Description
Southern comfort shines through this classic Chicken and Dumplings, blending tender poached chicken with pillowy flour dumplings swimming in rich, creamy broth. Hearty home cooking delivers pure warmth with each comforting spoonful you’ll savor.
Ingredients
Scale
Protein:
- 1 whole chicken (about 4 lbs), cut into pieces
Vegetables:
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
Broth and Seasoning:
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Dumpling Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Dumpling Wet Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
Instructions
- Create a robust chicken stew by combining chicken pieces, aromatic vegetables, and herbs in a large pot, covering with chicken broth at medium-high heat until boiling.
- Reduce temperature to low, allowing the mixture to gently simmer for approximately 45 minutes, ensuring chicken becomes tender and vegetables soften completely.
- Extract chicken from the liquid, meticulously shred meat using two forks, discarding bones and returning shredded protein back into the fragrant broth.
- Enhance stew’s richness by incorporating heavy cream, stirring thoroughly to integrate seamlessly.
- Prepare dumpling mixture by whisking flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate mixing bowl.
- Incorporate melted butter and milk into dry ingredients, creating a soft, slightly sticky dough with consistent texture.
- Elevate stew’s temperature to a gentle simmer, creating perfect environment for dumpling cooking.
- Carefully drop rounded spoonfuls of dumpling dough into simmering liquid, ensuring they do not touch each other.
- Cover pot and allow dumplings to steam undisturbed for 15 minutes, permitting them to puff and cook thoroughly.
- Once dumplings appear fluffy and cooked, remove bay leaf and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately while piping hot, offering a comforting, hearty meal.
Notes
- Enhance flavor by browning chicken before simmering to develop deeper, richer taste profiles.
- Substitute whole milk with dairy-free alternatives like almond or oat milk for lactose-intolerant guests.
- Customize dumplings by adding herbs like rosemary or chives directly into the dough for extra aromatic complexity.
- Keep dumpling size consistent for even cooking and ensure they don’t touch each other while simmering to prevent sticking.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Lunch, Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Southern American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 370 kcal
- Sugar: 3 g
- Sodium: 450 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg