I never met a bowl of chicken and dumplings this fluffy, rich, and family-approved that came together so easily from scratch. This is the old fashioned comfort food recipe that disappears fast and gets requested again before the dishes are done.
I’m obsessed with old fashioned homemade chicken and dumplings because it tastes like real dinner, not some sad shortcut in a bowl. The chicken turns tender, the broth gets rich and thick, and those soft dumplings?
I could eat them straight from the pot. I love how the whole thing feels hearty without being fussy, with carrots adding just enough sweetness to balance all that savory goodness.
And the dumplings soak up every bit of flavor like they were born for it. But honestly, I make this because everyone at my table goes quiet first.
Then asks for seconds. Total win.
Ingredients
- Bone-in chicken makes the broth rich, cozy, and way more “Grandma made it.
”
- Broth or water gives everything a soft, savory base to hang onto.
- Onion melts down and adds that familiar home-cooked smell right away.
- Carrots bring a little sweetness, color, and yep, some actual vegetables.
- Celery adds a gentle crunch and keeps the flavor from feeling too heavy.
- Bay leaves and thyme make the pot taste slow-simmered and old-school.
- Salt and pepper keep it simple, but they matter more than you think.
- Butter and flour thicken the broth into that creamy, spoon-coating goodness.
- Dumpling flour and baking powder make them fluffy, tender, and not brick-like.
- Shortening or cold butter gives dumplings that soft, biscuit-style bite.
- Whole milk makes the dumplings richer, softer, and just plain better.
- Plus, parsley adds freshness so the whole bowl doesn’t feel too heavy.
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 to 4 pound whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 3 to 4 pounds bone in thighs and breasts)
- 10 cups chicken broth or water
- 1 large yellow onion, quartered
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 celery stalks, sliced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose flour for thickening the broth
- 2 cups all purpose flour for dumplings
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt for dumplings
- 4 tablespoons shortening or cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 1/4 cups milk (whole milk recommended) for dumplings
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish and flavor
How to Make this
1. Place the whole chicken pieces in a large stockpot with 10 cups chicken broth or water, the quartered onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; bring to a simmer and cook gently until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.
2. Remove the chicken to a platter and set aside to cool slightly; strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids and returning the strained broth to the stove; keep broth at a gentle simmer.
3. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat into bite sized pieces; reserve.
4. In a small saucepan or in the same pot if room permits, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat; whisk in 1/3 cup all purpose flour and cook, whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes to form a blond roux.
5. Slowly whisk the simmering strained broth into the roux until smooth and slightly thickened; return the shredded chicken to the pot and keep the broth at a gentle simmer.
6. Make the dumpling dough by whisking together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl; cut in 4 tablespoons shortening or cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
7. Stir in 1 1/4 cups milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; do not overmix.
8. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough into the gently simmering broth, spacing them a little apart; cover the pot tightly and cook without lifting the lid for 12 to 15 minutes, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot with plenty of broth, chicken and fluffy dumplings.
Equipment Needed
1. Large stockpot (at least 6 to 8 quart)
2. Fine mesh sieve or strainer
3. Small saucepan
4. Whisk
5. Mixing bowls (one medium for dumpling dough)
6. Pastry cutter or fork for cutting in fat
7. Chef knife and cutting board
8. Measuring cups and spoons
9. Slotted spoon or tongs for handling chicken and dumplings
FAQ
Old Fashioned Homemade Chicken And Dumplings Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Chicken: use 3 to 4 pounds bone in turkey pieces or a mix of boneless skinless chicken thighs for richer flavor and quicker cooking.
- Chicken broth or water: substitute low sodium vegetable broth for a lighter, vegetarian-friendly base or use bouillon concentrated paste dissolved in water for deeper flavor.
- Unsalted butter: replace with equal amount of olive oil for a lighter result or use ghee for a nuttier, high-heat option.
