Chicken and Dumplings (Easy Homemade Recipe)

There is nothing cozier than a bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings — tender shredded chicken and vegetables in a rich, creamy broth, crowned with pillowy, tender dough. This Southern classic is the ultimate comfort food, and it is easier to make than you think. Whether you drop fluffy spoonfuls or roll old-fashioned flat strips, this one-pot dinner comes together in under an hour and warms the whole family. Below you will find the ingredients, the step-by-step method, the secret to perfect dumplings, and answers to common questions.

What Are Chicken and Dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings is a beloved Southern comfort dish: a thick, creamy chicken stew or soup with soft dumplings cooked right on top. They can be fluffy drop-style like little biscuits, or flat rolled strips, depending on the region and tradition. Either way, you get tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and a cozy broth in one comforting pot — the definition of soul-warming home cooking.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultimate comfort food. Creamy, cozy, and deeply satisfying.
• One pot. Everything cooks together — easy cleanup.
• Ready in under an hour. Faster than it looks.
• Budget-friendly. Simple pantry staples feed a crowd.
• Flexible. Drop or flat dumplings, from scratch or shortcut.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact amounts are in the recipe card below. Here is what each part does:

• Chicken — shredded cooked chicken (rotisserie works great).
• Onion, carrots, celery — the classic aromatic base.
• Chicken broth and cream — the rich, cozy liquid.
• Flour, baking powder, milk, butter — for tender, fluffy pillows of dough.
• Garlic and herbs — for warmth and freshness.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

1. Saute the onion, carrots, and celery in butter, then add garlic.
2. Pour in the broth, bring to a simmer, and stir in the safely cooked chicken and cream.
3. Mix the dumpling dough: flour, baking powder, milk, and melted butter.
4. Drop spoonfuls onto the simmering broth, cover, and simmer 15 minutes — no peeking.
5. Season, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.

Drop vs Flat Dumplings

There are two camps. Drop-style are spoonfuls of soft, biscuit-like dough that puff up light and fluffy — quick and forgiving. Flat ones (old-fashioned style) are rolled thin and cut into strips that cook up more like tender noodles, giving a silkier, thicker stew. Both are delicious; this recipe uses drop dumplings, but you can roll and cut the same dough for the flat version.

Tips for the Best Dumplings

The golden rule: do not overmix and do not peek. Stir the dough just until it comes together — overmixing makes them tough. Once you drop them on the broth, cover the pot and let them steam undisturbed; lifting the lid lets out the steam that makes them light. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer, not a hard boil, so the dumplings cook through without falling apart.

What to Serve With It

This dish is a complete meal, but it pairs beautifully with a crisp green salad, steamed green beans, roasted vegetables, or a slice of crusty bread to mop up the broth. For more cozy chicken dinners, try our chicken gnocchi soup or crockpot chicken and gravy.

Storage and Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The broth thickens as it sits, so reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or milk to loosen it. Freezing is best done without the dumplings, since they soften on thawing — add fresh dumplings when you reheat.

Calories and Nutrition

Each serving runs about 480 calories with roughly 26g of protein, making this a hearty, filling dinner. To lighten it, use milk instead of cream and load up on extra vegetables. Full values are in the recipe card.

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Dumplings

Classic homemade chicken and dumplings – tender shredded chicken and vegetables in a creamy broth, topped with fluffy drop dumplings. The ultimate comfort food.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Calories: 480

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 stalks celery, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour for the dumplings
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 0.75 cup milk for the dumplings
• 3 tbsp butter, melted for the dumplings

Method

 

1. Melt the butter in a large pot and cook the onion, carrots, and celery until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Stir in the shredded chicken and the cream.
3. Make the dumplings: whisk the flour and baking powder, then stir in the milk and melted butter just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
4. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the simmering broth. Cover and simmer gently 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
5. Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.

Notes

For flat old-fashioned dumplings, roll the dough thin and cut into strips instead of dropping spoonfuls. Shortcut: use refrigerated biscuit dough or Bisquick for the dumplings. Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Leftovers keep 3 days; the broth thickens, so add a splash of broth when reheating.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Cozy Chicken Dinners

• Chicken Gnocchi Soup
• Crockpot Chicken and Gravy
• Greek Lemon Chicken Soup