Warm & Cozy Chicken and Dumplings: Comfort in Every Spoonful

Chicken and dumplings is a comforting dish that warms hearts and fills bellies in many American homes.

This beloved Southern meal pairs tender chicken with soft, pillowy dough that melts in your mouth with each bite.

Families have treasured this recipe for years, sharing it from one kitchen to another along with their special tips and tricks.

Simple ingredients come together to create a rich, creamy dish filled with rustic charm.

Generations have sat around dinner tables, eagerly awaiting the steaming pot of chicken nestled in a velvety broth beside fluffy dumplings.

This timeless recipe brings comfort, nostalgia, and love to every meal as it continues to unite families through its delicious warmth.

Useful Tips For Chicken And Dumplings

• Choose High-Quality Chicken: Select bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for maximum flavor and tenderness, ensuring a rich, depth of taste in your chicken and dumplings.
• Control Dumpling Texture: Mix dumpling dough gently and avoid over-mixing to prevent tough, dense dumplings – light and fluffy is the goal for perfect results.
• Master Searing Technique: Brown chicken thoroughly during searing to develop a deep, caramelized exterior that adds incredible complexity and richness to the dish.
• Customize Herb Profile: Experiment with fresh or dried herbs like rosemary or parsley to personalize the flavor and create your signature chicken and dumplings variation.
• Adjust Consistency Strategically: Use flour slurry to thicken or additional broth to thin the dish, giving you complete control over the final sauce-like consistency.

How To Store Chicken And Dumplings Safely

• Refrigerate: Transfer leftover chicken and dumplings to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
• Freeze: Carefully place cooled chicken and dumplings in a freezer-safe container, leaving some space for expansion. Freeze for up to 2 months.
• Reheat on Stovetop: Warm gently over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. Add a splash of chicken broth to prevent drying and restore moisture to the dumplings.
• Microwave Option: Reheat in short 30-second intervals, stirring between each interval to ensure even heating. Add a tablespoon of broth to keep the dish from becoming too dry.

Why Chicken And Dumplings Feels Like Home

• Comfort Food Champion: Homemade chicken and dumplings deliver ultimate warmth and satisfaction with minimal kitchen effort.
• Quick Weeknight Winner: This one-pot wonder takes just under 2 hours total, with most time spent simmering while you relax.
• Customizable Culinary Magic: Simple ingredients allow flexible modifications like swapping chicken thighs for breasts or adding extra vegetables to suit personal preferences.
• Family-Friendly Feast: Kids and adults alike will love the hearty, comforting texture of tender chicken and pillowy dumplings in a rich, flavorful broth.

What Goes Into Chicken And Dumplings

• Chicken Thighs: Rich and tender meat that provides the base for the hearty stew, best when bone-in and skin-on for maximum flavor.

• Flour, Sour Cream, Salt: Classic dumpling base that creates soft, pillowy texture with tangy undertones from sour cream.

• Thyme, Sage, Garlic: Traditional herbs that add deep, earthy warmth to the chicken and dumpling dish, creating a classic comfort food profile.

• Chicken Broth: Foundational liquid that builds rich flavor and provides cooking medium for chicken and dumplings.

• Carrots, Celery: Classic soup vegetables that add sweetness, texture, and nutritional value to the dish, creating a well-rounded meal.

• Flour: Used for creating a light slurry to adjust soup consistency if needed, helping to thicken or thin the dish.

• Salt, Pepper: Essential seasonings that enhance and balance the overall flavor profile of the chicken and dumplings.

Steps To Make Chicken And Dumplings Right

Step 1: Prepare Chicken

• Sprinkle chicken thighs with salt and pepper on both sides
• Heat Dutch oven over medium temperature
• Place chicken skin-side down and cook until golden brown
• Flip and brown opposite side
• Remove chicken and set aside

Step 2: Create Flavor Base

• In same pot, sauté onions until translucent
• Add chicken back to pot
• Pour chicken broth
• Toss in thyme, sage, and garlic
• Bring mixture to boil
• Reduce heat and simmer covered for one hour

Step 3: Shred Chicken

• Remove chicken from liquid
• Discard herbs and garlic
• Remove skin and bones
• Shred meat into bite-sized pieces

Step 4: Make Dumpling Dough

• Flour
• Sour cream
• Salt
• Chicken broth
• Dust work surface with flour
• Mix ingredients gently in bowl
• Roll dough to quarter-inch thickness
• Cut into half-inch wide, two-inch long strips

Step 5: Finish Dish

• Add dumplings, carrots, and celery to pot
• Bring to gentle boil
• Reduce heat and simmer fifteen minutes
• Return shredded chicken to pot
• Stir ingredients together
• Season with salt and pepper
• Optional: Create flour slurry to thicken if needed
• Serve warm and enjoy hearty comfort meal

Chicken And Dumplings Pairing Suggestions

• Hearty Wine Companion: Choose a full-bodied Chardonnay with buttery notes to complement the rich, creamy chicken and dumpling texture.
• Rustic Bread Pairing: Select a crusty sourdough or rustic country bread to soak up the delicious broth and add a satisfying crunch alongside the tender chicken.
• Crisp Salad Sidekick: Prepare a light, tangy green salad with lemon vinaigrette to cut through the dish's heaviness and provide a refreshing contrast to the warm, comforting meal.
• Sparkling Beverage Match: Opt for a sparkling apple cider or light wheat beer to cleanse the palate and enhance the herb-infused flavors of the chicken and dumplings.

