Classic homestyle Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food! This easy recipe uses simple ingredients to create a delicious savory chicken stew with fluffy dumplings in only one hour.
Looking for a tasty, comforting, and easy weeknight dinner recipe? You’ll be so happy you found this classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe!
My recipe features tender, fluffy dumplings in a rich and silky chicken stew with peas and carrots. Aromatic vegetables and herbs give this recipe a slow cooked flavor, but the whole thing is ready in just an hour, so you can have it for dinner on any busy evening.
Chicken Soup with Drop Dumplings
- Fluffy Biscuit style Dumplings – There are two main ways to make dumplings for chicken and dumplings. One way is to make flat noodle dumplings. Here I’m teaching you how to make round, steamed dumplings that are tender and infused with the savory soup liquid.
- Delicious Chicken Soup – The soup base for this recipe is a rich and savory chicken soup that is gently thickened so that its texture is closer to a stew with an amazing gravy, similar to chicken pot pie.
- Easy Recipe – We’re making chicken and dumplings completely from scratch, and you’ll see how simple it is to throw together! If you’re short on time, you can make it even quicker by using a cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.
Ingredients In Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Here’s what you need to make this delicious dish, plus some details about the most important ingredients:
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
For the Stew
- Chicken Thighs: Chicken thighs cook up tender and juicy, with more flavor than white meat chicken, so they are my choice for this recipe. Chicken breasts or tenderloins can also be used if you prefer.
- Carrot, Celery, Garlic, and Onion: These aromatic vegetables give the chicken stew a warm, savory flavor and aroma.
- Herbs: Dried Italian seasoning and Bay leaves work wonderfully to give the stew just the right amount of earthy flavor.
- Heavy Cream and Chicken Stock: To create a creamy and flavorful gravy.
- Frozen Peas: Not everyone loves peas. You can skip them if you’re not a fan!
- Flour: To thicken the gravy.
For the Dumplings
- All Purpose Flour
- Unsalted Butter: One half stick, melted.
- Baking Powder: to add some airiness to the dough.
- Seasonings: Salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder, and a little bit of sugar.
- Milk and Sour Cream: To make the dumplings tender and rich.
How To Make Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
- Cook the Chicken: Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper and cook them in a large dutch oven over medium-high heat until they are cooked through. Remove the chicken from the pan, let it cool, then dice it into small pieces.
- Saute the Vegetables: In the same dutch oven, melt butter and cook the onion, carrot, and celery (aka mirepoix) until softened. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.
- Start the Gravy: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and cook for about 2 minutes. Then add chicken stock, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.
- Simmer: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and cook until thickened. Add the diced chicken and frozen peas to the gravy in the Dutch oven. Stir, cover, and reduce the heat to low while you prepare the dumplings.
- Mix the Dumpling Batter: In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, sugar, pepper and garlic powder. Pour in the milk, sour cream, and melted butter and stir just until a dough forms.
- Scoop: Use a small cookie scoop to create dumplings that are about 2 tablespoons and carefully drop them one by one into the stew.
- Steam: Cover the pot with a lid and cook the dumplings for 12-15 minutes, or until no longer doughy.
- Serve: Sprinkle your chicken and dumplings with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Tip!
Don’t overmix the dumpling batter! You want the dumplings to be light and fluffy, and overmixing will cause them to be dense and gummy.
Recipe Tips
- Cook the Dumplings on Low Heat. Since we’ll be adding the dumplings, covering the pot, and leaving them for 12 minutes, you will want to be sure that the temperature is low enough that the soup won’t scorch in the process.
- Use a Dutch Oven. While you can technically cook this in any soup pot, It’s helpful to cook this in a dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot so that the heat is evenly distributed.
- No Peeking! The dumplings won’t steam properly if you remove the lid while they’re cooking, so walk away for a few minutes. Set the table, pour yourself a drink, and let the heat of the pan do the work.
