Southern Chicken and Dumplings

Southern Chicken and Dumplings features tender chicken, savory broth, and fluffy, scratch-made drop dumplings for a classic comfort food meal just like Grandma made.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Keyword easy-chicken-and-dumplings, southern-chicken-and-dumplings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 15

Total Time 1 30

Servings servings

Calories 508kcal

Ingredients

2-3 medium carrots peeled and sliced
2 medium celery stalks diced
1 medium sweet onion diced
3 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 medium bay leaf
2 tsp poultry seasoning
1-2 tsp seasoned salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder
6 cups low sodium chicken broth or chicken stock
1 3/4 cups milk
4 Tbsp cornstarch
Dumplings:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk or milk plus additional as needed
2 Tbsp butter melted

Instructions

In a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat, melt 3 tablespoon butter. Add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften.
Place the raw chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Add the bay leaf, poultry seasoning, garlic powder, salt and black pepper then pour in chicken stock.
Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to low. Cover the Dutch oven and gently simmer for approximately 20 minutes, or just until the thickest part of the chicken breasts reaches 165°F.
*Avoid a vigorous boil. A gentle simmer helps keep the chicken tender and prevents the broth from reducing too quickly.
Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate or cutting board and remove the bay leaf. Leave the vegetables and broth in the Dutch oven. Shred chicken with two forks or cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Keep the Dutch oven covered on medium heat to maintain the broth at a gentle simmer while preparing the thickener and dumplings.
In a medium bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the cold milk and cornstarch until completely smooth.
Slowly pour the cornstarch mixture into the simmering broth while stirring constantly. Continue stirring for 2-3 minutes or just until the broth begins to thicken enough to coat the back of a spoon.
*Do not allow it to reach a hard boil, think gently bubbling.
Return the shredded chicken to the Dutch oven. Gently stir the chicken and vegetables through the creamy broth. Taste and adjust seasonings, if needed.
While the soup is thickening, prepare the dumpling dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and seasoned salt.
Slowly add the buttermilk and melted butter, stirring just until a soft dough forms. If the dough is too dry or crumbly, add 1 tablespoon of buttermilk at a time, if needed.
* Do not overmix the dough.
Reduce the Dutch oven heat to medium-low so the soup maintains a gentle simmer. Lightly coat a tablespoon, large measuring spoon or a small cookie scoop with cooking spray. Scoop small portions of dough and gently drop them into the hot liquid.
Gently mix the dough balls into the creamy broth. Place the lid on the Dutch oven and cook for 15-20 minutes.
*Do not repeatedly lift the lid. The trapped steam is essential for cooking the dumplings properly. The dumplings should be puffed, firm, and cooked through in the center. If you are unsure if the dumplings are cooked through, remove one dumpling and cut it open. The center should no longer be wet or doughy.
Turn off the heat once the dumplings are fully cooked. Remove pot from the heat. Let the chicken and dumplings rest, covered, for 5 minutes before serving.
Ladle into bowls and serve hot and top with fresh parsley, chives or thyme.

Notes

Chicken Thighs - Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts. They are especially forgiving and flavorful.
Bone-In Chicken - You can use bone-in chicken breasts. They will take longer to cook, so adjust accordingly, then remove chicken from the bone and shred per the recipe.
Using Rotisserie Chicken or Cooked Leftover Chicken - Rotisserie or leftover chicken works well. Prepare the vegetables and broth first, thicken the soup, and then add the cooked shredded chicken before adding the dumplings Use about 4-5 cups of shredded cooked chicken. Add it after the broth has thickened and heat until the chicken is warmed through before adding the dumplings.
Milk - Use 2% milk: Works very well and produces a slightly richer broth. Whole milk: Makes the soup creamier. Evaporated milk: Can be used for a richer, more concentrated flavor. Heavy Cream: For ultimate richness.
Seasoned Salt - Substitute another seasoned salt blend. Use the same amount plus your preferred herbs and seasonings.
Onion - Use yellow, white, or sweet onion they all work great with this recipe.
Veggies - Baby carrots can be sliced into rounds. If you don’t have enough celery, add extra carrots or another mild vegetable such as petite peas. If the peas are frozen, there's no need to thaw.
Chicken Broth or Chicken Stock - If using bouillon cubes or bouillon granules, check the instructions on the package and dissolve the appropriate amount in the 6 cups of water according to the package directions.
Thinning the Soup - If the broth becomes too thick, stir in a small amount of warm chicken stock, water or milk until it reaches your preferred consistency. This can happen depending on how vigorously the broth boils.

Nutrition