Description
A comforting and hearty Chicken and Dumplings recipe featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy vegetable broth with fluffy homemade dumplings, perfect for a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (rotisserie or homemade)
- 1 cup frozen peas
Dumplings Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley
- 3/4 cup milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery, sautéing for 5–6 minutes until the vegetables have softened and become fragrant.
- Add Seasonings and Garlic: Add minced garlic along with salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and poultry seasoning to the pot. Cook for an additional minute to release the flavors.
- Coat Vegetables with Flour: Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir well to coat evenly and cook for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Add Chicken Broth: Gradually whisk in 6 cups of chicken broth until the mixture is smooth. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Simmer with Cream and Chicken: Reduce heat to a simmer, then stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 3 cups of shredded cooked chicken. Allow to simmer uncovered for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder, and dried parsley until well combined.
- Mix Dumpling Wet Ingredients: Stir in the milk and melted butter into the dry ingredients until just combined, careful not to overmix to keep dumplings tender.
- Drop Dumplings into Soup: Using a spoon, drop tablespoon-sized spoonfuls of dumpling dough into the simmering soup, spacing them evenly.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the pot with a lid and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes to allow dumplings to steam and cook through fully.
- Add Peas and Finish Cooking: Remove the lid, stir in 1 cup frozen peas, and cook for an additional 5 minutes until peas are warmed through.
- Serve: Serve the Chicken and Dumplings hot, optionally garnished with fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme for added freshness.
Notes
- For best results, use rotisserie chicken or cooked homemade chicken for added flavor and convenience.
- Do not overmix the dumpling batter to ensure light and fluffy dumplings.
- Covering the pot during dumpling cooking step is crucial for proper steaming.
- Fresh parsley or thyme makes a great optional garnish to elevate the dish.
- This recipe can be made ahead and reheated gently on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth if thickened too much.
