Get ready to enjoy a bowl of true Southern comfort with this classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe. Homemade rolled dumplings are the star here, soaking up a rich, creamy broth built from shredded chicken breasts, garlic, and onions. While it may sound fancy, even the dumplings are super easy to make with just five ingredients. It’s all done in about an hour, making this a perfect go-to meal for a cozy dinner at home.
We also have a recipe for the fluffy dumpling type of chicken and dumplings as well as a slow cooker version.
Why Our Recipe
- Southern-style comfort food with easy homemade rolled dumplings.
- Ready in about an hour using chicken breasts that are shredded into a creamy broth.
- Garlic and onions are used to build flavor and we give you the option to add carrots and celery for more.
If you like your soup to have a little more nutrition, you can toss in carrots and celery, giving the soup even more flavor and a little pop of color. These additions are more common in a European-style fluffy dumpling soup but are still worth considering in this one as well. No harm in adding a little more flavor with veggies!
Ingredient Notes
- Olive Oil: You can use any neutral oil like vegetable or canola. Olive oil gives a better flavor.
- White Onion: White, yellow, or even a sweet onion works here.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is best here, followed by the jarred options.
- Chicken Breasts: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts make this recipe quick and lean. You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs for a richer flavor with that delicious dark meat.
- Chicken Broth: For the best taste, use low-sodium chicken broth, so you can control the salt level in your dish.
- Milk: Whole milk adds a creamy richness, but 2% works here too.
- Cornstarch: This is our thickening agent to create a cornstarch slurry. It’s a quick and easy option for thickening soups.
- All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works perfectly for the dumplings, or you can use bread flour.
- Baking Powder: This gives the dumplings a little lift so they aren’t super dense.
- Shortening: You can also use cold butter in the same amount.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by mixing 3/4 cup milk with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or vinegar and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
The Great Dumpling Debate
When it comes to chicken and dumplings, the big debate always seems to be: flat noodle dumplings or drop biscuit dumplings? Both are delicous and it usually comes down to where you grew up or what you love most. Some people go for the noodle-like feel of flat dumplings, while others can’t resist the soft, biscuit-like goodness of the drop version. Honestly, we love both!
Flat noodle dumplings are a lot like thick, soft pasta. You roll them out, cut them into strips, and drop them into the broth where they cook up chewy and tender. They’re a Southern classic for sure!
Drop biscuit dumplings are super easy—just scoop spoonfuls of dough straight into the soup. As they cook, they puff up into fluffy, biscuit-like clouds. These are popular all over, even in Europe, and are perfect for those who love a little extra softness in their soup.
Rolling Out and Cutting Dumplings
When rolling out the dough, aim for an even 1/4-inch thickness. If you prefer a more biscuit-like feel, you can go slightly thicker, but avoid rolling too thin, as the dumplings might break apart while cooking.
Once the dough is rolled out, use a knife or pizza cutter to slice it into 1-inch wide strips, then cut each strip into 2-inch lengths. There’s no harm in using a ruler and using a butter knife to gently mark out your measurements. Just be sure to choose the right tool for cutting based on the surface you rolled your dough out on. Don’t cut your countertops!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Refrigerate any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumplings will continue to absorb the broth, so you may need to add a bit more broth or water when reheating.
Reheat on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Or reheat in a microwave-safe dish in 30-second increments, stirring between each round to ensure even heating.
More delicious chicken soups…
Creamy Chicken Soup
1 hr 5 mins
Old Fashioned Chicken Stew
1 hr 5 mins
Mom’s Chicken and Rice Soup
40 mins
Watch the video below where Rachel will walk you through every step of this recipe. Sometimes it helps to have a visual, and we’ve always got you covered with our cooking show. You can find the complete collection of recipes on YouTube, our Facebook Page, or right here on our website with their corresponding recipes.
This is very flavorful and my family enjoyed it!
I like to use rotisserie chicken so I sautéed some onions then added flour and chicken broth. Once boiling I added the dumplings….sooo good!
