Description
Make classic, hearty Southern Chicken and Dumplings with fluffy drop dumplings using this straightforward stovetop recipe.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 1 cup milk (whole or 2%)
- For the Dumplings: 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Place chicken, broth, carrots, celery, onion, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.
- Remove chicken from the pot and set aside to cool slightly. Discard the bay leaf.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold water to create a slurry. Whisk this slurry into the simmering broth mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the broth thickens slightly.
- Stir in the 1 cup of milk. Keep the mixture at a gentle simmer.
- Shred the cooled chicken using two forks and return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Pour in the 3/4 cup milk and stir just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Drop the dumpling dough by rounded tablespoons directly onto the simmering chicken mixture, leaving a little space between each drop.
- Cover the pot tightly and cook the dumplings without lifting the lid for 15 minutes. The dumplings will steam and become fluffy.
- Serve the chicken and dumplings hot in bowls.
Notes
- For a richer flavor, use a mix of chicken breasts and thighs.
- If you prefer a thicker stew consistency, use less broth initially and add more hot broth as needed after the dumplings are cooked.
- You can substitute canned biscuit dough cut into small pieces for a quicker dumpling option, but the texture will differ from scratch drop dumplings.
- Prep Time: 20 min
- Cook Time: 45 min
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 550
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 850
- Fat: 22
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 12
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 45
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 48
- Cholesterol: 140