🥘🍗 Chicken and Dumplings
Tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fluffy homemade dumplings simmered together in a rich, creamy herb-infused broth.
This classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food. The creamy chicken soup is packed with carrots, celery, onion, peas, and tender chicken, while soft, pillowy dumplings cook right on top, soaking up all those delicious savory flavors.
It’s warm, filling, and perfect for a cozy family dinner.
⏱️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6–8
Difficulty: Easy
Method: Stovetop
🛒 Ingredients
🍗 For the Chicken Soup
- 8 cups (1.9L) low-sodium chicken stock
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter
- 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup (60g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream
- ½ tablespoon salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 4 cups (about 600g) cooked chicken breast, shredded or chopped
- 1 cup (150g) frozen peas
- ¼ cup (15g) fresh parsley, chopped
🥟 For the Dumplings
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup (180ml) whole milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped, optional
👩🍳 Instructions
🍗 Make the Chicken Soup
1. Prepare the Vegetables
Prepare the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic.
Slice the carrots, dice the onion and celery, and mince the garlic.
Set everything aside before beginning so the cooking process moves smoothly.
2. Sauté the Vegetables
Place a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.
Add the ½ cup butter.
Once melted, add the onion, carrots, and celery.
Cook for approximately 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30–60 seconds, just until fragrant.
3. Make the Roux
Sprinkle the ½ cup flour over the vegetables.
Stir continuously for approximately 1–2 minutes.
The flour should coat the vegetables and absorb the melted butter.
This creates the base that will thicken the soup.
4. Add the Chicken Stock
Gradually pour in the chicken stock while whisking constantly.
Adding it slowly helps prevent lumps from forming.
Continue stirring until the flour and butter are completely incorporated.
5. Add the Cream and Seasonings
Stir in the heavy cream.
Add:
- Salt
- Black pepper
- Dried sage
- Dried thyme
Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth becomes slightly creamy and thickened.
6. Add the Chicken and Peas
Stir in the cooked chicken and frozen peas.
Allow the soup to return to a gentle simmer.
Cook for approximately 5 minutes while you prepare the dumpling dough.
🥟 Make the Dumplings
7. Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Black pepper
If using parsley in the dumplings, stir it in now.
8. Add the Wet Ingredients
Pour in the melted butter and milk.
Using a wooden spoon or spatula, gently stir until a soft dough forms.
Do not overmix.
The dough should be moist and slightly sticky but still thick enough to scoop.
🥘 Cook the Dumplings
9. Add the Dumplings
Make sure the soup is at a gentle simmer, not a rapid boil.
Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, drop rounded spoonfuls of dumpling dough directly onto the surface of the simmering soup.
Leave a little space between each dumpling because they will expand as they cook.
10. Cover and Simmer
Immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.
Reduce the heat to low.
Let the dumplings steam and cook for approximately 15–18 minutes.
Do not lift the lid during the first 15 minutes.
The trapped steam is essential for fluffy dumplings.
11. Check for Doneness
After 15 minutes, remove the lid and check a dumpling.
Insert a toothpick or small knife into the center.
It should come out mostly clean, with no wet dough in the middle.
The dumplings should be fluffy, tender, and cooked through.
If necessary, cover and cook for another 2–3 minutes.
12. Finish With Parsley
Turn off the heat.
Sprinkle the fresh chopped parsley over the chicken and dumplings.
Gently spoon some of the creamy broth over the dumplings.
Allow the dish to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
🍽️ Serving
Ladle the creamy chicken and vegetables into bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of chicken and vegetables.
Top with several fluffy dumplings.
Garnish with additional fresh parsley and a little freshly cracked black pepper.
Serve immediately while hot.
⭐ Chef’s Tips
Don’t overmix the dumpling dough: Overworking the dough can make dumplings dense and chewy.
Keep the soup at a gentle simmer: A hard boil can break apart the dumplings.
Keep the lid closed: The dumplings need trapped steam to become light and fluffy.
Use cooked chicken: Rotisserie chicken or leftover roasted chicken works beautifully.
Shred the chicken fairly large: Larger pieces give the soup a more satisfying texture.
Season gradually: Since chicken stock can vary in saltiness, taste before adding the full amount of salt.
Don’t overcrowd the dumplings: Leave room for them to expand.
Let the dish rest: Five minutes after cooking allows the broth to settle and the dumplings to finish absorbing flavor.
🍗 Easy Variations
🌿 Herbed Dumplings
Add 1 teaspoon dried parsley, ½ teaspoon dried rosemary, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme to the dumpling dough.
🧄 Garlic Herb Dumplings
Add 1 minced garlic clove and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley to the dumpling mixture.
🥔 Chicken & Potato Dumplings
Add 1–2 cups peeled, diced potatoes with the carrots and celery.
🌽 Chicken, Corn & Dumplings
Replace some of the peas with sweet corn for a slightly sweeter variation.
🥓 Bacon Chicken & Dumplings
Cook 4–6 slices of bacon until crisp, crumble them, and stir some into the finished soup.
🧀 Cheddar Dumplings
Add ½ cup finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese to the dumpling dough.
🌶️ Southern-Style
Add a pinch of cayenne pepper and extra black pepper for a little warmth.
🍞 What to Serve With Chicken and Dumplings
Because this is already a hearty one-pot meal, simple sides work best:
- Green salad
- Steamed green beans
- Roasted vegetables
- Cornbread
- Dinner rolls
- Garlic bread
- Simple cucumber salad
🧊 Storage
Allow leftovers to cool slightly before refrigerating.
Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3–4 days.
The dumplings will absorb some of the broth as they sit, so the soup may become thicker.
🔥 Reheating
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add a splash of chicken stock or milk if the soup has thickened too much.
Stir carefully around the dumplings so they don’t break apart.
Heat until completely warmed through.
❄️ Freezing
The chicken soup itself freezes well, but the dumplings can become softer after freezing and thawing.
For the best texture, freeze the chicken soup without the dumplings whenever possible.
Freeze in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, reheat gently, and prepare a fresh batch of dumplings before serving.
🥘🍗 Final Result
This Chicken and Dumplings recipe delivers everything you want from classic comfort food: rich creamy chicken broth, tender vegetables, juicy shredded chicken, and soft, fluffy homemade dumplings.
It’s hearty enough for a complete meal and cozy enough to become a family favorite.
Creamy, comforting, hearty, and packed with homemade goodness in every spoonful. 🥘🍗🥟✨