Y’all, my homemade Southern Chicken and Dumplings are on another level. In fact, it’s so delish, it won the The Kitchn’s Chicken and Dumplings showdown. It’s legit the best! I add hearty and fluffy, biscuit-style dumplings to a rich, thickened chicken stew filled with vegetables, aromatics and so much bomb flavor! This comfort food is a winner, literally, and it will be the best chicken and dumplings recipe you will ever try. Trust!
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They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“This is OUTSTANDING! I’ve made it twice now as written and everything about it is perfect.”
—REBECCA
Don’t ask me when and don’t ask me how, but at some point in my life, chicken and dumplings became my go-to comfort meal. Through rough break-ups, week-long bouts of the flu and not-so-great work days, I’ve relied on the satisfaction that comes with a big ol’ bowl of this stuff. I perfected this recipe until it was absolutely perfect, and the reviews below tell you just how dang on amazing it is!
Each bite is hearty and warms the belly until you’re lulled into a coma that can only be enjoyed by lounging on the couch.
The Lowdown of This Southern Chicken and Dumplings recipe
Cuisine Inspiration: Southern Comfort
Primary Cooking Method: Stovetop Simmering
Dietary Info: Can be made gluten-free with ingredient swaps
Key Flavor: Rich, Hearty and beyond Flavorful Sauciness with Fluffy Light Biscuit Dumplings
Skill Level: Easy y’all (No Sweat Fam!)
Award-Winning Props!
This isn’t just any chicken and dumplings recipe; it’s taken the crown in The Kitchn’s Smackdown, proving it’s a top-notch choice for this classic comfort dish. It’s that good boos!
Flavors on Flavors; Textures on Textures
Forget the dense, doughy dumplings you might know. These biscuit dumplings are light as air! And that stewy sauce? Baby, each spoonful is so soothing and soul-soothing you won’t be able to put that spoon down.
Beyond No-Fuss
No need for super fussy ingredients boos. We rely on simple ingredients and straightforward steps to pull this award winning recipe off. And using rotisserie chicken keeps the prep time down.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Salted Butter: This ensures everything gets cooked up in rich, buttery and flavorful goodness. We also add that same richness to our dumplings.
- Onion, Celery, & Carrots: The holy trinity of veggies, finely diced and ready to bring freshness and depth to the pot.
- Seasoning: A dash of salt and pepper is gonna hook this pot up and make everything pop.
- Flour: This is our thickening agent, ensuring our stew is just the right consistency. It also is the foundation of our light dumplings.
- Chicken Stock: This is the base of our stew. Go for a flavorful one or amp it up with a bouillon cube if you’re feeling extra.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Shredded and ready to go, it keeps things much easier and no-fuss saving us time.
- Baking Powder: These help give us such a fluffy light vibe.
- Buttermilk: It’s tangy, it’s creamy, and it’s going to make our dumplings so delish boos.
- Egg: It’s the binder holding our dumpling dough together.
- Parsley: Finely chopped and ready to garnish, it’s the final sprinkle of fun for our delightful dish.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
They’re Lovin’ It! Here’s what They’re Sayin’:
“Wow!!! This is comfort-food at its best! I can’t believe how much flavor was in this…Girl, this is going in my favorite recipe file. I can’t get over how good this was.”
—MALINA
How to Serve Easy Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits
- Keep It Simple: Serve this one pot meal with a delish harvest salad or peach salad depending on the season.
- Keep It Cozy: Serve this homemade chicken and dumpling recipe with some slow cooker mashed potatoes and a veggie like this creamed corn.
- Get Southern With It: Get a pot of mustard greens going with some fried cornbread and glasses of sweet tea. And don’t forget the sour cream pound cake for dessert ya dig?
Recipe Substitutions
- Rotisserie Chicken: I add store bought rotisserie chicken to my Southern chicken and dumplings to save a ton of time and effort. If you have time however, make one from scratch.
- Butter: I go with salted butter in this recipe but you can swap with unsalted and add in salt until it tastes how you like it y’all.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have any, you can easily make it. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to each cup of milk. Let it curdle and thicken before using in the recipe.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Gluten-Free: Replace the flour in the broth and the dumplings with your fave 1:1 ratio all-purpose gluten-free flour. The texture of the dumplings may change but they will still taste so bomb.
- Vegan: Swap out the chicken stock with a veggie stock and just go all in on just veggies or replace the chicken with mushrooms for a meaty texture.
- Add Some Heat: Kick the stew up a notch by adding some cayenne or hot sauce to the broth.
- Herb It Up: Adding some fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme and parsley to the mix will add a bomb earthy flavor.
Expert Tips and Tricks
- Don’t Overmix Boos: Make sure you use a light hand for mixing the dumplings. This will keep them light and fluffy and not tough.
- Homemade Stock for the Win: If you have more time, go all in on a flavorful homemade chicken stock. It will kick that flavor up to new heights.
- Test your Dumplings: A super easy test for your dumplings is after the 20-minute cook time, cut into a dumpling and make sure the inside isn’t raw. After that, you are ready to enjoy!
