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Easy Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Easy Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

Tender chicken and vegetables simmer in a savory broth beneath soft, homemade drop dumplings. This traditional one-pot dinner serves six and is ready in about 1 hour and 10 minutes.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken and Broth
  • 1 1/2 pounds Boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 8 cups Chicken broth or stock
  • 1 medium Medium yellow onion, diced
  • 2 medium Medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 stalks Celery stalks, sliced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1 leaf Bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Dried thyme
Optional Creamy Finish
  • 1 cup Whole milk or heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons All-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons Water
Drop Dumplings
  • 2 cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon Baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon Salt
  • 4 tablespoons Cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup Whole milk

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Place the chicken, broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaf, kosher salt, black pepper, and thyme in a large Dutch oven or soup pot.
  2. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered or partially covered for 25 to 30 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
  3. Remove the chicken and bay leaf from the pot. Shred the chicken with two forks, discard the bay leaf, and return the meat to the gently simmering broth.
  4. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Cut in the cold butter until coarse crumbs form, then stir in the milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough comes together.
  5. Drop the dumpling dough by rounded tablespoonfuls into the simmering broth, keeping each dumpling similar in size. Cover the pot tightly and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
  6. Cut one dumpling in half to check that the center is fluffy and cooked through. Stir in the milk or cream, if using, and simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 minutes.
  7. For a thicker broth, whisk the flour with the water, add the mixture to the pot, and simmer until thickened. Taste and adjust the salt and pepper before serving hot.

Notes

Keep the dumpling dough slightly shaggy and avoid overmixing. Do not lift the lid during the first 15 minutes of dumpling cooking, and maintain a gentle simmer instead of a hard boil.