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! My trick is using a rotisserie chicken which already has a ton of flavor and makes things much easier. I add fluffy, biscuit-style dumplings to a chicken stew filled with veggies 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! And if you like flatter dumplings, make my chicken and rolled dumplings.
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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
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
Step 1: Add veggies and season with salt and pepper. Cook until veggies get somewhat tender and soft then remove and set aside until later.
Step 2: Melt remaining ¼ cup of butter over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour and whisk.
Step 3: Whisk in stock, turn heat back up to medium and allow it to get smooth then bring to a boil then bring in shredded chicken and veggies in the mix.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, salt and pepper and whisk together. Next, add in buttermilk, egg and melted butter. Mix until just combined. It should be thick.
Step 5: 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.
Step 6: Allow dumplings to cook and puff up without lifting the cover, then test dumpling by cutting in half. If it is all good, then sprinkle with garnish and serve it up boos.
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
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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.
Notes
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.Nutrition
Recipe Tips
- 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!
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
Ingredient Notes
- 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.
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I'll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Recipe Help
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.
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Thank you for an easy and delicious meal! My whole family loved it
The recipe was easy to follow and turned out amazing. I was looking for something a little different a far as the gravy salt pepper type chicken and dumplings and this nailed it. I have tried a lot of different recipes in Oklahoma and this bar far is my favorite.
Loved this recipe – super easy but tasty. We would definitely make it again!
Sounds good, and the roux is the combination of fat and flour, a sort of a thickener. I don’t know what you mean by saying ” the bits of roux stuck to the bottom of the pan”.
Perhaps you could explain……………..
As you continue to cook, some will begin to stick to the bottom of your skillet but using a spatula you can easily lift these up and put them back into the sauce since they are filled with flavor.
This recipe is absolutely delicious-it easily stretches by adding a few more vegetables-think peas, potatoes, or corn. The buttermilk biscuits don’t get any better, either. Making it for dinner tonight!
These look perfect. My own Grandmother was from Ohio, but was taught to cook by her stepmother from Kentucky. My husband is from Tennessee. He and my 85 year old Mother both love these, so thank you. The broth isn’t too thick, my Mother doesn’t want “gravy”, she wants broth, and says these are perfect.
I make chicken and dumplings from scratch and I would never dream of putting clerk or carrots in them!!
It tastes amazing with them. Don’t knock until you try it.
I’m 62-a transplant from the west living in the south for 40 years. Made chicken and dumplings all these years since 13. Every way there is to make them. If you don’t have the trio- celery, onion, carrot, it’s way too bland and flavorless. The carrot adds a mild sweetness that is missed. I also add 1 bay leaf at all times but other than that this recipe is wonderful to me. Try it Judy-
I couldn’t believe how delicious these dumplings are. The best I’ve ever eaten, so I have an uncle who’s a chicken dumpling connoisseur and there’s none better, bar none. They were so delicious I called him over to try these dumplings and the first bite, his eyes lit up and he looked at me in amazement. He said that he hadn’t had any that good since his sister passed away who had his mother’s recipe. I told him that the other large bowl was his to take home and his eyes lit up again. Thank you so much for this classic dumplings recipe! If I could’ve I would have given more stars just because my uncle highly approved them! Jocelyn my sister, you are the real when it comes to cooking girl!
Went exactly by the recipe. I couldn’t believe the dumplings came out done. Not doughy at all. I suppose folks can add in more ingredients but I found that less is more. When I read through the steps I thought it would be over whelming.—it wasn’t . The flavor was not over bearing and my picky eater who isn’t good about veggies and meat mixed together, enjoyed it. This will be one of my go-to Thank you!
I made this recipe, but modified it with spices and garlic as the others did. Specifically I added dried bay leaf, rosemary, chopped garlic as well as garlic powder, and thyme. I made my own buttermilk for the dumplings using soy milk and lemon juice. And I added chopped mushrooms, frozen peas and broccoli to the veggie mix. I sautéed them in olive oil to cut back on the butter. Added garlic powder and thyme to the dumpling mixture. Everything else as written. It came out AMAZING! I will be making this again for sure.
I made the same mods minus the rosemary and garlic powder. So good! I will definitely be making this recipe again– the dark roux base is a game changer!
Very yummy! I made it for the first time tonight and it was a hit! After reading some reviews about the lack of flavor, I did add 2 cloves minced garlic when sautéing the veggies and a tablespoon of Better than Bouillon chicken flavoring to the chicken broth. My family loved it and it was the comfort food we needed. Thank you!
The flavor will depend on the chicken stock that someone uses as well as if they are seasoning the vegetables and using the proper butter.