This homemade chicken and dumplings recipe is hands down the BEST! If you don’t believe me, just read all the reviews! Cooked in just one pot, this hearty and creamy chicken soup is loaded with big, fluffy dumplings that are made from scratch in minutes.
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Why This Recipe Really Is The Best
Chicken and dumplings are a special dish in my family. Anytime we need comfort food, you will find a big pot of creamy chicken and dumplings simmering away on the stove. I have spent my life on the hunt for the best chicken and dumplings recipe and this is it! Here’s why I know you will love it too:
- Simple To Make: While this chicken and dumplings recipe is made from scratch, it is also easy to make in under one hour. Made in just one pot, cleanup is quick too!
- Creamy Comfort: Butter and a can of evaporated milk make the broth extra creamy, making it perfect for chilly nights. A bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings is the food equivalent of a big hug from grandma.
- Fluffy Dumplings: The light and fluffy homemade dumplings are the star of the show. Made from scratch in minutes, with pantry staple ingredients, you will be hooked after that first bite!
- Versatile: I included directions for using raw chicken or cooked chicken, like a rotisserie chicken, as well as how to make it gluten free. You can even use canned biscuit dumplings for one less step!
Looking for flat/rolled dumplings instead? Try my southern chicken and dumplings!
Featured Reader Review
Oh my gosh! Winner winner chicken dinner! We love chicken and dumplings and ive made a million recipies. None of them have been THE recipe until now! Not only us this creamy, delicious and soul satisfying, its an easy, no fuss recipe! My husband is an evaporated milk fan and I really believe that to be the key to this delicious gravy. I never woukd have thought to use it!! I made two batches in the tine it took to make one for some friends. Now they think im a genius cook! Ha! This is it! Will make over and over
Key Ingredients
I always gather the ingredients, and have them prepped and ready to go, before beginning as this recipe moves quickly. Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make this homemade chicken and dumplings recipe. Scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Vegetables: I like to use a combination of onion, carrots, celery and garlic. You could also add peas, stirring them in right before you add the dumplings. If you prefer to not use vegetables, I highly recommend you still include the onion and garlic for flavor!
- Evaporated Milk: Evaporated milk makes the broth extra creamy with less fat than heavy cream. Whole milk or half and half will also work.
- Chicken: I always use a store bought rotisserie chicken, or shredded cooked chicken, since it makes this recipe much faster. However, I included directions for using raw chicken as well!
- Baking Powder: The dumplings use 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon of baking powder! If you use just 1 tablespoon the dumplings will not rise properly.
- Milk: Use whole milk, 2% milk, or evaporated milk. Do not use fat free or skim milk. Dumplings need some fat to stay soft and moist.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
Here is a quick step-by-step showing you how to make chicken and dumplings. This classic comfort food dinner is easier than you think! Below is a quick recipe overview, but please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post for full instructions and to watch the step-by-step video.
Make the Chicken Soup
- Cook the veggies: I melt the butter and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until they soften in a large heavy bottomed pot. Then I add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Make a roux to thicken the broth: Sprinkle the flour over the veggies and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.
- Simmer: Add the evaporated milk and broth. Bring to a simmer and add chicken, thyme, salt and pepper. Let soup simmer, uncovered, while you make dumplings.
How to Make Dumplings for Chicken and Dumplings
Once your soup base is simmering, it’s time to make the dumplings. This recipe uses drop dumplings, but I have also made it with canned biscuit dumplings. Follow the dumpling directions from my chicken and dumplings with biscuits to use a can of biscuits instead.
- Dry ingredients: Whisk to combine the dry ingredients in a medium sized bowl.
- Combine: Add in the butter and milk, stirring together with a wooden spoon, until dough forms.
- Add the dumplings: Scoop the dough into balls, with two spoons or cookie scoop, and drop directly into the soup. Lightly press dumplings down under the broth with a spoon.
- Simmer: Cover pot with lid, reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 15 minutes.
- Check for doneness: Gently stir the soup. Cut a dumpling in half to check if it is cooked through. If not, cook a few more minutes (with the lid on) and test again.
- Serve: Once the dumplings are cooked, ladle the soup into bowls, serve and enjoy!
Chef’s Tips & FAQs
- Evaporated Milk: It is VERY IMPORTANT that you make sure and use evaporated milk and not condensed milk. If you don’t have evaporated milk, whole milk or half and half are good substitutes!
- How to scoop the dumplings: I always scoop my dumplings with a cookie scoop as it is the easiest method. However, you can also use two spoons! Scoop a round of dough with one spoon and push it into the pot with your second spoon. Make the dumplings similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Why aren’t my dumplings cooking through? Make sure you have the lid on the pot and that the soup is simmering at a low bubble! This is important to trap in the heat to evenly cook the dumplings.
- Dense Dumplings: Dense or sinking dumplings is usually caused by expired baking powder or improperly measured flour.
- Test baking powder. Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over 1/2 tsp baking powder. If it bubbles and foams, it’s good. If not, it’s gone bad.
- Properly measure flour. Fluff the flour in the bag or canister with a fork. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Then scrape a knife across the top of the measuring cup to level the flour.
