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This Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe combines juicy chicken, tender veggies, and pillowy dumplings in a rich, savory broth. Combined and cooked in one pot in under an hour, it's a classic, hearty comfort food you'll love!
Is there anything more nostalgic than old-fashioned chicken and dumplings? Like Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs and Sunday Pot Roast, it's a meal that instantly brings comfort and truly never gets old.
This old-fashioned chicken and dumplings features all the rich, creamy, savory tastes and textures of classic recipes you know and love. Plus, it comes together in one pot in under an hour and is virtually failproof. It will be an instant family favorite you'll want to make again and again!
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Ingredients to Make Simple Chicken and Dumplings
- Dumpling Dough - The homemade dumplings are made with a simple combination of all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, pepper, half and half, and melted butter. They're soft, pillowy, and quick to prepare. Don't forget the cornstarch - it's the secret to perfectly fluffy dumplings!!
- Chicken - Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are perfect for this dish because they stay juicy and tender. Chicken breasts can be substituted, just be careful not to overcook.
- Stock - Either chicken broth or stock can be used for this recipe. Homemade chicken stock would add so much flavor to this recipe, and it has more flavor than broth. If you use store-bought, I recommend low-sodium varieties.
- Cream - Heavy Cream is key to creating a rich flavor and creamy consistency without the need for cream of chicken soup. You can substitute it with whole milk, half-and-half, or evaporated milk.
Recipe Remix
To make this dish gluten-free, substitute the all-purpose flour for a 1-to-1 all-purpose gluten-free flour. For a dairy-free option, substitute the cream and half and half with soy or oat milk and the butter for a dairy-free butter substitute.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
Prepare the Dumpling Dough - Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Then, add the half and half and melted butter, and mix until no dry spots remain. Set this aside for later.
Cook the Chicken - Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium heat on the stovetop. Season the chicken thighs with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning, and add them to the pot. Cook on both sides until golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Then, remove and set it aside on a plate.
Combine - Melt the butter in the pot, and add the onions, celery, carrots, and dried herbs. Sauté to soften the veggies. Next, deglaze the pot with chicken broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. In the meantime, chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces and add them to the broth along with any juices on the plate.
Boil the Dumplings - Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumplings in 1-2 tablespoon-sized portions into the boiling liquid. Let the dumplings simmer in the liquid until they are light and fluffy inside. (Take a dumpling out of the broth and cut it in half to check for doneness.)
Serve - Remove the pot from the heat, and stir in the cream. Season to taste if needed, and enjoy immediately!
Kitchen Time Saver
Cut down on prep time by using leftover cooked chicken thighs, roast chicken, or shredded rotisserie chicken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yep! If you don't want to make the homemade biscuit dough, use premade biscuits instead and cut the dough into smaller pieces. Cooking time for the dough may be different.
If your dumplings are still doughy inside, it's likely because the broth was not hot enough, or they need more time to simmer in the liquid. When you break them apart, they should be light and fluffy, not dense and doughy.
The homemade dumplings will continue absorbing liquid after cooking and eventually become dense and doughy. If you want to make this ahead of time, I would do everything EXCEPT the dumplings. Make the chicken, veggies, and broth mixture ahead, then reheat to a boil and drop in the dough fresh.
Glossary
If you don't recognize a tool or skill I mentioned, you can look it up in my Glossary of Cooking Terms and Definitions for more information!
More Comforting Chicken Recipes
If you love this recipe for chicken and dumplings, check out these delicious options, too!
Recipe
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Video
Equipment
- Dutch Oven or large heavy-bottomed pot
Ingredients
Dumplings
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup half and half
- 4 Tablespoons melted butter
Soup Mixture
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 ½ pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided use
- ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided use
- 2 Tablespoon unsalted butter
- ½ cup diced onion
- ¼ cup diced celery
- ¼ cup diced carrots
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups chicken stock, or broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
Homemade Biscuit Dough
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and pepper to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine and aerate.
- Add the half and half and melted butter and stir until no dry spots are left. Set aside.
Soup Mixture
- Heat a dutch oven or large pot with the olive oil over medium heat on the stovetop.
- While the pot is heating, season the chicken thighs with the poultry seasoning, and half of the salt and pepper.
- Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked to 165˚F. Remove the chicken from the pot and let it rest on a plate.
- Melt the butter in the pot and add the onions, celery, carrots, dried herbs, and the remaining salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes until the vegetables soften.
- Deglaze the pot with the chicken stock, scraping the bottom to remove any stock on bits, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Chop the chicken thighs into bite-sized chunks and add them to the broth with any juices on the plate.
- Use a cookie scoop or serving spoon to drop 1-2 Tablespoons of the dumpling dough into the boiling liquid. Simmer for 5-7 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through. They should be light and fluffy, not dense and doughy.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the heavy cream. Serve immediately.
Joe
This is the best chicken and dumplings ever!!! Seriously the best I’ve ever had hands down. The dumplings were perfectly fluffy and soft, the soup had tons of flavor. This is my go to recipe for chicken and dumplings.
Amanda Scarlati
Thank you - I'm so glad you enjoyed it!