Chicken and dumplings is a different beast from the wrapped dumplings of Asia. It's the ultimate Southern American comfort food: fluffy biscuit-like dumplings cooked in a rich, creamy chicken stew. One pot, simple ingredients, ready in under an hour. Here's how to make it from scratch.
What kind of "dumpling" is this?
This recipe uses drop dumplings — a soft, biscuit-like dough that's spooned directly into simmering stew. The dough cooks in the broth, absorbs flavor, and turns into pillowy soft "dumplings." These are different from Asian wrapped dumplings (jiaozi, gyoza, ravioli, etc.). See our explainer on the difference if you're not sure which you want.
The stew
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 3 stalks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half
- 1 lb cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt, black pepper to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas (added at end)
- Fresh parsley for garnish
The drop dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- ¾ cup buttermilk (or whole milk + 2 tsp vinegar)
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Method (about 45 minutes)
Step 1: Build the stew (20 minutes)
Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery. Cook 8 minutes until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 minute. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir constantly for 2 minutes — this makes a roux.
Slowly whisk in the chicken stock to avoid lumps. Add the milk, cooked chicken, thyme, and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Make the dumpling dough (5 minutes)
While the stew simmers: in a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a fork or your fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk and parsley until a soft dough forms. Don't overmix — a few lumps are fine.
Step 3: Drop the dumplings (15 minutes)
Make sure the stew is at a gentle simmer (not a hard boil). Using two spoons, drop heaping tablespoons of dough into the simmering stew, spacing them out. They'll grow.
Critical: cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Do not lift the lid for 15 minutes. Peeking releases steam and ruins the dumplings. Trust the process.
After 15 minutes, the dumplings should be puffed and cooked through. Test one with a toothpick — it should come out clean.
Step 4: Finish (2 minutes)
Stir in the frozen peas. Cook 2 more minutes. Remove the bay leaf. Adjust seasoning. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately in bowls.
The two styles of Southern dumplings
Fluffy dumplings (recipe above)
Soft, biscuit-like, light. Most common in the upper South.
Slick dumplings (also called "slippery dumplings" or "flat dumplings")
Rolled flat, cut into strips, and dropped into stew. Chewier, denser, more like flat noodles. Common in Pennsylvania Dutch country and parts of the South. To make: use the same dough but roll thin (⅛ inch), cut into 2-inch strips, drop into stew.
Variations
Herby: Add fresh thyme, sage, and rosemary to the dough.
Cheddar: Stir 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar into the dumpling dough.
Cornmeal: Replace ½ cup flour with cornmeal for a Southern twist.
Slow cooker: Put the stew in a slow cooker on low for 6 hours. Drop dumplings on top, cover, cook on high for 30 minutes.
Storage and reheating
Leftover chicken and dumplings keeps in the fridge for 3 days. The dumplings soak up more liquid as they sit — add a splash of broth when reheating. Don't freeze — the dumpling texture suffers.
Want to try wrapped dumplings too?
If you're a chicken-and-dumplings person and want to explore the wrapped style, start with our 5-ingredient easy dumpling recipe or quick chicken dumpling recipe — both use chicken filling and are beginner-friendly. A wooden STAMPLING™ dumpling stamp makes the wrapping nearly effortless.