Description
Classic Chicken and Dumplings is a comforting, hearty Southern-style stew featuring tender chicken simmered with fragrant vegetables in a creamy broth, topped with soft, homemade dumplings. Perfect for a cozy family dinner, this recipe combines rich flavors and satisfying textures made right on the stovetop.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs. bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Franks hot sauce recommended)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dumplings
- 2 cups cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ cup cold sour cream
- ¼ cup cold milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts or thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot. Brown the chicken on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side, then remove from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: In the same pot, add butter and melt it. Add diced onion, carrots, celery, and minced garlic. Sauté until the vegetables are soft and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add Seasonings and Flour: Stir in Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and 1/3 cup flour. Cook for 1-2 minutes to form a roux which will thicken the stew.
- Add Broth and Simmer: Gradually whisk in chicken broth and add the bouillon cube if using. Return chicken to the pot. Add dried basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary, mustard powder, ground sage, onion powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add Dairy and Peas: Stir in half and half and frozen peas. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Keep the stew warm on low heat while you prepare dumplings.
- Prepare the Dumpling Dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Add cold sour cream and cold milk. Mix until just combined into a sticky dough.
- Form and Cook Dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the simmering stew. Cover the pot tightly and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
- Finish and Serve: Stir melted butter into the stew for richness right before serving. Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and enjoy hot.
Notes
- This Chicken and Dumplings recipe is easy to make with homemade dumplings or refrigerated biscuits right on the stovetop.
- Bone-in chicken ensures more flavor, but boneless skinless can be used if preferred.
- You can substitute cake flour with all-purpose flour for the dumplings.
- Adjust hot sauce and seasoning according to your taste preference.
- If you prefer thicker stew, reduce broth slightly or add more flour during roux step.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 657 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1410 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 136 mg
