November 11, 2019

Chicken and Dumplings

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Chicken and Dumplings make perfect Weeknight Comfort Food. On a Deluxe level! Serve this recipe to your family on a cold winter night. This soup simply translates into all things comfort. Creamy sauce. Homemade dumplings. Juicy chicken pieces. Tender vegetables. Yum!

(Post modified with new photos on 1/24/23.)

This is a recipe I’ve been making for awhile. Just for fun, the last time I prepared it, I made giant dumplings, with enough for one per bowl. While not quite traditional, I loved the look and of course, it tasted just as good as smaller dumplings. But make whichever you prefer.

The creamy chicken broth in this stew is perfect for times when you’re needing a dose of comfort. And while it comes with a “dumpling” you may also serve a crusty loaf of bread such as Tangy Sourdough or a batch of my Sourdough Dinner Rolls to mop up all that yummy sauce.

More Chicken Comfort Food to Try

Ingredients for Chicken and Dumplings

(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)

chicken thighs, bone-in
water
carrots, diced
celery, diced
sweet onion, minced
frozen peas
chicken bouillon cubes
kosher salt
dried thyme
oregano
freshly ground black pepper

Dumplings

all-purpose flour, divided
baking powder
salt
whole milk, divided
dried parsley, divided
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper for seasoning

Instructions for Making This Recipe

Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.

Prepare the Ingredients

Peel and dice the carrots into small pieces. Slice the celery. Mince the sweet onion.

Make the Stew

Place chicken thighs in a large stockpot and cover them with water.

I like to use skin-on and bone-in chicken thighs for this recipe to achieve maximum flavor.

Add to this the prepared carrots, celery, and onion, along with the frozen peas. Add the chicken bouillon cubes, and season with dried thyme and oregano.

Sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper as desired. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 60-90 minutes, until the chicken is fork tender and starting to fall off the bone.

Prepare the Dumplings

While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dumplings.

In a large bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and dried parsley.

Add 1 1/2 cups whole milk, stirring gently to combine. Set aside.

Finish the Stew

When the chicken is fork tender, remove the chicken from the pot and allow to cool on a plate. Remove the skin and bone from the chicken. Shred and place the chicken back in the pot.

In a small bowl prepare a thickening slurry by mixing together the remaining 1/2 cup whole milk and 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Bring the broth to a gentle boil, and gradually add the slurry to the broth. Whisk to combine.

Drop large spoons of dough (7-8 of them) into the simmering stew. Gently stir to cover and then season the tops with dried parsley, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the pot and continue to simmer for 15-18 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through.

To test doneness on your dumplings, simply stick a toothpick into the center of one and if it comes out clean, it is done. You might do this on two or three of them, just to be sure.

Remove the pot from heat, and allow the stew to set uncovered for 10-12 minutes before serving. To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and top with one large dumpling.

This recipe will serve 6-8 people.

See more Chicken Recipes Here. Browse Soups and Stews Here. View my Favorite Comfort Foods Here.