- Dumpling milk: swap whole milk for buttermilk for tangy, fluffier dumplings or use a non dairy milk like oat milk for similar texture.
Pro Tips
1. For richer, deeper broth, brown the chicken pieces lightly in a hot pan before adding them to the pot. A little color adds big flavor, and you can still skim any foam for a clear stock.
2. When making the roux, cook it only until it smells nutty and turns a pale blond. Overcooking will dull the thickening power and can give the broth a toasty flavor you may not want. Whisk broth in slowly to avoid lumps.
3. Keep the simmer for the dumplings gentle and steady. If the liquid boils, dumplings can become tough or fall apart; a low simmer lets them puff up tender and evenly cooked.
4. Handle the dumpling dough as little as possible. Mix until just combined and use a spoon to drop dough. Overworking develops gluten and makes dumplings dense instead of fluffy.
5. Leftovers improve overnight. The flavors meld and dumplings soak up broth a bit, so refresh by reheating gently and stirring in a splash of broth or milk to loosen the stew before serving.
Old Fashioned Homemade Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
I never met a bowl of chicken and dumplings this fluffy, rich, and family-approved that came together so easily from scratch. This is the old fashioned comfort food recipe that disappears fast and gets requested again before the dishes are done.
6
servings
750
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large stockpot (at least 6 to 8 quart)
2. Fine mesh sieve or strainer
3. Small saucepan
4. Whisk
5. Mixing bowls (one medium for dumpling dough)
6. Pastry cutter or fork for cutting in fat
7. Chef knife and cutting board
8. Measuring cups and spoons
9. Slotted spoon or tongs for handling chicken and dumplings
Ingredients
-
3 to 4 pound whole chicken, cut into pieces (or 3 to 4 pounds bone in thighs and breasts)
-
10 cups chicken broth or water
-
1 large yellow onion, quartered
-
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
-
3 celery stalks, sliced
-
2 bay leaves
-
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
-
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
-
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
-
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
-
1/3 cup all purpose flour for thickening the broth
-
2 cups all purpose flour for dumplings
-
1 tablespoon baking powder
-
1 teaspoon salt for dumplings
-
4 tablespoons shortening or cold butter, cut into small pieces
-
1 1/4 cups milk (whole milk recommended) for dumplings
-
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish and flavor
Directions
- Place the whole chicken pieces in a large stockpot with 10 cups chicken broth or water, the quartered onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, bay leaves, thyme, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; bring to a simmer and cook gently until chicken is cooked through and tender, about 45 to 60 minutes.
- Remove the chicken to a platter and set aside to cool slightly; strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids and returning the strained broth to the stove; keep broth at a gentle simmer.
- When the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove and discard the skin and bones and shred or chop the meat into bite sized pieces; reserve.
- In a small saucepan or in the same pot if room permits, melt 4 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat; whisk in 1/3 cup all purpose flour and cook, whisking, for 1 to 2 minutes to form a blond roux.
- Slowly whisk the simmering strained broth into the roux until smooth and slightly thickened; return the shredded chicken to the pot and keep the broth at a gentle simmer.
- Make the dumpling dough by whisking together 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt in a bowl; cut in 4 tablespoons shortening or cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in 1 1/4 cups milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; do not overmix.
- Drop heaping tablespoons of dough into the gently simmering broth, spacing them a little apart; cover the pot tightly and cook without lifting the lid for 12 to 15 minutes, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed, stir in 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, and serve hot with plenty of broth, chicken and fluffy dumplings.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 500g
- Total number of serves: 6
- Calories: 750kcal
- Fat: 35g
- Saturated Fat: 13g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Polyunsaturated: 3.5g
- Monounsaturated: 15g
- Cholesterol: 180mg
- Sodium: 800mg
- Potassium: 600mg
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 3g
- Protein: 62g
- Vitamin A: 5000IU
- Vitamin C: 2.5mg
- Calcium: 57mg
- Iron: 1.3mg