This easy chicken and dumplings recipe features tender chicken, fluffy homemade dumplings, and a rich creamy broth — the perfect cozy comfort food for any night of the week.
Comfort Food at Its Coziest
When the weather turns chilly, there’s nothing quite like a really good bowl of chicken and dumplings to warm you right up. ♡
This recipe checks all the comfort food boxes — cozy, creamy, and full of that homemade flavor that just hits the spot on a chilly night. Plus, it’s easier to make than you might think and always disappears fast around here!
All you need are a few everyday ingredients to create a rich, creamy stew with perfectly fluffy homemade dumplings. I love using shredded rotisserie chicken to keep things quick and easy, but feel free to use whatever cooked chicken you have on hand. However you make it, this one’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser — a classic you’ll want to come back to again and again!
Recipe Tips
If you’ve never made chicken and dumplings before, here are a few simple tips to help you get perfectly fluffy dumplings and rich, flavorful broth every time:
- Don’t overmix the dumplings. Stir the batter until just combined — overmixing will make them dense instead of light and tender.
- Keep the lid closed. Once you drop the dumplings into the stew, resist the urge to lift the lid! The steam is what cooks them evenly and keeps them fluffy.
- Use a cookie scoop. This is my favorite method for dropping the dumplings in the broth, since it makes them easy to scoop and evenly-sized to cook at the same rate. But if you don’t have a cookie scoop, a simple spoon works too. ;)
- Use rotisserie chicken. For an easy shortcut, shred a store-bought rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken from scratch.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few easy ways that you can customize this recipe to make it your own:
- Add extra veggies: Add some mushrooms, parsnips, or diced potatoes to the stew.
- Add herbs: Stir in your favorite fresh herbs, such as rosemary, sage, or tarragon.
- Make it dairy-free: Swap the butter for olive oil and use full-fat coconut milk or a plant-based cream.
- Add a splash of wine: Deglazing the pan with a bit of dry white wine adds extra depth of flavor to the broth.
- Use turkey: Perfect for Thanksgiving leftovers — just swap in shredded cooked turkey in place of chicken.
Yes! You can make the stew up to two days ahead of time. When you’re ready to serve, bring it back to a simmer and drop in the fresh dumplings to cook.
The stew itself freezes beautifully (without the dumplings). Reheat it on the stove, then make and cook the dumplings fresh before serving.
Shredded rotisserie chicken is my go-to for convenience, but poached or roasted chicken breasts or thighs also work perfectly.
They were likely overmixed, or the lid was lifted while cooking. Mix gently and keep the lid closed for the full 15 minutes.
More Cozy Chicken Recipes To Try
Looking for more cozy and comforting chicken recipes to make this time of year? Here are a few of our favorites:
Chicken and Dumplings
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 6 servings
Description
This easy chicken and dumplings recipe features tender chicken, fluffy homemade dumplings, and a rich creamy broth — the perfect cozy comfort food for any night of the week.
Ingredients
Chicken Stew:
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 2 celery ribs, diced
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
- fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
- 3 cups (about 1.5 pounds) shredded cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
Dumplings:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Start the stew. Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt. Cook 5–6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
- Build the base. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, 1–2 minutes. Slowly whisk in chicken stock, stirring constantly. Add bay leaf, thyme, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes.
- Mix dumplings. While the stew is simmering, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter. Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
- Finish the stew. Stir in chicken, peas, and cream to the stew. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Keep at a gentle simmer.
- Cook dumplings. Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto the simmering stew. (I recommend using a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop, or you can just use a spoon and eyeball it.) Cover with lid, reduce heat to low, and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
- Serve. Remove lid, discard bay leaf, and check one dumpling to be sure it’s cooked through. Serve hot, topped with parsley and a twist of black pepper, and enjoy!
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