The Best Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
Chicken and Dumplings holds such a special spot in my heart. Every time I stand over the pot, watching those little dumplings bobbing at the surface, I feel as if I’m sitting in my moms kitchen once again. I would eat the soup quickly, leaving the dumplings for last to savour nice and slowly. While my mom’s recipe was a little less traditional, a thinner more clear soup paired with semolina flour dumplings, the one I’ll be showing you today is far more traditional, closer to a stew than a soup. If you’re craving something savory, simple, and good for the soul consider curling up with a bowl your plans for the rest of the night.
Celery, carrot and onion – Otherwise known in cooking as mirepoix (there’s a fun little French word for you). Mirepoix is a base in so many recipes that allows for a good foundation for further depth of flavor. Stir regularly to ensure that there’s no browning or caramelizing going on, we want to soften and sweeten the mirepoix rather than cook or saute it. Chicken broth – I always opt for low sodium chicken broth, this way I can control how salty my food is. Thyme – Even if you’re not the biggest thyme fan, there are just some recipes that absolutely need it, and this is in one of them. I used dried for this dish. Shredded chicken – The more chicken the better, we want a rich stew like consistency at the end with roasted chicken in each bite. You’ll want to ensure the chicken is cooked before adding it. Frozen peas – Don’t worry mom, I’m including veggies. Flour – I’m using all purpose as a thickening agent for our soup. Salt and Pepper – Just to taste, keep in mind sodium levels when using store bought versus homemade broth.
Flour – You’ll need all-purpose flour. Gluten flour can be substituted but may give your dumplings a more gritty texture that has a bit more difficulty binding. Baking powder – A leavening agent that will allow our dumplings to puff up in the soup. Chives – Added to the dumplings for flavor. Egg – Just one large, whole egg will do. We will need both the white and the yolk to bind our batter. Buttermilk – Buttermilk is more acidic than regular milk and as a result will react more readily with our baking powder. This makes the dumplings light and fluffy. Salt – All good batters need a little salt.
This comforting classic is pretty simple to make in just 45 minutes. Once you saute the vegetables and thicken the broth, the dumplings come together quickly. It’s a fantastic weeknight meal on a cold winter day. To start the stew, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or pot. Next, add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery and cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Then add the thyme and 4 cups of chicken broth to the pot. Next, remove one ladle of the broth from the pot. Then whisk it together with the flour in a small bowl until it’s smooth. Now, pour the mixture back into the pot with the veggies and broth while whisking constantly to ensure there are no lumps. This is how the dish becomes more of a creamy chicken stew versus a soup. Finally, stir in the frozen peas and shredded chicken. Then season the stew with salt and pepper to your taste and simmer everything together for 5 minutes. While the broth is simmering, you can make the dumpling batter! Add all the dumpling ingredients to a large bowl and then whisk them together. Yet, it’s very important not to overmix the batter or the dumplings will turn out dense. So once everything is combined you need to stop mixing. If you find the mixture is too dry, add a bit more buttermilk. Now that the dumpling batter has been made and the stew has simmered for about 5 minutes, you can start making dumplings! To do this, drop spoonfuls of the batter into the thick broth. While doing this step, keep in mind that the dumplings double in size as they cook. Keep in mind the dumplings will more than double as they cook. Once all the dumplings have been dropped, cover the pot and simmer everything for about 15 to 20 minutes or until the dumplings are fully cooked. Yet, while the dumplings are cooking it’s crucial that you don’t peek. They need the steam that’s created by covering the pot to become nice and fluffy. If you lift the lid you will let out all of that steam. But after 15 minutes of cooking, you can then lift the lid and use a toothpick to test if the dumplings are cooked through. The toothpick should come out clean and batter free.
Change It Up
This dish is simple comfort food at it’s core, so we want to keep the recipe list short. There are simple swaps you can make if you don’t have ingredients on hand.
Parsley can be substituted for the chives in the dumplings and will still easily achieve that sharp fresh taste. If you’ve got leftover ham on hand instead of chicken that will easily make a savory, scrumptious soup too. If you want a sweet little burst of flavour, corn is a great addition either instead or alongside your peas.
Can I Make Chicken And Dumplings In A Pressure Or Slow Cooker?
Pressure cooker
If you’d like to take your new pressure cooker for a spin, I’ve got a delicious recipe for instant pot chicken and dumplings. Check it out and enjoy!
