There are few meals more comforting than a pot of homemade chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove. This is the kind of food that fills the kitchen with warmth, feeds a family well, and turns an ordinary day into something special.
This chicken and dumplings recipe is simple, hearty, and made from scratch using basic pantry ingredients. The broth is rich and flavorful, the chicken is tender, and the dumplings cook up soft and pillowy — just the way they should be.
It’s not fancy food. It’s real food. And it’s the kind of recipe you come back to again and again.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Made with simple, everyday ingredients
- Rich, comforting broth without being heavy
- Soft, tender dumplings (not dense or doughy)
- Easy to adjust based on what you have on hand
- Perfect for chilly days, busy weeks, or when you just need comfort food
What Kind of Chicken Works Best?
This recipe is very forgiving. You can use:
- A whole chicken, cut up
- Bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks
- Leftover cooked chicken or rotisserie chicken
Bone-in chicken adds the most flavor to the broth, but leftover chicken works beautifully if you’re short on time. If using cooked chicken, just add it toward the end so it doesn’t overcook.
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the chicken and broth:
- Chicken (whole or pieces)
- Onion
- Celery (optional)
- Carrots (optional)
- Butter
- Salt and black pepper
For the dumplings:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Milk
These are basic ingredients most kitchens already have, which is part of what makes this such a dependable recipe.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
1. Cook the Chicken
Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add onion, celery, and a little salt. Simmer gently until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Strain the broth if desired, then return it to the pot. Shred or chop the chicken and reserve.
2. Make the Broth Base
Add chopped carrots to the pot of broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Taste the broth — this is where most of the flavor comes from.
Simmer until the carrots are soft, but not mushy.
3. Add the Chicken Back In
Return the shredded chicken to the pot and let everything simmer gently while you prepare the dumplings.
5. Cook the Dumplings
Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough directly into the gently simmering broth. Cover the pot and let them cook without lifting the lid for about 15 minutes.
The dumplings will puff up and cook through using steam. Resist the urge to peek — lifting the lid too early can cause dense dumplings.
6. Finish and Serve
Once the dumplings are cooked through, give the pot a gentle stir. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
Serve hot, with plenty of broth, chicken, and dumplings in every bowl.
Pro Tips: for the Best Chicken and Dumplings
- Don’t boil the broth once dumplings are added. Keep it at a gentle simmer.
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough. Stir just until combined for tender dumplings.
- Season generously. A bland broth leads to bland dumplings.
- Let it rest a few minutes before serving. The broth thickens slightly as it sits.
Variations & Simple Add-Ins
- Vegetables: Add carrots, peas, or green beans for a heartier meal
- Herbs: A little thyme or parsley adds nice flavor
- Creamier broth: Add a splash of cream at the end
- Shortcut option: Use leftover chicken and prepared broth when needed
- Spicy: Add a dash of cayenne and garlic during cold and flu season
Storage & Reheating
Chicken and dumplings store well in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave
- Add a splash of broth or milk if it thickens too much
- Dumplings will soften over time but remain delicious
Freezing is possible, but the dumplings will be softer after thawing.
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is a classic comfort food. This easy recipe will quickly become a family favorite.
Ingredients
Soup
- Whole Chicken
- 1 Medium Onion, chopped
- 3 Ribs Celery, chopped
- 5 Carrots, sliced
- Salt
- Pepper
- Cayenne (optional)
Dumplings
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Milk (you can add up to 2 Tbsp more if you need to)
Instructions
To make the soup:
- Put the whole chicken in a large stockpot and cover with water.
- Add chopped onions and celery.
- Bring to a boil and then simmer until the chicken if fully cooked, about an hour.
- While the chicken is cooking, make the dumpling dough (see below)
- Removed cooked chicken from the stockpot and put it on a platter to cool.
- If desired, strain the broth to remove the solids. Be sure to catch the broth and put it back into the stockpot.
- Add carrot slices and any other vegetables to the stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are soft.
- The chicken should be cool enough to handle, so pick the meat from the bones.
- Put the meat in the stockpot.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. I will sometimes add a dash of cayenne if we are sick.
- This is a basic chicken soup recipe. Now to add the dumplings.
To make the dumplings:
- Mix ingredients in order given.
- Roll out to 1/2 inch thick.
- Cut into 1" square pieces.
- Bring the soup to a rolling boil.
- Drop dumplings one at a time into the soup without stacking them.
- Stir every once in a while.
- Once all the dumplings are added, cook for 5 minutes.
- Enjoy!
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Final Thoughts
This is the kind of recipe that doesn’t need to be perfect to be good. It’s forgiving, adaptable, and meant to be cooked by feel as much as by measurement.
If you’ve never made chicken and dumplings from scratch before, don’t overthink it. Take your time, taste as you go, and trust the process. A pot of homemade chicken and dumplings is always worth the effort.
Looks delicious! I like how you have a basic base for your soup and then add whatever you have on hand to it. I haven’t had chicken and dumplings in a long time so I’ll have to try this soon!
Thanks, Jenn. It’s funny each person likes something different, some were disappointed it was dumplings instead of barley. So I pointed out that it was really the same soup – but they didn’t buy it.