Chicken and Dumpling Variations
- Herbs: I love adding fresh thyme to my soup and dumplings as it adds a great mild herb-y flavor. You can skip it completely, or swap it for dried parsley, rosemary or Italian seasoning. If using rosemary, I recommend cutting the amount in half.
- Want to use raw chicken? Add a cup more of chicken broth and add 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs during step #4. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken and continue with the recipe as written.
- Want to use your slow cooker? Try this crockpot chicken and dumplings (with homemade dumplings) or easy slow cooker chicken and dumplings (with canned biscuits). You may also enjoy this instant pot chicken and dumplings!
- Gluten free: To thicken the soup, use cornstarch instead of flour. Before adding the dumplings, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the soup. For the dumplings, many readers have had success substituting this gluten free flour blend 1:1 for the flour.
Yield: 6 servings
Best Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
This homemade Chicken and Dumplings recipe is loaded with big fluffy dumplings that are made from scratch in just minutes! Made in just one pot, cleanup is extra quick too!
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk, or half and half
- 1 (32 oz) quart chicken stock
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, or see notes below for raw chicken
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
- salt, to taste
Homemade Dumplings:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon, baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- ¾ cup (6 oz) whole milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
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Instructions
- In a large heavy bottomed pot like a dutch oven, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes, until vegetables being to soften. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine. You are making a roux to thicken the soup and make it creamy. It's very important to keep stirring to prevent burning or lumps!
- Bring to a boil and add the chicken, thyme, black pepper and salt. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, while you make the dumplings.
Dumplings
- In a medium sized bowl, whisk to combine the flour, baking powder, pepper, salt and thyme. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the milk and butter into the center of it.
- Using a wooden spoon (or rubber spatula), stir together until a dough ball forms. If your dough seems too dry, you can add an extra tablespoon of milk.
- Using a medium sized cookie scoop, scoop dough and drop directly into the simmering soup. Place them around the pot, not all in the same place. Once all dumplings have been added, gently press them down so the soup runs over just the tops of them. You can also use two spoons to scoop the dumplings, using one spoon to scoop and the other to push the dough into the pot. Try to keep the dough balls the same size for even cooking.
- Place the lid on your pot and lower the heat to a low simmer. You don’t want the bottom of the soup to burn, but want the soup to still be simmering (a low bubble) to cook the dumplings.
- Cook dumplings for 15 minutes with the pot lid on. Gently stir the soup/dumplings and cut one dumpling in half to make sure they are cooked through. About half way through the cook time, I will usually open the lid once and press the dumplings back under the broth. I will also break up any dumplings that may be sticking together.
- If the dumplings are cooked through, serve hot! If not, cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes and check again.
Video
Notes
Storage: I recommend storing the soup and dumplings separately. If stored together, the dumplings absorb the extra liquid and become mushy. Separate the dumplings and soup into separate airtight containers. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Reheat: Place desired amount of soup and dumplings in a microwave safe bowl and microwave in 30 second bursts, until warmed through. You can add additional chicken broth, if needed.
Want to use raw chicken? Add a cup more of chicken broth and add 1.5 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs during step #4. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken and continue with the recipe as written.
Canned biscuit dumplings: Follow the dumpling directions from my chicken and dumplings with biscuits to use a can of biscuits instead.
Gluten free: To thicken the soup, use cornstarch instead of flour. Before adding the dumplings, whisk 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the soup. For the dumplings, many readers have had success substituting this gluten free flour blend 1:1 for the flour.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving, Calories: 667kcal, Carbohydrates: 54g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 33g, Saturated Fat: 17g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 10g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 145mg, Sodium: 1140mg, Potassium: 812mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 12g, Vitamin A: 3945IU, Vitamin C: 9mg, Calcium: 367mg, Iron: 5mg
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Test Kitchen Review
Brittany
I made the recipe exactly as written, except I used raw chicken breasts as that is what I had on hand. It was seriously so good that my daughter actually licked her bowl clean! The combination of the creamy chicken soup and the big fluffy dumplings is perfection!
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I made this Chicken and Dumplings. Didn’t stray from ingredients. There was enough leftover for one bowl. I actually dreamt of this the night I made it. (What kind of witchcraft was this?) I got up early and heated that leftover for breakfast, omg! So good!
I haven’t tried any other chicken and dumplings recipes but I am certain this is THEE best! Fell in love as soon as I tasted it. Had to leave a review, which I never bother to do! Definitely adding to my rotation as the weather is cooler.
This was so perfect! Made it at the cabin, used chicken thighs and cooked them to make broth. This was the PERFECT recipe.I will continue to make it.
This recipe is phenomenal. The best chicken and dumplings I’ve ever had! I make this for my family often and they absolutely love it. I’ve made it for a couple of different friends lately, who have had surgery and needed a meal. Everyone raves about it.
