This is absolutely the best recipe for Chicken and Dumplings, with all the expert tips and tricks you need to make it perfect. The dumplings are made from scratch and are tender and fluffy. The chicken stew is super flavorful, thick and creamy. It is perfect classic comfort food!
You can also make this recipe in your electric pressure cooker by following the recipe over at Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings!
Dumplings
A dumpling is a broad term for dough cooked in liquid. You can find dumplings in all sorts of cuisines from Asian to Southern.
In this recipe we are making more of the Southern style dumpling made of flour, milk and butter. It is dropped into a flavorful chicken stew and simmered/steamed.
This recipe makes dumplings that are more bread like. There is another type of dumpling that is more of a noodle, like in this recipe for Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings.
Ingredients
Here are the things you need to make The Best Chicken and Dumplings Recipe, plus some tips on a few ingredients.
Chicken Stew Ingredients
Chicken Breasts and/or Thighs – This is a great time to use a rotisserie chicken. However if you would rather cook your own chicken, here are some great methods:
- poached chicken
- instant pot all purpose chicken
- Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken
- baked chicken – cut chicken into tender sized pieces and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes (thighs may take up to 18 minutes to cook through) . Make sure they have reached 165 degrees internal temp.
Chicken Base – Do not skip this ingredient. It is worth the trip to the store! You will find chicken base in the soup aisle, near the bouillon.
It comes in a paste form in a jar or tub. It has the most amazing chicken flavor!!! It is like the secret ingredient to Amazing Chicken and Dumplings. I use “Better Than Bouillon” brand.
Scratch Dumpling Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you need to make fluffy dumplings. You probably have most of these ingredients in your kitchen!
Step By Step Picture Instructions
Start with a large heavy bottom pot that has a lid, a Dutch oven works great!
Turn the stove top heat to medium and add the olive oil. Once it is hot add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes, stirring often.
Stir in the onion powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and chicken base, so it coats the veggies.
Pour in the chicken broth, water and add the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.
Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the carrots and celery are just fork tender.
Make the dumpling dough by sifting together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt.
Stir in the melted butter and milk JUST UNTIL the dough comes together. Set aside.
PRO TIP: Do not overmix your dumpling dough or you will have tough dumplings!
Back to the chicken stew on the stove- remove the bay leaf and discard.
Now stir in the cooked chicken.
Adding the Dumplings
Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the pot to a gentle boil. Gently drop tablespoons full of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth.
PRO TIP: Resist the urge to stir the dumplings!!!! They will have a better texture if you let them simmer/steam.
Once all the dumplings are in the pot, lower the heat to medium-low and pop the lid on. Let the dumplings lightly simmer for 15 minutes without disturbing!
Meanwhile in a small bowl mash together the flour and butter (making a Beurre Manié) until it is combined. Set aside.
Remove the lid and pour in the heavy cream and frozen peas.
Lightly stir in the flour/butter (Beurre Manié) thickener. Let it simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Do not overmix your dumpling dough.
- Use a quick release melon baller to make easy work of scooping and releasing the dumplings.
- Do not roll your dumpling dough into a perfect circle. You want the edges to be a little craggy. It makes for amazing texture!
- Resist the urge to stir your dumplings while they are cooking.
- Don’t skip the chicken base. The flavor won’t be the same without it.
Related Recipes
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The Best Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
- Heavy bottomed pot with a lid, like a Dutch oven
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 2 cups carrots peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
- 1 ½ cup celery cut into ½ inch pieces
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 teaspoon chicken base I use Better Than Bouillon Brand
- 32 oz chicken broth or stock
- 1 ½ cup water
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 cups cooked chicken boneless skinless chicken breast and/or thighs, or rotisserie chicken works nice for this recipe.
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup frozen peas
Thickener – Beurre Manié
- 1 tablespoon butter softened
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
Dumplings
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup milk
- 4 tablespoon butter melted
Instructions
- Start with a large heavy bottom pot that has a lid (like an enameled cast iron pot or Dutch oven) over medium heat.
- Add the olive oil. Once it is hot add the onions, carrots, celery and garlic. Sauté for about 7-8 minutes, stirring often, so the onions are nice and soft.
- Stir in the onion powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and chicken base, so it coats the veggies.
- Pour in the chicken broth, water and add the bay leaf. Give everything a good stir.
- Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, until the carrots and celery are just fork tender.Go ahead and make the dumpling dough at this point and set aside until the stew is done simmering. See instructions below.
- Remove the bay leaf and discard. Stir in the cooked chicken.
- Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the pot to a gentle boil. Drop tablespoons full of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth. PRO TIP: Resist the urge to stir the dumplings!!!! They will have a better texture if you let them simmer/steam.
- Once all the dumplings are in the pot, lower the heat to medium-low and pop the lid on. Let the dumplings lightly simmer for 15 minutes without disturbing!
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl mash together the flour and butter (Beurre Manié) until it is combined. Set aside.
- Remove the lid and pour in the heavy cream and frozen peas. Lightly stir in the flour/butter thickener. Let it simmer over low heat for another 5 minutes. The heat will thaw the peas and thicken the stew.
- Remove from the heat and let it cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
Dumpling Dough Instructions
- In a medium bowl sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Stir in the melted butter and milk JUST UNTIL the dough comes together. PRO TIP: Do not overmix your dumpling dough or you will have tough dumplings!
- This will make about 25-30 dumplings.
Notes:
- Do not overmix your dumpling dough.
- Use a quick release melon baller to make easy work of scooping and releasing the dumplings.
- Do not roll your dumpling dough into a perfect circle. You want the edges to be a little craggy. It makes for amazing texture!
- Resist the urge to stir your dumplings while they are cooking.
- Don’t skip the chicken base. The flavor won’t be the same without it.
If nutrition facts are provided they are calculated as an estimate to the best of our knowledge.
Wendy
Tried this tonight for dinner. It was excellent. Not difficult at all.