Homemade chicken and dumplings are only as complicated as you make them, and this recipe couldn't be any easier. Pure comfort food at its best, our chicken and dumplings recipe features a flavorful broth packed with chunks of chicken, sweet carrots, celery, and fresh thyme. This recipe calls for store-bought chicken broth, but if you prefer a thicker consistency in your soup, try our simple chicken stock. We use chicken breasts, but feel free to use a whole cut-up chicken or thighs. Just make sure to purchase skin-on, bone-in meat. We haven’t met a dumpling we didn’t like, but for this hearty soup, we didn’t use shortcuts like doughy, canned biscuits or frozen dumplings. Here, these soft, fluffy balls of delight are made with love and, of course, flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and parsley to give the soup some added texture and flavor—just like mom used to make.
How to Make It
Step 1
Bring chicken, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and broth to a boil in a large saucepan over medium. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 15 minutes or until done; remove chicken and reserve broth.
Step 2
Cool chicken 30 minutes; skin, bone, and shred or chop chicken, discarding skin and bones. Add chicken to broth.
Step 3
Melt butter in a stockpot over medium-high. Add carrots, celery, and onion; sauté 5 to 7 minutes or until vegetables are softened and lightly browned.
Step 4
Add thyme, broth mixture, and 1 cup milk. Bring to a light boil; reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 5
Meanwhile, combine flour, cornmeal, parsley, baking powder, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 1/2 cups milk in a medium bowl until blended.
Step 6
Drop dumplings, by 1/4 cupfuls, into simmering broth, stirring gently. (Pot will be very full.) Cover and simmer, stirring often, 15 minutes or until dumplings are done, and serve immediately.