Storing Tips
- Storage: Leftover chicken and dumplings can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw from frozen by placing the stew in the fridge overnight. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. If needed, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen up the stew.
What To Serve With Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is an all-inclusive meal, meaning it includes veggies, carbs, and protein so side dishes are totally optional.
You might enjoy a fresh, healthy salad or some roasted broccoli and carrots on the side.
For dessert, try another old-fashioned dish like homemade Peach Pie or Blackberry Cobbler.
Recipe FAQs
Can I make chicken and dumplings in a slow cooker?
Yes! Crock pot chicken and dumplings is easy! Prepare the recipe through step 3 (saute the vegetables and add the flour), then transfer the mixture to your slow cooker and add the liquid and seasonings, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours. When it’s almost time to serve, stir in the chicken and peas, then add the dumplings and steam for 12-15 minutes, or until done.
Can I freeze chicken and dumplings?
Yes! this meal freezes quite well. Be sure to freeze it in a freezer safe bag or container. It will keep for up to 3 months, and is easily reheated.
Rich and savory old-fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is just an hour away, and your family is going to love it! Be sure to Pin this recipe so that you can make it over and over again.
Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!
Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds (680 g) chicken breasts or thighs – boneless and skinless, or 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
- 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
- 1 medium (100 g) yellow onion finely diced
- 1 medium (100 g) carrot peeled and diced
- 1 rib (100 g) celery diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 4 cups (1 liter) chicken stock
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup (150 g) frozen peas
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley for garnish
For the dumplings
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk
- ½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Season chicken with salt and pepper on both sides. In a large Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken for 3-4 minutes per side until fully cooked. Remove, let cool, then dice into small pieces.
- In the same Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic; cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken stock, heavy cream, Italian seasoning, and bay leaves.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes or until thickened into a gravy.
- Add the diced chicken and frozen peas to the Dutch oven. Stir well and cover, reducing heat to low as you prepare the dumplings.
- Make Dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour in milk, sour cream, and melted butter, stirring just until blended. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
- With the stew at a very gentle simmer, use a small (2 teaspoon size) cookie scoop to drop dumpling dough into the stew. Cover with a lid and cook for 12-15 minutes. Do not uncover during cooking to ensure proper steaming.
- Remove from heat, uncover and sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes:
- Cook the Dumplings on Low Heat. Since we’ll be adding the dumplings, covering the pot, and leaving them for 12 minutes, you will want to be sure that the temperature is low enough that the soup won’t scorch in the process.
- Use a Dutch Oven. While you can technically cook this in any soup pot, It’s helpful to cook this in a Dutch oven or another heavy-bottomed pot so that the heat is evenly distributed.
- No Peeking! The dumplings won’t steam properly if you remove the lid while they’re cooking, so walk away for a few minutes. Set the table, pour yourself a drink, and let the heat of the pan do the work.
- Storage: Leftover chicken and dumplings can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: You can also freeze this recipe for up to 3 months.
- To Reheat: Thaw from frozen by placing the stew in the fridge overnight. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave. If needed, add a splash of water or chicken broth to loosen up the stew.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
Janet Gallmeyer says
I will not attempt to make this recipe again. It took way too long to make it and too many steps. I am waiting for the dumplings to get done right now and I am literally exhausted. Not sure yet how it tastes but I’m hoping it tastes good enough to have for dinner. The first thing I did wrong was I forgot to put the flour in with the carrots and celery. But that turned out okay. it was just a constant bouncing back and forth between ingredients and what I had to do back and forth back and forth I would not make this recipe again I just hope it’ll be good. Sorry I can’t give it a real good Mark because of the time it took to make and it was rather confusing.
Diana says
Thanks for your honest feedback, Janet! Chicken and dumplings can be a bit time consuming, but I hope the final result was worth the effort. I’ll take another look at the instructions to see if anything can be made clearer or more streamlined. Appreciate you giving it a try!