Chicken and Dumplings (Southern, From Scratch)

What Makes This Recipe Work

Poaching the chicken in the pot creates a full-bodied broth without a separate stock, and finishing with a little cream gives it a silky body. A soft but sturdy dumpling dough holds up in the simmer, and keeping the pot at a gentle bubble prevents the dumplings from breaking apart.

Ingredients for Chicken and Dumplings (Southern, From Scratch)

• 3 lb (1.36 kg) bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and breasts
• 6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken broth, plus more as needed
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 celery ribs, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 6 tbsp (85 g) cold butter, cut into pieces
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) whole milk
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings (Southern, From Scratch)

1. Put the chicken, broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, and thyme in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and tender, about 30 minutes.
2. Transfer the chicken to a plate to cool, then remove the bay leaves. Skim the fat from the broth and shred the chicken, discarding the skin and bones. Return the chicken to the pot.
3. For dropped dumplings, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt, then cut in the cold butter until crumbly and stir in the milk to make a soft dough. For rolled dumplings, roll the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick and cut into 1-inch strips.
4. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer. Drop spoonfuls of dough for soft dumplings, or lay the rolled strips on top in a single layer.
5. Cover and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes without stirring, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
6. Stir in the heavy cream and parsley and warm through for 2 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt before serving.

Tips for the Best Chicken and Dumplings (Southern, From Scratch)

• Keep the broth at a low simmer; a rolling boil breaks the dumplings apart.
• Pat the dough gently and handle it as little as possible for tender dumplings.
• Skim the fat from the broth for a cleaner, less greasy gravy.
• If the gravy is thin, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes before adding the dumplings.

Variations and Substitutions

• For a hands-off version, make slow cooker chicken and dumplings with the same flavors.
• Take a shortcut with Chicken and Dumplings With Biscuits using canned biscuits or Bisquick.
• Add a cup of frozen peas in the last 5 minutes for color.
• For a heartier, tomato-based one-pot meal, try American Goulash with elbow macaroni.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days; the dumplings soften, so reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth.
• Freezing is not recommended because the dumplings turn mushy; freeze the broth and chicken base separately if you want to make it ahead.

Chicken and Dumplings (Southern, From Scratch) FAQ