Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe (2024)

This post first appeared on Yellow Bliss Road where I am a contributor.

There’s nothing quite as comforting as a homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe. Ready in under an hour, this easy dinner will leave everyone satisfied!

Growing up, I loved spending time in the kitchen with my grandma. My fondest memories are watching her make chicken and noodles, dreaming over her banana pudding, and having fried chicken Sunday supper at her house. Any meal she made always tasted amazing.

I lost her when I was in high school and one of my biggest regrets is not getting to learn from her in the kitchen more. But I did remember the dished she’d make and I’ve been on a quest to recreate them ever since. That’s how we get to the easy chicken and dumplings recipe. It’s an homage to my grandma. It takes me back to my childhood and feels like a warm hug. So here’s a hug from me to you.

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When it comes to dinners my entire family loves, Chicken and Dumplings is right up at the top of the list.

It’s easy to make, so comforting, and my kids are all about the dumplings. Those fluffy little bites of happiness are the perfect complement to the creamy soup.

Once you see this recipe you’re going to think “that’s a lot of ingredients,” but I promise it’s not.

Really.

Homemade Chicken and Dumpling Ingredients

There are 3 basic parts to this recipe – the chicken, the soup, and the dumplings.

Chicken

• All-purpose flour
• Salt & pepper
• Boneless skinless chicken breasts

Soup

• Vegetable oil
• Yellow onion
• Celery
• Carrots
• Garlic
• All-purpose flour
• Chicken broth
• Heavy cream

Dumplings

• All-purpose flour
• baking powder
• Salt & pepper
• Unsalted butter
• Milk

Want to save 10 minutes of prep and cook time? Grab a rotisserie chicken and shred or chop it while the veggies cook!

Save 5 minutes by prepping your veggies the previous night, or over the weekend while doing meal prep for the week.

That’s 15 whole minutes you can get back! You’ll be amazed at how simple it is to put together this one-pot meal.

When I make Southern chicken and dumplings I flour and season the chicken before browning it in the pot I’ll cook the soup in. This adds flavor to the soup because of the fond.

What is fond?

Fond (say: fahn) is the sauce made from those awesomely yummy brown bits left on the pan after you cook meat. They’re the secret to any great pan sauce!

The actual brown bits are called sucs, and then once you add the chicken broth the pan deglazes and makes a sauce it’s called fond.But here in the US, fond is used as a name for the brown bits too. We’re weird like that. And that’s your culinary education for the day.

The point is – fond will add so much flavor to the soup! It’s worth the time to cook your chicken right before you make the soup.

BUT… You can totally use the short cut chicken method above and have a delicious meal too. No judgment.

I’m all about making dinner as easy as possible.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

There are two main parts to making chicken and dumplings from scratch. First the soup and second the dumplings. They’re both really easy to make. You just need to make sure your soup thickens nicely and your dumplings are completely cooked.

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

1. Start off by placing some flour, salt, and pepper in a gallon-sized ziploc. Seal the bag and shake it to mix everything together. Seasoned chicken is happy chicken.
2. Then add the diced chicken to the flour mixture. Seal it again and shake to coat the chicken in flour. (You’ll discard any excess flour that didn’t stick.)
3. Now you’re ready to start cooking! Place a large pot over medium heat and add in some vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot add the breaded chicken to the pot.
4. Remove chicken from the bag and cook until it’s browned on the outside and no longer pink in the middle. This should take 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Next, transfer the chicken to a bowl. Add a little more oil to the same pot along with the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic. Let the veggies cook for about 5 minutes so they soften up. Be sure to stir the pot often so the garlic doesn’t burn.
6. After the veggies are cooked, add some flour to the pot and stir it into the veggies. This will be the thickening agent for your soup. Let the flour cook for 1 to 2 minutes before adding the chicken and chicken broth to the pot.
7. Once everything is in the pot, turn up the heat to medium-high and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat to low and cover the pot to let everything simmer.
8. Cook the soup for 12 to 15 minutes, being sure to stir it occasionally, before adding the dumplings.

How do you thicken chicken and dumplings?

I use flour to thicken the soup. It sticks to the veggies and then gets incorporated into the chicken broth and cream as the soup cooks.

If your soup is thinner than you’d like, you can thicken it up with cornstarch.

Just mix 1 tablespoon of water and 1 tablespoon of cornstarch together to form a slurry. Pour this into the pot and let it simmer. The soup should thicken up more in about 5 minutes.

There’s some debate as to the type of dumplings to make for chicken and dumplings.

Some people like the fluffy ones and some people prefer flat “noodle” style dumplings.

I’ve had both and they’re both tasty. But give me a big fluffy dumpling coated in thick soup and with chicken and I am just the happiest girl!

I’ve also seen people take canned biscuits, cut them into pieces and use that for dumplings. That’s fine and all, but this homemade dough only takes a couple of minutes to mix up. There’s a world of difference in that flavor and texture too.

How to Make Dumplings

You can wait to start your dumplings until you have the soup simmering. I usually start the dough about 10 minutes in.

1. Start by mixing together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Then pour in the melted butter and milk and mix it all up until a thick sticky dough forms.
2. Use a large spoon or a cookie scoop to portion dumpling dough (about 2-3 heaping tablespoons). Then drop the dough right into the soup. They will float on top and puff up as they cook.
3. After all of the dough is in the pot, cover your soup and simmer for 15 minutes. Be sure to simmer your soup, the dumplings could fall apart at a rolling boil.

How long do you boil dumplings?

The dumplings in this recipe take 15 to 20 minutes to cook properly. They’ll be set on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings is great for a weeknight meal that’ll warm your soul. I’ve also been known to make this for Sunday supper. I like to channel my grandma sometimes.

My favorite thing about this recipe is that it reheats well. Bring some to work the next day or have a cook once and eat twice meal for two! Store leftover chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.

What goes good with chicken and dumplings?

Since this recipe is kind of an all-in-one dish, you don’t really need a side dish to go with it. However, you can add a salad or some more vegetables alongside to round out your meal. A simple green salad with Italian dressing and Bourbon-Bacon Slaw are great for adding balance to your meal.

These meals are easy to make and leave smiles on faces every time!

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• Easy Seasoned Chicken Tacos
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