Chicken and Dumplings Recipe From Scratch
Craving for a chicken dish that comes with warmth and rich broth? This homemade chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch ensures a bowl of soul-warming satisfaction.
Equipment
- Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot (4-5 quart capacity)
- Medium mixing bowl
- Sharp chef's knife
- Cutting board
- Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
- Measuring cups (dry and liquid)
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Ladle
- Small bowl for egg mixture
- Kitchen towel
- Vegetable peeler
Ingredients
For the Chicken Base:
- 12 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or breasts for low carb option)
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
- cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (or almond flour for low carb chicken and dumplings from scratch)
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 bay leaf
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley (chopped)
For the Dumplings:
- ¾ cup cup all-purpose flour (or almond flour for low carb variation)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
Prepare Your Ingredients
Gather all the ingredients and prepare to begin with this easy chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch. If you keep everything ready, the whole process will flow smoothly. To cook your carrot and celery evenly, dice them into ½-inch pieces. Mince the garlic and chop the onion finely. To ensure a consistent cooking experience, you need to cut chicken thighs into 1-inch chunks and ensure they are of similar sizes. If you keep everything prepped, it will make your cooking seamless and enjoyable.Sauté the Aromatics
Heat your Dutch oven over medium heat. Now, add the butter and wait until it melts and begins to foam. Then add carrot, celery, and chopped onion. Sauté them for 5-6 minutes, stirring occasionally. When the vegetables begin to soften and the onion becomes grayish, add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until it is fragrant. This step plays a vital role in building depth of flavor in this simple chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch.Cook the Chicken
Keep the chicken in the center of the pot and keep the vegetables to the sides. Season it generously with pepper and salt and cook for 4-5 minutes. Wait until the chicken is mostly cooked and a little bit brown on the edge, and don’t forget to stir occasionally. No need to cook the chicken completely in this stage because it will be cooking in the broth too.Create the Roux and Build the Broth
You need to create a roux that will thicken your broth naturally. To do that, sprinkle the flour over the chicken and vegetables and stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw flour taste gets cooked out. Now, gradually pour in the water and chicken broth. Keep whisking constantly if you want to get rid of lumps. It’s time to add the dried thyme and bay leaf. Do a gentle boil first and then reduce the heat to a 15-minute steady simmer. It will allow the flavor to meld, and the broth will be slightly thicker.Make the Dumpling Dough
When your chicken mixture is simmering, prepare your dumplings. Take the flour, salt, baking powder, and garlic powder in a medium bowl and whisk them. Put the cubed butter into the flour and use your fork or fingertip until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the chopped parsley, pour milk, and stir them gently until you have a shaggy dough.Drop the Dumplings
Take the bay leaf out of your simmering chicken mixture. Stir in the heavy cream and make sure the seasoning is alright with salt and pepper. Now drop two heaping tablespoon-sized portions of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering liquid with a spoon. In this stage, you should have 6-7 dumplings. Don’t stir after adding the dumpling.Steam the Dumplings
Take a tight-fitting lid and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low and let the dumplings steam for 12-15 minutes without any break. When the temptation is at its peak, lift the lid and release steam, and prevent the dumplings from getting cooked properly. The dumplings are done when they appear dry on top, and they’ve puffed up. You can insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, then it’s done.Finish and Serve
Once the dumplings are done, you should take the pot out of the heat and rest it for 2-3 minutes. This step is very important, and it allows the sauce to thicken slightly. Now, garnish with freshly chopped parsley, ladle the vegetable, chicken, creamy broth, and dumplings into shallow bowls. Make sure each serving gets 3-4 dumplings. To enjoy the best experience, serve immediately.
Notes
This chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch is an incredibly adaptable and comforting meal that everyone prefers to have on a busy night. If you want a thicker stew, you need to let it simmer a few more minutes before adding dumplings. You can add an extra half cup of broth for a thinner consistency. Make sure not overmix the dough, because that’s the key to fully dumplings. Chicken breasts also work fine in this chicken and dumplings recipe from scratch. You can double the recipe if you are cooking for a larger group.