Description
A comforting and hearty classic chicken and dumplings recipe featuring tender chicken simmered in a creamy vegetable broth, topped with fluffy homemade dumplings. Perfect for cozy dinners, this dish combines savory flavors and satisfying textures for a warming meal.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk or half and half
- 1 (32 oz) quart chicken stock (+ 1 extra cup broth if using raw chicken)
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken or 1.5 lbs raw skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper (or to taste)
- Salt to taste
Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 3/4 cup (6 oz) whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt 6 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, matchstick carrots, and diced celery. Cook for about 5 minutes until the vegetables start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute, stirring to prevent burning.
- Create Roux and Add Liquids: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons flour into the pot and stir continuously to combine for 1 minute, ensuring no lumps form. Slowly pour in the evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring constantly to make a creamy roux-thickened broth.
- Cook Chicken: For raw chicken, add 1 extra cup of broth or water, then place raw chicken breasts or thighs into the simmering broth. Simmer gently for 20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken, shred it, and return it to the soup. Reduce heat to low and keep soup simmering while preparing dumplings.
- For Pre-cooked Chicken: Bring the soup to a boil, add shredded cooked chicken, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Lower heat and keep the soup simmering uncovered while you prepare dumplings.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder, pepper, salt, and thyme. Make a well in the center. Pour in the whole milk and melted butter. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until a dough ball forms; add extra milk if too dry. Avoid over mixing to keep dumplings light.
- Form and Add Dumplings: Using a medium cookie scoop or two spoons, drop dumpling dough evenly spaced into the simmering soup. Press them gently so broth covers tops partially, ensuring even cooking.
- Simmer Dumplings: Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to maintain a low simmer (gentle bubbles). Cook dumplings for 15 minutes undisturbed.
- Check and Stir: Halfway through cooking, briefly lift the lid to gently press dumplings back under broth if needed and separate any stuck dumplings. After 15 minutes, cut one dumpling in half to ensure it is cooked through. If not done, cook 3–4 minutes longer.
- Serve: Once dumplings are tender and cooked through, serve the chicken and dumplings hot for a satisfying comfort meal.
Notes
- Using pre-cooked chicken reduces cooking time; raw chicken requires added broth and a longer simmer.
- Do not overmix dumpling dough to keep them fluffy and light instead of dense.
- You can substitute half and half for evaporated milk for a richer broth.
- Add extra milk to dumpling dough if it appears too dry for better texture.
- Ensure dumplings are evenly sized for uniform cooking by using a scoop or spoons.
- If the soup is too thick after cooking, add a splash of broth to reach desired consistency.