Description
If you’re craving comfort food, this Homemade Chicken & Dumplings recipe delivers all the cozy, heartwarming flavors of a classic Southern kitchen. Made from scratch with juicy shredded chicken, rich homemade broth, and soft, chewy dumplings, this dish is a one-pot wonder that’s perfect for a quick dinner, weekend comfort meal, or when you just need something soothing. It’s the ultimate comfort dish in your collection of easy recipes, dinner ideas, and cold-weather favorites. Whether you’re cooking for your family or meal-prepping for the week, this is one of those food ideas you’ll come back to again and again.
Ingredients
1 whole chicken (or 2–3 lbs bone-in chicken pieces)
3 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 bay leaves
10 cups water (or enough to cover the chicken)
6 cups chicken broth
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt (for dumplings)
1/3 cup cold butter or shortening
3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
1. Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper into a large pot. Cover with water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 45–60 minutes.
2. Remove chicken, strain broth if needed, and let the chicken cool. Shred into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk until a dough forms.
4. On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into strips or squares.
5. Bring broth to a gentle boil. Drop dumplings in one at a time. Simmer uncovered for 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add shredded chicken back to the pot. Simmer for another 5–10 minutes.
7. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed. Garnish with parsley and serve hot.
Notes
Always simmer the dumplings gently — boiling too hard will make them fall apart.
For extra richness, add a splash of cream at the end.
Make the dumplings ahead of time and refrigerate until ready to use for quicker prep.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 680mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 105mg
Keywords: chicken and dumplings, easy recipe, comfort food, homemade soup, cozy dinner