Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

This Chicken and Dumplings Recipe is an old-fashioned and comforting recipe, which features tender chicken breasts and homemade flat dumplings. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 55 minutes.

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Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Ingredients

The Soup Base

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 celery ribs (just broken in half)
• ½ medium onion (chunked)
• 1 lb chicken breasts (boneless, skinless, cut in half)
• Salt and pepper to taste

The Dumplings

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1¼ tsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp milk (plus a little extra flour for rolling)

How To Make Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

1. Start the broth: In a big pot, throw in the chicken broth, celery ribs (broken in half), onion chunks, and the chicken breasts. Bring the pot up to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer (half-covered) for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
2. Make dumpling dough: While the chicken cooks, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Pour in the milk and stir gently until a dough ball comes together. Do not knead it excessively, or the dumplings will be tough.
3. Roll and cut: Flour your counter generously. Roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick. Cut the dough into strips or squares—a pizza cutter makes this very easy.
4. Pull out chicken and veg: Once the chicken is done, remove it from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly. Remove the large pieces of celery and onion and discard them (they have done their job flavoring the broth).
5. Cook the dumplings: Drop the dough pieces one by one into the simmering broth so they don’t stick together. Don’t boil it like crazy; keep it at a gentle heat. Stir now and then to prevent sticking. They’ll take about 20–30 minutes to cook through. As they cook, the excess flour will thicken the broth into a gravy.
6. Shred chicken and finish: Shred or chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add it back into the pot with the dumplings. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Recipe Tips

• Flat vs. Drop Dumplings: This recipe creates “flat” dumplings (often called “slicks” in the South), which are more like thick, chewy noodles. This is different from “drop” dumplings, which are fluffy and biscuit-like.
• Thickening the Broth: You don’t need cornstarch for this recipe. The flour used to roll out the dumplings dissolves into the broth as they simmer, naturally creating a creamy, thick consistency. If you want it thicker, coat the raw dumplings in a little extra flour before dropping them in.
• Don’t Over-stir: While you need to stir occasionally to keep dumplings from sticking to the bottom, be gentle. Vigorous stirring can break the dumplings apart before they are fully set.
• Vegetable Options: The recipe calls for using large chunks of onion and celery as aromatics and then removing them. If you prefer vegetables in your final bowl, chop them finely at the start and leave them in the pot.
• Resting the Dough: If the dough keeps springing back while you try to roll it, let it rest on the counter for 5 minutes to relax the gluten.

What To Serve With Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

This is a hearty, starch-heavy meal that pairs well with green vegetables to cut the richness.

• Sautéed green beans with garlic
• A fresh garden salad with vinaigrette
• Roasted broccoli or Brussels sprouts
• Collard greens

How To Store Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

• Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 4 days. The dumplings will continue to absorb liquid, so the mixture will be much thicker the next day.
• Reheat: Reheat on the stovetop over low heat. You will likely need to add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen the sauce back up.
• Freeze: Freezing is possible but not ideal, as the dumplings can become slightly soggy upon thawing. If freezing, do so in airtight containers for up to 2 months.

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 410
• Total Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 2g
• Cholesterol: 65mg
• Sodium: 1100mg
• Total Carbohydrates: 58g
• Dietary Fiber: 2g
• Sugar: 1g
• Protein: 28g

Nutrition information is estimated per serving (based on 6 servings).

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