Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food: tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and a rich, savory broth. This cozy, homemade classic is simple to make and perfect for chilly evenings.
Chicken and Dumplings is the best kind of comfort food. This version is adapted from a classic community cookbook and delivers hearty flavor from straightforward, everyday ingredients.
The broth turns out flavorful, the chicken stays tender, and the dumplings are delightfully light—never soggy or gummy.
I made this on a week when I needed comfort food, and the leftovers were excellent for lunches all week. Even skeptical eaters tend to enjoy it. I hope you do, too.
Ingredients
- You can use a whole chicken (economical) or cut-up chicken pieces.
- Fresh parsley adds a bright, herbaceous note to the broth.
- The teaspoon of sugar in the dumpling batter balances flavors without making the dumplings sweet.
How to Make Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
- Place the chicken, parsley, celery, carrot, salt, and pepper in a large pot or Dutch oven. Cover with water and simmer 1½ hours or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and vegetables from the broth.
- Put ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup water in a small jar, shake until smooth, and whisk that into the hot broth. Let the broth simmer until it thickens slightly while you prepare the chicken and dumpling batter.
- Whisk the milk and egg in a bowl. Add 1½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sugar; stir until combined to make the dumpling batter.
- Shred or cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces and return it to the pot. Drop dumpling batter by teaspoonfuls into the simmering broth. Cover and cook 15 minutes without peeking. Garnish with parsley and serve.
Want to add vegetables?
This recipe focuses on classic chicken and dumplings, but you can add vegetables if you like. Carrots and peas are traditional additions.
Carrots: slice into roughly 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 cup) and add them to the simmering broth about 30 minutes before the end of the chicken simmer so they become tender as the dumplings cook.
Peas: frozen peas only need a few minutes. Stir them into the broth right before you drop the dumplings in, and make sure the broth returns to a simmer.
📖 Recipe
Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
For the chicken:
- 1 raw chicken (whole or cut into pieces)
- 3 sprigs parsley (plus more for garnish)
- 2 stalks celery, chopped into 3 pieces each
- 1 carrot, chopped into 3 pieces
- 2½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup flour (for thickening)
For the dumplings:
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
For the chicken:
- Place the chicken in a large pot or Dutch oven and cover with water. Add parsley, celery, carrot, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 1½ hours or until the chicken is cooked through.
- Remove the chicken and vegetables from the broth. If desired, remove a few cups of broth to create a thicker sauce.
- Place ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup water in a jar, shake until smooth, then whisk into the hot broth. Simmer until the broth thickens slightly.
- Remove skin from the chicken, shred or cut the meat into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the pot.
For the dumplings:
- In a medium bowl whisk together the milk and egg. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar; stir to form the dumpling batter.
- With the broth at a gentle simmer, drop teaspoonfuls of batter into the pot. It may look like a lot of batter, but keep adding—everything will fit.
- Cover and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes. Garnish with fresh parsley or chives and serve.
Notes
Adding carrots: Cut into 1/4-inch pieces to make about 1 cup and add to the simmering broth while you shred the chicken. They’ll finish cooking as the dumplings steam.
Adding peas: Stir one package of frozen peas into the broth just before adding the dumplings; ensure the broth returns to a simmer first.
You can use cut-up chicken pieces instead of a whole bird; bone-in pieces usually need about an hour of simmering. Leftovers reheat well.
Nutrition
Calories: 397 kcal | Carbohydrates: 32 g | Protein: 25 g | Fat: 18 g | Sodium: 1605 mg
More Old Fashioned Comfort Food
-
Old Fashioned Swedish Meatballs -
Old Fashioned Porcupine Meatballs
-
Old Fashioned Chicken Fried Steak
-
Old Fashioned Salmon Patties
