The dumplings are the whole point here, and they should be soft and pillowy, not dense. Use cold butter, don’t overwork the dough, and drop them onto the surface of the simmering broth, never stir once they’re in. Cover the pot so they steam from the top while they cook from the bottom.
The stew underneath is bone-in chicken thighs braised with onion, celery, carrots, and garlic in chicken broth until the meat falls off the bone. Pull the chicken out, shred it, put it back. The broth should be rich enough to coat a spoon before you add the dumplings.
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Chicken and Dumplings
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
Description
Chicken and dumplings is the dish Southern grandmothers made when someone needed feeding — a thick, creamy chicken stew topped with pillowy biscuit dumplings that steam right on the surface. This is not refined cooking. It is warm, starchy, soul-deep comfort that turns a cold Tuesday into something bearable.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced into rounds
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Place the chicken thighs in a large Dutch oven and cover with the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer and cook 25 minutes until cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred the meat, and discard skin and bones. Reserve the broth.
- Wipe the pot and melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook 6 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables and stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the reserved broth and milk. Add thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes until thickened.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Make the dumplings: whisk 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk until just combined — do not overmix.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering stew, spacing them about an inch apart. Cover tightly and cook 15 minutes without lifting the lid — the steam is what cooks the tops of the dumplings.
- Remove the bay leaf, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Do not lift the lid while the dumplings steam. Every peek releases steam and adds cooking time.
- Bone-in thighs produce a much richer broth than breasts — the bones and skin add body and flavor to the liquid.
- If the stew is too thick after adding the dumplings, stir in a splash of warm broth to loosen it.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Cuisine: Southern
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 820
- Fat: 20
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 35
- Cholesterol: 110
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it important to use cold butter in the dumpling dough?
Using cold butter helps create a flaky texture in the dumplings, ensuring they remain soft and pillowy rather than dense. 
What should I do if my broth doesn’t seem rich enough before adding the dumplings?
Make sure your broth is thick enough to coat a spoon by simmering it longer with the chicken thighs, onions, celery, carrots, and garlic until the flavors meld and the broth develops a deeper color.
Why should I avoid stirring the dumplings once they are added to the broth?
Stirring can break apart the dumplings and interfere with their steaming process; instead, let them steam on top of the simmering broth for a light, fluffy texture.
Honestly the sauce came out thinner than I expected, more like a broth than a thick stew. Still tasted good but I had to simmer it down an extra 10 min before adding the dumplings to get the consistency I wanted.
Hi Angela, thanks for the comment. Yeah, you can definitely experiment with the consistency, and thickening it can depend on your pan, stove and temperature. Glad you liked it!
Used thighs like the recipe says and the meat just fell apart. Way better than the breast version I grew up with. Adding chives to the dumpling dough was a nice touch too.
Not lifting the lid for 15 minutes was so hard but the dumplings came out fluffy and light. My kids went back for seconds which never happens with soups.
Hi Tonya, yes, it really is a matter of patience. You have to trust the process :D