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Creamy Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

creamy old-fashioned chicken and dumplings - featured image
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A comforting and easy homemade chicken and dumplings recipe featuring tender chicken, creamy broth, and fluffy dumplings cooked right in the pot for a nostalgic, soul-soothing meal.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced (rotisserie chicken works great)
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk (room temperature)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the chicken and veggies: If using raw chicken breasts or thighs, poach them gently in 4 cups of chicken broth until cooked through (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken, let it cool slightly, then shred with two forks. If using rotisserie chicken, skip straight to shredding. Meanwhile, chop the onion, carrots, celery, and mince the garlic.
  2. Sauté aromatics: In your Dutch oven, melt the 3 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Toss in the minced garlic and fresh thyme; cook for another minute.
  3. Add broth and simmer: Pour in the chicken broth and add the bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, then let it cook uncovered for about 10 minutes to blend flavors and slightly reduce the liquid.
  4. Mix the dumpling dough: While the stew simmers, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined — don’t overmix. The dough should be thick but spoonable.
  5. Add chicken and cream: Remove the bay leaf from the pot. Stir in the shredded chicken and whole milk or cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep the stew at a gentle simmer — not a boil.
  6. Drop dumplings and cook: Using a spoon, drop generous dollops of dumpling dough onto the simmering stew surface. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and let the dumplings steam for 15-20 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time — the steam creates the fluffy dumpling texture. The stew will thicken as it cooks.
  7. Check doneness and serve: After 15-20 minutes, carefully remove the lid. The dumplings should be puffed and cooked through — a toothpick inserted should come out clean. Sprinkle with fresh parsley if desired, ladle into bowls, and enjoy.

Notes

If broth reduces too much before dumplings finish cooking, add a splash of extra broth or water to keep stew moist. Do not lift lid while dumplings cook to ensure fluffy texture. For gluten-free dumplings, use a gluten-free baking mix with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, substitute milk and butter with plant-based alternatives.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken and dumplings, creamy chicken stew, comfort food, homemade dumplings, easy chicken recipe, old-fashioned chicken and dumplings

Find it online: https://ariaappetite.com/creamy-old-fashioned-chicken-and-dumplings-recipe-easy-homemade-comfort-food/