What are chicken and dumplings made of?

Chicken and dumplings consists of tender chicken pieces in a rich, creamy broth with vegetables, topped with soft dumplings made from flour, baking powder, butter, and milk or sour cream. The broth typically contains onions, carrots, celery, and seasonings, while the dumplings are essentially a simple dough that cooks directly in the hot broth, absorbing the savory flavors while maintaining a light, fluffy texture.

How do you make homemade chicken and dumplings from scratch?

Start by searing bone-in chicken for flavor, then sauté vegetables with herbs and seasonings. Create a roux with butter and flour, add broth and half and half, then return the chicken to the pot. For the dumplings, gently mix flour, baking powder, salt, and other dry ingredients with cold dairy (sour cream and milk) and butter until just combined. Drop spoonfuls onto the simmering broth, cover tightly, and steam for about 15 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through.

What kind of dumplings are best for chicken and dumplings?

The best dumplings for chicken and dumplings depend on regional preference. Southern-style drop dumplings (like in this recipe) are light, fluffy, and biscuit-like, cooking on top of the broth. Slippery dumplings or rolled dumplings are flat, dense, and noodle-like, popular in the Pennsylvania Dutch and Midwestern traditions. Drop dumplings are easier for beginners and create a more traditional texture, while rolled dumplings create a heartier, more pasta-like eating experience.

How do you thicken chicken and dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings is typically thickened through a roux (a cooked mixture of fat and flour) created at the beginning of the cooking process. For additional thickening, you can make a slurry by mixing 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch with equal parts cold water, then stirring it into the simmering broth. Another method is to remove some dumplings, mash them, and stir them back into the broth. The starch from the dumplings will naturally thicken the broth as they cook.

Can you make chicken and dumplings with rotisserie chicken?

Yes, using rotisserie chicken is a great time-saving shortcut for making chicken and dumplings. Simply remove the meat from the bones, shred or dice it, and add it to the broth after you've created the vegetable and broth base. Since rotisserie chicken is already cooked, add it toward the end of the cooking process, just before adding the dumplings, to prevent the meat from becoming tough or dry.

How long do you cook chicken and dumplings?

The entire cooking process for chicken and dumplings takes about 45-60 minutes. After preparing the broth base (about 15-20 minutes), the dumplings need approximately 15-18 minutes of covered simmering to cook through properly. You'll know they're done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The chicken itself needs to reach 165°F for food safety, which happens naturally during the broth creation process if using raw chicken.

Chicken and Dumplings: Best Homemade Southern Comfort Recipe

Chicken and Dumplings

Print Recipe

Classic Southern chicken and dumplings with tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy dumplings in a rich, creamy broth.

Author: Chef Rina
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 40
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 1x
Category: Main Dish
Cuisine: Southern

Ingredients

Scale

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 lbs. bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs, see notes
Salt/Pepper, to taste
5 tablespoons butter
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 cup carrots, diced
2 sticks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 Teaspoon hot sauce , I use Franks hot sauce
1/3 cup flour
4 ½ cups chicken broth
1 chicken bouillon cube, optional
1 ½ cups half and half
¾ cup frozen peas

Seasonings

1 teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon EACH: dried basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, mustard powder
¼ teaspoon ground sage
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dumplings

2 cups cake flour, or all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sugar
¾ cup cold sour cream
¼ cup cold milk
4 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat and sear chicken for 3 minutes per side. Rest for 10 minutes then cut into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
Combine all seasonings and set aside. Melt butter in the same pot and add diced onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, then add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and seasonings. Cook 1 more minute.
Add flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Gradually add chicken broth in small amounts, stirring continuously. Add half and half the same way. Add bouillon if using.
Add frozen peas and bring to a gentle boil. Simmer while making dumplings.
For dumplings, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Add sour cream, milk, and melted butter. Fold gently until just combined.
Return chicken to the pot. Reduce heat to low. Drop dumpling dough in spoonfuls over the soup surface. Spoon a little liquid over each dumpling.
Cover tightly and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Test doneness with a toothpick – it should come out clean.
Garnish with parsley and serve hot.

Notes

Searing the chicken is optional but adds significant flavor. You can substitute rotisserie chicken for a quicker version. Don’t overmix the dumpling dough or they’ll become dense. Nutrition facts are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used, portion sizes, and preparation methods.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 6
Calories: 465 kcal
Sugar: 5g
Sodium: 845mg
Fat: 24g
Saturated Fat: 13g
Carbohydrates: 36g
Fiber: 2g
Protein: 28g
Cholesterol: 128mg

Keywords: chicken and dumplings, southern comfort food, homemade dumplings, chicken soup, comfort food recipe

Find it online: https://www.joyliciousrecipes.com/easy-homemade-chicken-and-dumplings/