Description
This classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe offers a comforting, hearty meal featuring tender chicken simmered with aromatic vegetables and flavorful herbs, topped with soft, fluffy homemade dumplings. Perfect for a cozy family dinner, this dish combines rich broth, creamy half-and-half, and garden-fresh peas for a satisfying one-pot meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs (see notes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (Franks hot sauce recommended)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup frozen peas
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Dumplings
- 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ cup cold sour cream
- ¼ cup cold milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Heat olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Season the chicken breasts or thighs with salt and pepper, then add them to the pot. Brown the chicken on all sides, about 5-7 minutes, then remove and set aside.
- Sauté the Vegetables: Add butter to the same pot. Once melted, sauté diced onion, carrots, and celery until vegetables soften and the onions become translucent, approximately 5 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook for an additional 1 minute until fragrant.
- Create the Roux and Broth: Sprinkle the 1/3 cup flour over the vegetables and stir continuously to create a roux, cooking for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring there are no lumps, then add the Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, chicken bouillon cube (if using), onion powder, dried herbs (basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary), mustard powder, ground sage, and pepper. Return the chicken pieces to the pot, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer, cover, and cook for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and tender.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove the chicken from the pot and shred the meat using two forks, discarding bones. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Add half and half and frozen peas; stir to combine and heat through.
- Prepare the Dumpling Dough: In a mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Add the cold sour cream and cold milk and stir just until combined. Stir in melted butter until dough comes together but do not overmix.
- Cook the Dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling batter by the tablespoon onto the simmering stew. Cover the pot tightly and cook for 15-20 minutes without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
- Final Touches and Serve: Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot, ensuring each bowl gets a generous amount of chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings for a hearty meal.
Notes
- This Chicken and Dumplings recipe is easy to make with homemade dumplings or refrigerated biscuits right on the stovetop.
- Use bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs for best flavor and tenderness; thighs provide more moisture.
- Adjust hot sauce quantity to your preferred spice level.
- If you prefer a thicker broth, reduce the amount of chicken broth slightly or simmer uncovered after adding dumplings.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2-3 days and can be reheated gently on the stovetop.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 657 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 1410 mg
- Fat: 38 g
- Saturated Fat: 20 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 29 g
- Cholesterol: 136 mg
