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Old-Fashioned Southern Chicken and Dumplings with Fluffy Drop Dumplings

A close-up of a comforting bowl of chicken and dumpling soup with shredded chicken, carrots, and herbs.
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Make this classic, hearty Southern Chicken and Dumplings recipe from scratch. You get tender shredded chicken in a rich, creamy broth topped with light, fluffy drop dumplings for the ultimate comfort food dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie works well)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (for dumplings)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (for dumplings)
  • 1/2 cup cold milk
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

  1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until the vegetables soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  2. Stir in the dried thyme and sage. Cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
  3. Sprinkle the 1/4 cup of flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste. This creates your roux base.
  4. Slowly whisk in the 6 cups of chicken broth until the mixture is smooth. Bring the liquid to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it thickens slightly.
  5. Stir in the shredded chicken, heavy cream, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Do not boil once the cream is added.
  6. Prepare the drop dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
  7. Cut in the cold butter pieces using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  8. Pour in the cold milk and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix; the dough will be slightly sticky.
  9. Drop the dumpling dough by rounded tablespoons directly onto the simmering chicken mixture, spacing them out. Do not crowd them.
  10. Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to low, and let the dumplings steam for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. This step is important for fluffy dumplings.
  11. Remove the lid. The dumplings should be puffed and cooked through. Check one to confirm it is done in the center.
  12. Serve your homemade chicken and dumplings immediately in bowls.

Notes

  • For a quicker meal, substitute 3 cups of the broth with high-quality canned cream of chicken soup.
  • If you prefer flatter, old-fashioned style dumplings, roll the dough out thinly and cut it into strips before dropping them into the stew.
  • You can make this a Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings by cooking the chicken and broth base in the slow cooker for 6 hours on low, then adding the raw dumplings on top during the last 30 minutes of cooking.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://hearthbite.com/chicken-and-dumpling-old-fashioned-southern-recipe/