Slow cooker
You’ll want to combine the soup ingredients in your slow cooker, save the shredded chicken, and allow to cook on low for 1 hour. Add the chicken and your dumplings, leaving space between the dumplings to prevent them from sticking. Cover and cook for an additional 20 minutes.
Leftovers
Chicken and dumplings can be stored up to 3-4 days in the fridge in an airtight container. Keep in mind that the more times this recipe is reheated, the more the dumplings may fall apart. Freezing is possible but again the dumplings may fall apart when thawed, so be gentle. Ensure the soup is completely cooled before storing in a shallow container.
More Delicious Chicken Recipes To Try
Bang Bang Chicken Chipotle Popcorn Chicken Coconut Chicken Cheesy Chicken Enchilada Soup Lasagna Soup Chicken and Corn Chowder Firecracker Chicken Meatballs
title: “Chicken And Dumplings” ShowToc: true date: “2024-11-05” author: “Barbara Rodriguez”
Be sure to try my Chicken Stew recipe next! It’s hearty and so delicious!
Trust me when I say, this is the most flavorful recipe for Chicken and Dumplings! This recipe is made from scratch and uses techniques to ensure the juiciest chicken, most flavorful homemade soup, and airy, fluffy dumplings that steam to perfection.
What are Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings start with a savory chicken soup with vegetables in a creamy broth. The soup is topped with uncooked dumplings that are then steamed on top. It’s a popular comfort food in the Southern US, and can vary in terms of how thick the soup is and what kind of dumplings are used.
What Kinds of Dumplings Are There
There are typically 3 different types that are used for Chicken and Dumplings:
Drop- (What we use in this recipe.) These are dumplings where we simply scoop the dough up right from the bowl and drop them into the soup for steaming. Rolled- The dough for these are rolled out, cut into shapes, and cooked in the broth. Biscuit- Biscuit dough is cut into smaller pieces and added to the soup to cook. They can be homemade biscuits or refrigerated.
How to Make It
See recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and sear it in olive oil for 3 minutes per side. Set aside and let rest for 10 minutes, then dice and set aside. Melt butter in the same pot and use a silicone spatula to clean the “fond” from the bottom of the pot. This will give lots of great flavor to the broth.
Add onions, carrots, and celery and stir to combine. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and seasonings. Cook for 1 more minute. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth in small splashes, stirring continuously.
Add the half and half in small splashes, stirring continuously. Add the frozen peas. Simmer while you make the dumplings. Once the dumpling dough is ready, add the chicken back to the pot and stir to combine.
Add the dumpling dough to the soup. Cover tightly and bring to a gentle simmer for 15 minutes, do not lift the lid. Insert a toothpick to ensure the middle of the dumplings are set, then garnish with parsley and serve.
Can You Overcook Dumplings
Yes, dumplings that are overcooked will begin to fall apart and disintegrate into the soup, so try to stick to the cooking time. I always use a timer.
My Secret for the Best Homemade Broth
Sear fresh chicken in the skillet first, for just 3 minutes per side:
This adds “fond” (brown chicken remnants) to the pot which is deglazed with butter and used to transfer the best homemade flavor into the roux. (See process shots, the “brown” color in the pot= flavor.) The chicken is left to rest for 10 minutes before being diced and transferred back to the soup later to finish cooking through. The chicken isn’t tough/overcooked: It’s never brought to a full boil (this is what makes chicken tough). The diced/uncooked chicken is added to the soup just before the dumplings are added and are gently simmered for 15 minutes to allow them to finish cooking.
Storage
Soup
Store in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Leftovers are a little bit thinner in consistency but the flavor is still great.
Dumplings
Dumplings are always best if made fresh, but leftovers can be removed from the soup and stored in an airtight container. Reheat on a baking sheet at 350° for 5-7 minutes.
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Tried This Recipe?
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4.5 quart Dutch oven– This is a great size for this recipe. Spice Rack– This is the one I have, it’s a snap to measure out your seasonings quickly and easily. (Big time saver.) Measuring Spoons– I have these magnetic ones which stay nice and organized in my utensil drawer. Pinch Bowls– For measuring out seasonings ahead of time. Small Cookie Scoop– For scooping out the dumpling dough to make a uniform size and shape. Better Than Bouillon– This is what I always use for broth and bouillon in my recipes.
