Making chicken and dumplings from scratch is a comfort food classic! Tender chicken swims in a creamy herb broth surrounded by plenty of hearty dumplings.
I spend all summer dreaming about fall. It's true. I think my wife corrupted me, I used to be obsessed with summer, but nowadays, summer is just that hot annoying buffer that I need to traverse before hunting season and soup season starts! It seems wrong to make chicken and dumplings during the summer months, so I just patiently waited until this past week to crank out this recipe.
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is an exceptionally creamy and flavorful soup featuring chopped bits of chicken mixed in with tender onions, carrots, and celery, and of course, plenty of dumplings. This is a considerably thicker soup than the classic chicken noodle soup, but features many of the same flavors. Chicken and dumplings is basically the soup version of chicken pot pie.
How to Make Dumplings
I make my dumplings for chicken soup with a mixture of flour, baking powder, eggs, milk, and salt. Lately, I've begun to add chopped bits of parsley for a fresh flavor infusion. This is a very similar dumpling to my Sauerkraut and Dumplings recipe.
Dumpling hack: Wet your hands lightly with water to prevent the dough from sticking to your palms and fingers when rolling little dumpling balls.
Easy Dumplings
Though making dumplings from scratch is very easy, some people like the cheater method best. You can simply buy refrigerated biscuit dough at the grocery store and use that for your dumplings. It actually works very well. Pancake batter dumplings is another popular alternative.
Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
The best way to make chicken and dumplings from scratch is to use a roux, in my humble opinion. A roux is an equal mixture of butter and flour and it works phenomenally well for thickening soups. The liquids for this soup get added to the roux and then everything can simply simmer on the stove top.
I prefer to make this recipe in my 6 quart Dutch Oven. Dutch ovens are great for sauteing, it has plenty of volume to hold the soup, and the wide opening allows water to evaporate quickly so the soup can thicken. What more could you want?
The dumplings will only take 15 minutes or so to cook, but it is OK if you let it simmer longer. You can even let the soup simmer all afternoon if you wish and just add the dumplings before you are ready to eat.
Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
If you are looking for something a little easier than making chicken and dumplings from scratch, try making my crock pot chicken and dumplings. All of the ingredients are dumped in the crock pot with no additional cooking or prep work required.
Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon Cooking Oil (or butter)
- 2 medium Carrots (chopped)
- 2 stalks Celery (chopped)
- 1 medium Onion (chopped)
- 2 cloves Garlic (minced)
- 8 tablespoon Butter
- ½ cup Flour
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 7 cups Chicken Stock
- 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs (cut into ½" cubes) (can substitute other chicken meat)
- 2 sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 sprig Fresh Rosemary
- 1 small branch Fresh Sage
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup chopped Parsley
Dumplings
- 2 Eggs
- ⅓ cup Milk
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon chopped Parsley
Instructions
- Heat cooking oil in Dutch Oven over medium heat and add carrots, celery, and onions. Saute until tender. (Tip: carrots take longest to cook so I often add them in before I chop up the celery and onion)
- Add garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes longer, or until garlic is fragrant.
- Remove carrots, celery, onion, and garlic from the pot and set aside.
- Turn the heat on low and add 1 stick of butter and let melt, then sprinkle in flour. Whisk the mixture to form a roux and continue cooking for 3-5 minutes to cook out any flour taste, continually whisking.
- Slowly stir heavy cream into the roux, continuing to whisk.
- Once the cream has been incorporated stir in chicken stock.
- Add chicken, herbs, and seasonings to the soup and let simmer 30+ minutes while you make the dumplings.
Dumplings
- Combine together flour, baking powder, salt, parsley, eggs, and milk in a large bowl.
- Roll together marble-sized dumplings and add to the soup. They will expand as they cook. (Tip: It is easiest to roll the dumplings with wet hands)
- Continue to cook the soup for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through.
Notes
Nutritional Information
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Gman
Outstanding!
Jeanne Schevets
Thought I’d try this because I misplaced my favorite recipe. My family ( &me) prefer a fluffier, dumpling. These are too dense - I think it’s the eggs. Broth has good taste. The chicken thighs really add flavor (vs chicken breast meat). Thank you!
Ellen
I'm not one to follow any recipe in any exact fashion (which is why I don't bake!). But, I've never made Chicken and Dumplings so I followed it to the best of my ability! Well, it was absolutely delicious! I tend to cook with more garlic than most and same with pepper; I also grow my own herbs which I used here (more than what was required). I feel that all that is personal taste, so my review of this recipe is indeed a five star. What a great guideline to follow whether or not you stick to it exactly or not, I'm confident that the result is nothing shy than amazing. We loved it!
Tammy
Can I roll the dough out?
Fox Valley Foodie
Sure, that shouldn't be an issue at all. I like dumpling ribbons!
Julie
Great! Thank you for sharing.
Gillian DidierSerre
Hi Fox Valley. .I would dearly love to follow you on Pinterest .BUT j hate that PINTEREST bombards me with so many idiotic people's sites VERY IRRITATING😈..I don't use Facebook. .BUT ON THE BRIGHT SIDE YOUR RECIPES ARE AWESOME so a big THANK YOU
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