Twists To Try With Chicken And Dumplings

• Gluten-Free Comfort: Replace wheat flour with a blend of rice flour and cornstarch for dumpling base. Use gluten-free chicken broth to ensure complete allergen-free recipe.
• Low-Carb Adaptation: Swap traditional dumplings with zucchini or cauliflower dumplings. Reduce carrots and use more celery for lower carbohydrate content.
• Dairy-Free Option: Substitute sour cream with unsweetened coconut yogurt or Greek-style almond yogurt. Use olive oil instead of butter during cooking process.
• Vegetarian Transformation: Replace chicken with firm tofu or jackfruit. Use vegetable broth and add mushrooms for extra umami flavor and protein depth.

Chicken And Dumplings FAQs Answered

• What makes the dumplings soft and tender?

The key is gently mixing the dough with sour cream and chicken broth, then avoiding over-mixing. This technique keeps the dumplings light and prevents them from becoming tough.

• Can I use different cuts of chicken?

Yes, you can substitute chicken thighs with chicken breasts or a whole chicken. Just ensure the meat is bone-in for more flavor and adjust cooking times accordingly.

• How do I know when the dumplings are fully cooked?

The dumplings are ready when they look puffed up and are no longer raw in the center. They typically take about 15 minutes to cook through completely in the simmering liquid.

• Is this recipe good for meal prep?

Absolutely! Chicken and dumplings reheat well and can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. The flavors often improve after a day, making it an excellent make-ahead meal.

Cozy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

---

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.6 from 18 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
• Yield: 6 1x

Print Recipe

Pin Recipe

Description

Southern comfort meets culinary magic in this classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe, blending tender chicken with pillowy dough for a soul-warming meal. Rich broth and hearty ingredients unite, delivering pure comfort that connects generations of home cooks with each comforting spoonful.

---

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Proteins:

• 2.53 lbs (1.15 kg) chicken thighs (bone-in, skin-on)

Vegetables and Herbs:

• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 12 sprigs fresh thyme
• 12 sprigs fresh sage
• 46 cloves garlic, smashed

Liquids and Dry Ingredients:

• 6 cups (1.4 liters) chicken broth (plus more if needed)
• ½ cup (120 milliliters) chicken broth (from the cooking stock)
• ½ cup (120 milliliters) sour cream
• 1 ½ cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons black pepper, plus more to taste

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

---

Instructions

1. Infuse chicken thighs with a generous seasoning of salt and pepper across both surfaces.
2. Activate a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Position chicken skin-side down, creating a golden-brown exterior. Rotate and replicate caramelization on alternate side, then transfer chicken to a separate plate.
3. Utilize the identical pot to transform onions from raw to translucent, developing a foundational flavor profile.
4. Reintroduce chicken thighs to the vessel. Cascade chicken broth, aromatic thyme, sage, and minced garlic into the mixture. Escalate temperature to boiling, then descend to a gentle simmer. Seal with a lid and allow flavors to meld for approximately one hour.
5. Extract chicken thighs and eliminate herb remnants and garlic clusters.
6. Deconstruct chicken by removing skin and bones, then delicately shred meat into bite-sized fragments.
7. Create dumpling foundation by amalgamating flour, sour cream, salt, and reserved chicken broth within a mixing bowl. Blend with minimal manipulation to preserve texture.
8. Dust work surface and rolling pin with flour. Stretch dough uniformly to quarter-inch thickness.
9. Slice dumplings into precise half-inch wide, two-inch long rectangular strips using a pizza or pastry cutter.
10. Introduce dumplings, carrots, and celery into the simmering liquid. Allow gentle boiling, then reduce heat, permitting dumplings to expand and cook thoroughly for fifteen minutes.
11. Reunite shredded chicken with the pot’s contents, ensuring harmonious integration.
12. Calibrate seasoning with additional salt and pepper according to preference.
13. Should liquid require thickening, whisk flour with broth to create a smooth slurry. Alternatively, thin the mixture with extra chicken broth if consistency appears too dense.
14. Terminate cooking process and serve piping hot, ready for immediate enjoyment.

Notes

• Perfectly sear chicken by ensuring the Dutch oven is hot before adding thighs, creating a golden-brown crust that locks in flavor and juiciness.
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for richer taste and more tender meat compared to chicken breasts, which can dry out easily during slow cooking.
• Create gluten-free dumplings by substituting all-purpose flour with a blend of gluten-free flour mix

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
• Category: Dinner
• Method: Simmering
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 6
• Calories: 500
• Sugar: 3 g
• Sodium: 1200 mg
• Fat: 25 g
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 40 g
• Fiber: 2 g
• Protein: 30 g
• Cholesterol: 100 mg