Easy Chicken and Dumplings - A Wholesome, Traditional Dinner Recipe (2024)

Southern-style Chicken and Dumplings are made with soft rolled dumplings, a rich, creamy broth, with tender pieces of white meat chicken. A comforting dinner the family will love.

A Hearty, Wholesome, Home-Cooked Dinner!

Around here, anything that’s in the same ballpark as chicken noodle soup is a pretty safe bet. Case in point? Creamy chicken and dumplings. This recipe has a very similar basic recipe to chicken soup, but it’s extra hearty and extra creamy.

With flavorful rolled dumplings, onions, carrots, and celery, this healthy, home-y meal is one you’ll make again and again, especially when temperatures drop. It’s comforting, filling, and oh-so-tasty.

What You’ll Need

To make homemade chicken and dumplings, you will need chicken, cream, buttermilk, and some basic pantry ingredients like herbs. Let’s take a closer look:

For the Soup

• Olive Oil: Just a bit, for sautéing the vegetables. You could also use butter, bacon grease, or a different cooking oil like avocado oil.
• Vegetables: The classic trio of onions, carrots, and celery give the broth plenty of flavor.
• Garlic: If you don’t like garlic in chicken and dumplings, you can leave out, but it does add a savory depth.
• Salt and Pepper
• Chicken and Broth: I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts and Reheat chicken broth. Feel free to use bone broth, low-sodium broth, etc.
• Herbs: Bay leaves and thyme are my go-to.
• Cream: Heavy whipping cream, or cooking cream (also known as culinary cream).
• Flour: All-purpose flour thickens the soup. You could also use cornstarch or arrowroot powder.

For the Dumplings

• Flour: All-purpose flour is fine for making the dumplings, as well as for thickening the soup.
• Baking Powder: To make the dumplings light.
• Salt
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing a scant tablespoon of vinegar with enough whole milk to make ¾ cup.

Is Biscuit Dough the Same as Dumplings?

Some chicken and dumplings recipes call for biscuit dough to be used as dumpling dough. While this will not give you the flat, rolled dumplings we’re making in this recipe, it is a quick and easy way to put a different spin on chicken and dumplings. If you do this, use a sharp knife (or kitchen scissors) to cut the biscuit dough into bite-sized pieces before dropping them into the soup to boil.

Let’s Make Chicken and Dumplings!

So how do you make this down-home comfort food classic? You’re about to find out! These easy steps with photos will give you all the info.

• Cook the Veggies. First, heat a swirl of oil in your soup pot or Dutch oven, and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Let those cook until tender, about 5 – 7 minutes. Add the garlic, sprinkle in some salt and pepper, and cook for one more minute.
• Add the Chicken and Broth. Lay the chicken breasts over the veggies and pour the broth over everything. Add your bay leaves and thyme, bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat and let the mixture simmer until the chicken is cooked through.

• Make the Dumplings. While the chicken cooks, make the dumpling dough by whisking the flour, baking powder, and salt together, and gradually stirring in the buttermilk. It should form a soft dough. Roll this dough out thinly on a floured surface (about ¼ inch thick is perfect) and use a pizza cutter, bench cutter, or sharp knife to cut into strips about 1 inch wide and 2 inches long.

• Shred the Chicken. Next, use tongs to take the chicken breasts out of the hot stock, and place them on a cutting board or in a large mixing bowl. Shred the meat with two forks, and then place it back in the pot.
• Add the Flour and Cream. Pour the heavy cream into a small bowl or a large measuring cup, and whisk in the flour to make a smooth mixture. Add this to the soup, and bring the soup to a boil.

• Cook the Dumplings: Drop the rolled and cut dumplings into the boiling soup. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
• Enjoy! Take the pot off of the stove, and serve the chicken and dumplings hot.

Is Chicken and Dumplings Supposed to Be Thick or Soupy?

Both! Chicken and dumplings should be like a thick, thick soup – almost a gravy – with plenty of hearty dumplings in it. As you can see from the photos, it’s definitely on the thick side, while still being “soupy” enough to eat with a spoon.

Helpful Tips

Want to know more? Check out these helpful tips for making the best chicken and dumplings, along with some tasty variations:

• Chicken Options: You can also use chicken thighs, or a mixture of white and dark meat, for this recipe.
• Chicken & Noodles: Feel free to replace the dumplings with straight or curly egg noodles to make a luscious chicken and noodle main dish.
• Flat Dumplings vs. Drop Dumplings: If you grew up eating fluffy, biscuit-like dumplings, these rolled dumplings might seem a little strange to you! Essentially, they are like large, pillowy pieces of pasta that really soak up the flavors in the soup. If you’d rather use drop dumplings, those will also work.
• Plain Chicken and Dumplings: Some chicken and dumplings are made with more of a chicken soup base instead of a creamy base. You can replace the cream and flour with chicken broth and cornstarch to make this style of chicken and dumplings.

Easy Side Dishes

What should you serve with chicken and dumplings? Basically, any veggie side will work here – try one or more of these yummy options:

• Brussels Sprouts: Baked in the oven, these healthy Roasted Brussels Sprouts are crisp-tender, flavorful, and oh-so-easy to make.
• Asparagus: Another green veggie fave, Garlic Butter Roasted Asparagus gets a light sprinkling of Parmesan for even more addictively delicious flavor.
• Salad: Brighten up your table with a colorful salad, like this Avocado Tomato Salad, full of healthy fats and vibrant, fresh flavor.

How to Store and Reheat the Leftovers

• This dish will keep for up to 5 days in the fridge, tightly covered. Be sure to reheat it until piping hot.
• I recommend reheating on the stove over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You can also reheat it in the microwave.

Will Chicken and Dumplings Freeze Well?

• Definitely! Just cool the soup and dumplings down, and then transfer them to freezer containers or freezer bags.
• Mark them with the date, and store them in your freezer for up to three months.
• For food safety, thaw in the fridge before reheating.

More Homestyle Chicken Dinners

• Ranch Chicken and Rice
• Chicken Alfredo Pasta Bake
• Chicken Schnitzel Recipe