Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings: The Comfort Food You Won’t Be Able to Stop Eating
There are some dishes that just reach into your soul and wrap around it like a warm blanket on a cold day. Chicken and dumplings is one of those meals. Tender shredded chicken swimming in a rich, golden, savory broth, surrounded by pillowy soft dumplings that soak up every last drop of flavor — it’s the kind of food that makes you close your eyes after the first bite and just smile.
This is the type of recipe that gets passed down without a written card, shared over a fence by a neighbor who’s been making it for decades. Once you taste it, you’ll understand completely why it’s nearly impossible to stop eating. Consider yourself warned — make sure you have people around to share it with, or you might just finish the whole pot yourself.
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces (thighs and breasts work beautifully)
- 8 cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, plus more for garnish
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for thickening the broth)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk
For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
Method
- Place the chicken pieces in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the chicken broth, diced onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and very tender.
- Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set them aside on a plate to cool slightly. Strain the broth if you prefer a smoother base, or leave the vegetables in for more texture and heartiness. Either way, return the broth to the pot over medium heat.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about 1 to 2 minutes to form a roux. Slowly ladle in a cup or two of the warm broth while whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Pour this mixture back into the main pot and stir well. Add the heavy cream and stir to combine. The broth should start to thicken into a luscious, golden gravy.
- Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the bones and skin. Shred the meat into generous chunks and stir it back into the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
- To make the dumplings, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, combine the milk, melted butter, and beaten egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix — a few lumps are perfectly fine. Overmixing will make the dumplings tough.
- Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling batter directly onto the surface of the simmering liquid, spacing them slightly apart as they will puff and expand. You should get about 12 to 15 dumplings depending on size.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. This is important — the steam is what cooks the tops of the dumplings and makes them soft and fluffy. After 15 minutes, check that the dumplings are cooked through. They should look set and slightly glossy, not wet or doughy in the center.
- Garnish with a generous sprinkle of dried or fresh parsley. Ladle into deep bowls, making sure everyone gets plenty of chicken, dumplings, and that incredible golden broth.
Tips for the Best Chicken and Dumplings
The secret to truly exceptional chicken and dumplings is patience. Don’t rush the simmer on the chicken — the longer it cooks low and slow, the more flavor develops in the broth, and the more tender and juicy the meat becomes. Bone-in chicken is strongly recommended over boneless because the bones add incredible richness and depth to the broth that you simply cannot replicate any other way.
When it comes to the dumplings, resist every urge to peek under the lid while they steam. The trapped steam is essential to their rise and texture. Lifting the lid releases that steam and can result in flat, dense dumplings. Trust the process, and you’ll be rewarded with dumplings that are perfectly pillowy and soft.
If you want an even richer broth, substitute some of the store-bought broth with homemade stock. You can also add a bay leaf or two while the chicken simmers for an extra layer of savory depth. Remove it before adding the
