, then drop the dumplings by tablespoons into the pot. Remember they will puff up, so leave plenty of space between them. 
  • Cover and simmer on low 15 minutes, then ladle up and serve warm. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cupCalories: 422kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 25gFat: 21gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 117mgSodium: 1365mgPotassium: 512mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1735IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 133mgIron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag us on Instagram @feastandfarm and hashtag it #feastandfarm
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Keyword easy homemade chicken and dumplings

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29 Comments

  1. Nothing, at all, like REAL, southern chicken and dumplings, but good. growing up chicken and dumplings were very minimalist because we were so poor . some time we didn’t have milk . .you can make biscuit dough with water , we did , we never had vegetables or cream of anything soup!!! LoL. flour water,lard or butter. a whole chicken, because it was cheaper,we never had onions or all the stuff we called fancy. we were deep south , like in the woods deep. but this recipe version was really good.

  2. I did not have carrots on hand so after the sauce was done I added mixed veggies in it. I don’t normally eat chicken and dumplings but these were good. I did use roll up dumplings though.

    1. I swapped vegetable oil as well though not all of my old recipes reflect that. You can use more butter, avocado oil (my personal favorite) or even a dash of pastured lard. 😉 –Rachel

    2. @Rachel Ballard, I just found u and anxious to try some until I saw the chicken and dumplings. Thinking of my grandmothers, I skimmed over the comments and instead of seeing “pastured lard” I, living in farm country saw “pastured land” WHAT!! Good thing there’s only a dash!😂😂

  3. You (or someone else testing and cooking recipes for Feast and Farm) are a fantastic influence on my food preparation. Every recipe I have tried gets raved about. Thank you from me and all my guests!

    1. Hahaha Gloria! There’s only one cook and tester here and that’s me! I’m so glad you are enjoying the recipes. If they don’t taste great, they don’t get published! –Rachel

  4. 5 stars
    This sounds just like my granny’s chicken ? & Dumplings! I can’t wait to cook this for the 1st time! I haven’t had potatoes or chicken & Dumplings in years & I’m craving 🙂

  5. Thank you for the recipe. Can I use heavy cream for the dumplings. I don’t have any regular milk besides evaporated.

  6. 5 stars
    Great recipe! My wife wanted me to make her chicken and dumplings … I stumbled across this recipe … turned out great! I increased the carrots and celery to one cup and added one chopped leek. I did not have any cream on hand so used sour cream. The chicken broth was homemade, seasoned with onions, adobo, and herbes de Provence. We both were amazed! Thanks!

    1. Oh goodness Ron–you sound very resourceful! And it sounds like you made a totally different recipe 😉 So funny! But I’m glad you could use mine as a base and let your creativity pull the rest of it together. I try to make most of my recipes versatile enough that you can make a swap or two and still have things turn out well. Come back soon and try something else! Thanks–Rachel

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About the Author

Rachel Ballard, RN, BSN brings more than 20 years of professional nursing expertise to Feast and Farm. With a love for nutrient dense foods that support wellness, she works to distill complex health information and current trends into recipes that fuel the best version of yourself. Read more about Rachel here.