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If you are looking for the Best Comfort Food, make Chicken and Dumplings. Hearty chicken stew is topped with fluffy dumplings for a delicious meal idea.
Chicken and Dumplings make the best meal idea. Chicken soup is loaded with chopped veggies in a savory broth. It is then topped with dropped dumplings to make the ultimate comfort food.
If you have made our Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings, Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings or Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe then you are going to love this stovetop recipe.
Table of Contents
Why We Love Chicken and Dumplings
We love how simple this classic chicken and dumplings recipe is. The flavor is amazing and the chicken cooks so tender. You can easily add the chopped vegetables you prefer and change the spices.
We have even made this recipe with leftover shredded chicken or rotisserie chicken for a delicious variation. Everyone loves this comfort food dish and is my go-to recipe on a cold day.
Ingredients
- Butter – We used unsalted butter
- Yellow Onion – Check out these Best Onion Substitute
- Carrots – Peel and diced fresh carrots
- Celery – Dice celery into bite size pieces
- Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
- Worcestershire Sauce – See The Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes if you are out
- All Purpose Flour – This helps to thicken the soup
- Chicken Broth – See Chicken broth substitutes if you are out
- Boneless Skinless Chicken – You can use chicken breast or chicken thighs
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
Step 1 – Melt the 5 tbsp of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Step 2 – Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
Step 3 – Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Step 4 – Gradually add in the chicken broth and water, stirring to combine.
Step 5 – Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the skinless chicken breasts, Worcestershire sauce, tsp kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme leaves.
Step 6 – Simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred and return it back to the pan.
Step 7 – Stir in the half and half and frozen peas and allow them to cook while you prepare the dumplings.
Step 8 – Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme together in a medium bowl.
Step 9 – Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and melted butter. Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
Step 10 – Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumpling batter into the soup. Do not overlap the dumplings.
Step 11 – Once the dumplings are added to the pan, gently push them down into the soup so that a small amount of liquid covers them.
Step 12 – Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook the dumplings for 15 minutes with the lid on the pan. Do not remove the lid during this cook time.
- Step 13 – After this time, check the doneness of the dumplings by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling to ensure that the toothpick comes out clean. If the dumplings are not done, continue to cook, covered for a few more minutes until cooked through.
- Step 14 – Once the dumplings are cooked through, serve warm topped with parsley and enjoy!
Expert Tips
- Chopping Veggies – This recipe calls for chopped stalk celery, carrots and onions. To ensure that they are about the same size, we like to use a vegetable chopper.
- Scooping Dumplings – We like to use a cooking scoop to make the dumplings to place in the soup.
- Cooking Chicken and Dumplings – After you have placed the dumplings in the soup, make sure to keep the pot covered. This allows them to steam so the dumplings are fully cooked.
Can You Overcook Dumplings?
Yes, it is possible to overcook the dumplings and they will start to fall apart in the soup. For the best results, follow the recipes cooking time.
What Kind of Dumplings Are There?
When making chicken dumplings there are 3 different ways that the dumplings can be prepared.
- Drop Dumplings – This is the traditional way of making dumplings and what we used for this recipe.
- Rolled Dumplings – This is the process of rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes. The shapes are then cooked in broth.
- Biscuit Dumplings – Use a biscuit recipe or refrigerated biscuit dough to make the dumplings.
What to Serve with Chicken and Dumplings?
Chicken and Dumplings is a complete meal but we often serve with additional side dish recipes. Here are some easy ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure to keep the lid on the pot closed cooking. This helps to ensure the dumplings cook completely in the chicken soup.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can place chicken and dumplings in the freezer for an easy storage option. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to serve. The consistency of the chicken soup maybe a little bit thinner after thawing.
Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
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We love to hear from you. If you make Chicken and Dumplings Recipe, then let us know how they turn out by leaving us a comment.
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup All Purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Water
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Fresh Parsley for serving, optional
For the Dumplings:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- 4 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add in the chicken broth and water, stirring to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the chicken, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper and dried thyme leaves.
- Simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred and return it back to the pan.
- Stir in the half and half and frozen peas and allow them to cook while you prepare the dumplings.
For the Dumplings:
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme together in a mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and melted butter.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumpling dough into the soup. Do not overlap the dumplings.
- Once the dumplings are added to the pan, gently push them down into the soup so that a small amount of liquid covers them.
- Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook the dumplings for 15 minutes with the lid on the pan. Do not remove the lid during this cook time.
- After this time, check the doneness of the dumplings by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling to ensure that the toothpick comes out clean. If the dumplings are not done, continue to cook, covered for a few more minutes until cooked through.
- Once the dumplings are cooked through, serve warm topped with parsley and enjoy!
This is essentially the same recipe my mom used 70 years ago, and was passed down from my grandmother. The only difference was, she used Italian seasoning in place of thyme.We kids fought over seconds of the dumplings. Making dumplings is so much tastier than using canned biscuits, and doesn’t take much time. It’s worth the small effort.