This chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food made with tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and fluffy homemade dumplings. It’s a simple, family-friendly meal that comes together in one pot and is perfect for busy weeknights or cozy weekends.
We love making this when we want something warm and filling that uses simple ingredients and always turns out delicious.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
This is one of those meals I make when I want something warm and filling without a lot of fuss. It’s simple to put together, uses ingredients I usually already have, and always gets everyone to the table.
- Made with simple, budget-friendly ingredients
- One-pot meal for easy cleanup
- Hearty and filling—perfect for feeding a family
- Easy to customize with leftover or rotisserie chicken
- Great for leftovers and next-day meals
If you have made our Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings, Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings, Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits or Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe then you are going to love this stovetop recipe.
Ingredients
- Butter – We used unsalted butter
- Yellow Onion – Check out these Best Onion Substitute
- Carrots – Peel and diced fresh carrots
- Celery – Dice celery into bite size pieces
- Minced Garlic – Learn How to Mince Garlic Cloves
- Worcestershire Sauce – See The Best Worcestershire Sauce Substitutes if you are out
- All Purpose Flour – This helps to thicken the soup
- Chicken Broth – See Chicken broth substitutes if you are out
- Boneless Skinless Chicken – You can use chicken breast , rotisserie chicken or chicken thighs
Scroll to the bottom for the full recipe and ingredients in the recipe card.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
Step 1 – Melt the 5 tbsp of butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
Step 2 – Add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
Step 3 – Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to make the roux.
Step 4 – Gradually add in the chicken broth and water, stirring to combine.
Step 5 – Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in the skinless chicken breasts, Worcestershire sauce, tsp kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme leaves.
Step 6 – Simmer soup on low for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred and return it back to the pan.
Step 7 – Stir in the half and half and frozen peas and allow them to cook while you prepare the dumplings.
Step 8 – Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and thyme together in a medium bowl.
Step 9 – Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the milk and melted butter. Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
Step 10 – Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumpling batter into the creamy broth. Do not overlap the dumplings.
Step 11 – Once the dumplings are added to the pan, gently push them down into the soup so that a small amount of liquid covers them.
Step 12 – Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook the dumplings for 15 minutes with the lid on the pan. Do not remove the lid during this cook time.
Step 13 – After this time, check the doneness of the dumplings by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling to ensure that the toothpick comes out clean. If the dumplings are not done, continue to cook, covered for a few more minutes until cooked through.
Step 14 – Once the dumplings are cooked through, serve warm topped with parsley and enjoy!
Tips for Success
- Keep the lid on while cooking dumplings so they steam properly
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough—it keeps them light and fluffy
- Cut vegetables evenly so they cook at the same rate
- Use a cookie scoop for evenly sized dumplings
- Check dumplings with a toothpick to ensure they are fully cooked
Variations & Substitutions
- Use rotisserie chicken for a shortcut
- Swap half and half for milk to lighten the recipe
- Add extra veggies like peas or green beans
- Use biscuit dough for quicker dumplings
What Kind of Dumplings Are There?
When making chicken dumplings there are 3 different ways that the dumplings can be prepared.
- Drop Dumplings – This is the traditional way of making dumplings and what we used for this recipe.
- Rolled Dumplings – This is the process of rolling out the dough and using a cookie cutter to cut the dough into shapes. The shapes are then cooked in broth.
- Biscuit Dumplings – Use a biscuit recipe or refrigerated biscuit dough to make the dumplings.
Serving Suggestion:
This is a complete meal but we often serve with additional side dish recipes. Here are some easy ideas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure to keep the lid on the pot closed cooking. This helps to ensure the dumplings cook completely in the chicken soup.
Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Yes, you can place it in the freezer for an easy storage option. Place in a freezer safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight when ready to serve. The consistency of the chicken soup maybe a little bit thinner after thawing.
Reheat the leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through.
More Easy Comfort Food Recipes
We love to hear from you. If you make this recipe, then let us know how they turn out by leaving us a comment.
Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and diced
- 2 sticks celery diced
- 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- ¼ cup All Purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup Water
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ½ cup frozen peas
- Fresh Parsley for serving, optional
For the Dumplings:
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- 4 Tablespoons Butter melted
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¾ cup Whole Milk
See how we calculate recipe costs.
Instructions
- Melt 5 tablespoons butter in a large pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 small diced yellow onion, 2 medium peeled and diced carrots, and 2 diced celery sticks. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables are soft.
- Add 1 tablespoon minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until aromatic.
- Stir in ¼ cup all purpose flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
- Gradually add 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup water, stirring to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a boil. Stir in 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast or thighs, 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves.
- Simmer on low for approximately 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken, shred and return it back to the pan.
- Stir in 1 ½ cups half and half and ½ cup frozen peas and allow them to cook while you prepare the dumplings.
- For the dumplings, whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves in a mixing bowl.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in ¾ cup whole milk and 4 tablespoons melted butter.
- Stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop the dumpling dough into the soup. Do not overlap the dumplings.
- Once the dumplings are added to the pan, gently push them down into the soup so that a small amount of liquid covers them.
- Bring the mixture to a low simmer. Cover and cook the dumplings for 15 minutes with the lid on the pan. Do not remove the lid during this cook time.
- After this time, check the doneness of the dumplings by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling to ensure that the toothpick comes out clean. If the dumplings are not done, continue to cook, covered for a few more minutes until cooked through.
- Once the dumplings are cooked through, serve warm topped with parsley and enjoy!
Can you make this in the crockpot?
Jolene – I haven’t made this exact recipe in a crock pot but I do have a crock pot chicken dumplings recipe as well. I hope you try it out and let me know what you think!
How can I cook double the amount of DUMPLINGS in this recipe? I’ve tried before and pot too crowded,dumplings feel apart. Thanks ?
I am preparing this recipe tomorrow. I am sure it will be yummy! Thank you for this recipe!!
I made this soup for my husband & I recently. It was SO delicious, definitely a 5 star.
Thank you so much & I will be making again soon!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for sharing and thank you for the positive review Lori!
The best flavor and so easy to make!
This is essentially the same recipe my mom used 70 years ago, and was passed down from my grandmother. The only difference was, she used Italian seasoning in place of thyme.We kids fought over seconds of the dumplings. Making dumplings is so much tastier than using canned biscuits, and doesn’t take much time. It’s worth the small effort.