Chicken and Dumplings
Creamy Southern chicken and dumplings with fluffy drop biscuits simmered in rich chicken gravy—cold-weather comfort in one pot. Simmer chicken until 165°F and cook dumplings until no raw dough remains in the center.
🛒Ingredients
- 2 pounds bone-in chicken thighs or a mix of thighs and breasts
- 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (for slurry, optional)
- Kosher salt and black pepper
- Dumplings: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons cold butter, 3/4 cup milk
- Chopped parsley for serving
🔧Kitchen Tools Needed
- Dutch oven
- Mixing bowl
- Slotted spoon
📝Instructions
- 1
In a Dutch oven, combine chicken, broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer covered 30–40 minutes until chicken reaches 165°F and is tender.
- 2
Remove chicken; discard skin/bones and shred meat. Skim excess fat. Stir in cream and butter. If you want thicker gravy, whisk flour with 1/4 cup cold broth and simmer 3–5 minutes.
- 3
For dumplings: whisk flour, baking powder, and salt; cut in butter; stir in milk to a shaggy dough. Drop spoonfuls onto simmering stew.
- 4
Cover and simmer gently 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid until dumplings are cooked through (no raw dough in the center). Return shredded chicken; heat through to 165°F.
- 5
Discard bay leaves; garnish with parsley. Refrigerate within 2 hours up to 3 days; reheat to 165°F.
🥗Nutrition Information
⚡Calories per serving: 480
🏷️Recipe Tags
❓Frequently Asked Questions
Flat dumplings?
Roll biscuit dough thin, cut strips, and simmer 10–12 minutes instead of drop dumplings.
Rotisserie shortcut?
Use shredded rotisserie chicken and simmer veggies in broth 15 minutes before adding dumplings.
Dumplings dense?
Do not overmix dough; keep a gentle simmer and leave the lid on.
Food safety?
Chicken and leftovers to 165°F; cook dumplings fully; chill within 2 hours.