The recipe was really simple and easy to follow. It turned out great
I’ve been looking for a recipe with dumplings like this that isn’t just chicken and onion in with it. Found this tonight and made it for my sick daughter and loved all the veggies and the dumplings turned out perfect- with regular milk- I didn’t have buttermilk and we didn’t miss it. Side note, I used boneless skinless chicken thigh meat. My daughter has a weird texture aversion with chewy meat, which I feel happens every time I use chicken breast meat in soup. The thigh meat shredded easily and was super tender and she was digging around in the pot for more. I’ll stick with using that, it turned out so well.
I was just debating on whether I was going to try this recipe you seal the deal for me or should I say your daughter did thanks a lot for sharing
You can make your own buttermilk w reg milk w lemon juice or w vinegar. I always goggle substitutes when I don’t have a certain ingredient. Just in case you ever need it…
I make mine like my great aunt Ella, in Sikes, La. While my chicken is cooking in a mixture of the above ingredients plus some poultry seasoning, red pepper flakes, and Italian seasonings, I dip out some chicken broth about a cup and a half. Set the broth aside and mix 2 cups of flour with 3 eggs. I don’t my dumplings to turn into mush. Once the eggs and flour are mixed, I then add the warm chicken broth to my flour mixture and then kneed and roll out as stated above. Let them sit and dry a few hours the longer the better. Then I shred my chicken bring back to a simmering boil and then add the dumplings to the pot while simmering to a slow boil. It takes about 20-30 minutes. So make up some cornbread and grab a bowl or two!
How much red pepper flakes, poultry and italian seasoning did you use?
Made this tonight and this recipe is a family keeper, husband went for seconds and I caught daughter in kitchen later digging through pot for seconds! Highly recommend this recipe!
I’m from the South, and my aunt used to make chicken and dumpling when I was a little girl. I remember watching her kneading the dough, rolling it out, then cutting it into strips. One cold fall day, I had an intense craving, so I called her and she gave me her recipe. However, I needed something visual as a guidance. This recipe was perfect. I made it for the first time and my family loved it!! It’s been 30 years since I had chicken and dumplings, and it brought back so many childhood memories when I visited my aunt!!!
Piper, I am from Louisiana and my Grandmother made chicken and dumplings for us as kids from scratch. I wish I had her recipe to go by. I miss her and her cooking. I will admit that this recipe was easy to make and a load of joy for me to make this one for my mother. I made a few changes in it. I used heavy whipping cream instead of milk and I pre-cut all my chicken down to narrow strips. Mother was well pleased and stated that I was have to make some for my brother after Christmas when he comes down from DC.
I’m from MS, but live in Texas now. My mom taught me how to cook from scratch, but she never could make dumplings like her sister. This is my go to recipe for making it and every time I make it, I think of my sweet aunt, who had 4 boys and no daughter, but treated me as if I was hers. P.S. she always made tea cakes as a side dessert after eating the hearty dumplings. I now make it for my family and they love the little treat. Thanks again, please don’t delete this recipe, ever!
Just the one I wanted! I rolled some very thin a some not so thin…I feel the thinner the better. This is a very good version of chicken and old fashioned dumplings . I will make it again
I am going to try this, along with your pot roast, they sound delicious. Love your site,
JUST the recipe I wanted for today! my only changes were “drop” biscuit, and the addition of 1/2 cup of chopped “Baby Bella” mushrooms (I’m hooked on them.
On another note, a recent;y read (and now DO) the garlic a bit differently. I add chopped fresh garlic for the last 10-minutes or so rather than oil/onion/celery/whatever… it really does give a “Fresher” garlic taste that is not stronger – just really ‘pleasant’.
I make mine like Grandma did only without the celery and carrots. I add onion just before they are done. I don’t use any soup in them either. I do add some Italian seasoning and garlic salt to mine also plus table salt. Use the salt sparingly, you don’t want to stump your toe in it as my grandma used to say. Also I roll and cut my dough into strips. I cut butter into my dumplings too instead of shortening.