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The Best Ever Chicken & Dumplings

A comforting, creamy chicken stew topped with fluffy, tender homemade drop dumplings. The ultimate Southern comfort food ready in under an hour.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 6 bowls
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Southern
Calories: 580
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup Base
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion diced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 0.33 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 3 cups cooked chicken shredded
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme chopped
Dumplings
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 0.75 cup buttermilk or whole milk
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter melted
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped

Equipment

  • Dutch Oven or Large Pot
  • Whisk
  • Mixing bowls
  • Cookie scoop

Method
 

  1. Melt butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté 5-7 minutes.
  2. Add garlic and thyme, cooking for 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup flour and cook for 1 minute to make a roux.
  3. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a simmer and let thicken for 5 minutes.
  4. Stir in shredded chicken and heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. In a bowl, mix dumpling dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, parsley.
  6. Stir in melted butter and buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough into the simmering soup.
  8. Reduce heat to low, cover the pot tightly, and steam for 15-20 minutes without lifting the lid.
  9. Check dumplings with a toothpick; if clean, they are done. Serve hot.

Notes

Leftovers will thicken significantly; add broth when reheating.