Description
Chicken and Dumplings is a cozy, hearty comfort food featuring tender diced chicken simmered in a flavorful herb-infused broth with soft, fluffy dumplings. This classic dish combines a savory chicken stew with light, pillowy dumplings to create a satisfying meal perfect for chilly days.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken and Soup:
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cups chicken broth (low-sodium recommended)
- 1 cup whole milk (or heavy cream for a richer taste)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
For the Dumplings:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¾ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the chicken: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the diced chicken and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned and cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside.
- Sauté the vegetables: In the same pot, add the diced onion, minced garlic, diced carrots, and diced celery. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened.
- Add herbs and liquids: Stir in dried thyme, dried rosemary, and the bay leaf. Pour in the chicken broth and milk, stirring to combine. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
- Simmer with chicken: Return the cooked chicken to the pot. Let the soup simmer for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld together.
- Prepare dumpling dough: In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and optional garlic powder. Add the melted butter and milk, stirring until just combined to form a soft dough.
- Add dumplings to soup: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup. Cover the pot with a lid and let cook for 10-12 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed up and cooked through.
- Finish and season: Remove the bay leaf and discard. Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Serve and garnish: Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Using chicken thighs instead of breast will yield a juicier and more flavorful result.
- For richer soup, substitute whole milk with heavy cream.
- Do not lift the lid while dumplings are cooking; steam is needed for proper rising.
- You can add frozen peas or corn for extra vegetables towards the end of simmering.
- Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently on the stovetop.