How to Store and Reheat this Easy Chicken and Dumpling Recipe
Simply transfer any leftovers into an airtight container and pop it in the fridge.
When you’re ready to dive back in, gently reheat your portions in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until everything is warmed through and the dumplings are soft again. Or zap in the microwave, reheating servings in a microwave-safe dish for about 2 minutes stopping and stirring around the dumplings and stew in 30 second intervals until reheated. Done and Done!
How long will it last in the fridge?
It should stay all good in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Can I freeze?
For sure boos! Add leftovers to a heavy-duty freezer bag or to an airtight container and add the date. It should last about 3 months in the freezer. Just let it thaw in the fridge overnight before heating again.
Frequently Asked Questions
After about 20 minutes simmering the dumplings with the lid on, cut one open. The inside should be cooked through and not doughy in the center. Once the dumplings are cooked, you can dish it up!
You can definitely make the dumpling dough ahead of time and just pop in the fridge. You can also cook the stew ahead and reheat on the stovetop and assemble before you are ready to eat.
For sure boos. You can also bake chicken thighs or chicken breasts in the oven and shred them.
This chicken and dumplings recipe is legit the best one you will ever try. That sauce is seriously layered with so much flavor that you might just slurp it up with a spoon. But once you add in that amazing texture of rotisserie chicken, tender veggies and beyond light and fluffy biscuit dumplings, you get something that will blow your socks off. Get into it!
Best Chicken Soup and Stew Recipes
Southern Chicken and Dumplings
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Equipment
Ingredients
For the Chicken
- 1/2 cup salted butter divided
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 3 celery stalks finely diced
- 5 medium carrots peeled and finely chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock make sure you use a flavorful one or add chicken bouillon cube to yours for additional flavor
- 1 rotisserie chicken shredded
For the Dumplings
- 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 1/2 tbsp salted butter melted
- 1/3 cup chopped parsley for garnish
Instructions
For the Chicken
- Add ¼ cup of the butter to large pot over medium heat until melted.
- Add onion, celery and carrots and season with salt and pepper. Cook until veggies get somewhat tender and soft, about 5-6 minutes then remove and set aside until later.
- Melt remaining ¼ cup of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk, allowing it to brown somewhat until it becomes golden brown, about 8-12 minutes.
- Whisk in chicken stock (make sure you are getting the bits of roux stuck to the bottom of the pan too), turn heat back up to medium and allow it to get smooth then bring to a boil.
- Add the shredded chicken and cooked vegetables to the pot and allow sauce to somewhat thicken. Taste for seasoning and add final salt and pepper to taste.
For the Dumplings
- In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, and pepper and whisk together.
- Next add in buttermilk, egg and melted butter until just combined. The mixture should be thick.
- Using a spoon, drop dollops of dough into the pot spacing out somewhat. They will stay on top and won’t sink. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low.
- Allow dumplings to cook and puff up without lifting the cover for about 20 minutes, then test dumpling by cutting in half. The dough shouldn’t be raw. If it needs more time, cover with lid and allow to cook a bit longer.
- Scoop into bowls and sprinkle with parsley to serve.
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The stew is even better than Mama used to make. It’s def cause of the rotisserie chicken; rather than a long-simmered laying hen.
And of course regional butter not that industrial brand. Although I couldn’t chose only organic ingredients, they are fresh and local. Just the bouillon cubes, chicken broth cubes, carrots & celery were organic. Used 1½ tbsp, olive oil, which marries well with butter…for many recipes.
So this was just a trial, right? Next weekend for visiting family it will be over the top!
Thanks so much!
That’s such a big compliment!! Thank you so much!
I made this gluten free by substituting 1:1 GF flour and everyone loved it! (I am the only one who is GF.) Thank you for sharing this recipe!
This is a family favorite. It’s EXCELLENT !
I haven’t had chicken and dumplings since finding out I had celiacs disease 15 years ago. I decided to make your recipe because it sounds the most like I used to make. I used Better Batter Gluten Free Bread Flour. I used it for the roux and for he dumplings. It worked perfectly!!! The dumplings were airy and so yummy!!! Thank you for such a wonderful recipe!! I’ve found several of your cheesecake recipes I’ll be making too!! I’m so glad I found your site!
So good! I used Better Than Bouillon which is my only go to for stock. Dumplings were so good too. Definitely a recipe to save and go back to.
I love this recipe, I keep coming back to it, and my whole family raves about it. It’s great year round.
I cut the carrots into discs so that they become a prominent part of the finished stew. I also add some sugar and garlic granules to the broth. I like the addition of Better Than Bouillon as one reviewer mentioned. The flavor of that stock is what makes this recipe so comforting.
Wow!!! This is comfort-food at its best! I can’t believe how much flavor was in this. I made it tonight, used a herb-seasoned rotisserie chicken, Kerrygold salted butter along with a Tbsp of canola oil to pan, and Better than Bouillon reduced-sodium chicken base. Girl, this is going in my favorite recipe file. I can’t get over how good this was.
This is the recipe this southern boy has been searching for years. The dumpling style is exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much.
Made this tonight and it was phenomenal!!!!!