Oh my gosh! Winner winner chicken dinner! We love chicken and dumplings and ive made a million recipies. None of them have been THE recipe until now! Not only us this creamy, delicious and soul satisfying, its an easy, no fuss recipe! My husband is an evaporated milk fan and I really believe that to be the key to this delicious gravy. I never woukd have thought to use it!! I made two batches in the tine it took to make one for some friends. Now they think im a genius cook! Ha! This is it! Will make over and over
This chicken and dumplings is the best I ever had. Grandmoms was good, but this was GREAT, This recipe come together in 30 minutes. By the way this is a great way
to use your Costco Rotisserie Chicken. Thank you this made my day.
Made this today, and we both loved it. Its a winner. Think I’ll make the dumplings a bit smaller next time. But they, plus the soup, were very delicious. I just need to learn not to over cook the chicken. I’ll definitely be making it again
Absolutely LOVED this meal! I did use coconut milk (dairy sensitivity) instead of the evaporated milk/or half and half , and left out the thyme (didn’t have any). Used a Costco rotisserie chicken as well. Definitely going to be making this again.
The soup was very delicious. The whole family loved it. However, the dumplings never fully cooked in the middle. I let them cook about twice as long as the recipe said to but they were still doughy and floury inside. Any suggestions?
Hi Michelle! When you say the centers were raw – do you truly mean raw uncooked dough? Or just a soft doughy texture? Drop dumplings are doughy in the center, it’s just the type of dumpling they are. So you may prefer canned biscuit dumplings or rolled flat style dumplings instead! I have both options in other recipes, hopefully one of them will match your tastes better. 🙂
Flat/Rolled Dumplings: https://thenovicechefblog.com/southern-chicken-and-dumplings/
Canned Biscuit Dumplings: https://thenovicechefblog.com/quick-and-delicious-stove-top-chicken-and-dumplings/
It is good to know that is the type of dumpling they are. They were not raw, just not as cooked as I expected. Thank you for sharing the other recipes – I will check those out.
To die for! This recipe is elegant comfort food! I used half and half instead of evaporated milk. I will be doing this one again.
What can I replace the milk with for the dumplings?
Hi Sandra! You can use any liquid and they will work, but it will alter the taste and possibly texture. The milk adds fat, making them tender. However, you could use something like chicken broth too.
Excellent recipe, I enjoyed!
Honestly this is the best recipe & I’ve made chicken n dumplings for years. I used a few different recipes depending what I felt like having, but every now & then I searched for a new one. So glad I found this one! i’ll be making it again soon. It was that good. I used fresh baby carrots instead of matchstix and I always do the dumplings from bisquick mix. great tasting recipe.
I made this recipe today. I made my own broth from the wings, skin, and the rest of the carcass from a Costco rotisserie chicken. I omitted the Thyme in the soup and added 1 Tblsp. of parsley to the dumplings which comes from my childhood. Mom made awesome dumplings.
This is an excellent recipe. I will use it again and adapt the process to a couple of other soups we love.
I have been craving chicken and dumpling soup for weeks. After a long week at work I decided to treat myself to comfort in the form of soup. I found this recipe immediately and was hopeful based on reviews. I’m normally the type to tweak a recipe before I even try it but something told me to test it like is first. I am so glad I did. Honestly one of the best soups I’ve had in a long time. This soup is like getting a hug from your mom after a really terrible day. This is a soup I could absolutely see myself making for friends or family to show them just how loved and cared for they are. I am convinced that anyone who just needs a little extra something after a long day could find comfort in this. The dumplings were flavorful and the soup itself was rich and filled with the flavors of thyme and veggies. I’ve already shared the recipe with 3 people and will be adding this to my collection of recipes to be saved.
This turned out GREAT!
Delish, only thing I did differently was to leave out the flour in the second step ,the dumplings were enough to thicken the broth and milk combo perfectly. I doubled the recipe and everyone went back for more . Thank you
Love the dumplings! Just what I was looking for. I make chicken soup all the time, but couldn’t get the right dumplings. Thank you
Well this was amazing. My husband and I just fought over the leftovers and he asked when I was making this again. And I cook a lot so that says a lot coming from him.
Delicious!! Will be making again
Will it still be good if I don’t have a Dutch oven?
Absolutely! A dutch oven just heats up very evenly and works great for soups like this, but any soup pot will work as long as it’s large enough and has a lid (or you can wrap foil over the top).
Best Dumplings ever, next time I will leave out the thyme but overall ever good!
This is far and away the best chicken and dumplings recipe I have found. I tend to collect them when I haven’t quite found what it is I’m looking for yet. I found it and I’ll be tossing the rest of the recipes that I have printed out over the years. Thank you so much for such a wonderful recipe.
Absolutely deserving of its name! I added some crushed red pepper flakes as I like a bit of spice. Thank you for sharing. The evaporated milk was genius.
What if I don’t have evaporated milk or half/half. Snowed in and all I have is 1% milk. Can I add extra butter to milk to substitute for whole milk? Thank you!
Hi Barbara, yes you can use 1% but it will be a lot less creamy. It should still be tasty though, just not as rich. I would recommend using a little less milk so it hopefully the broth stays a little thicker.
My husband and I just finished our chicken and dumplings and both agree the thyme was a bit much, particularly since it was in both the broth and dumplings. I realize it was an optional ingredient, but didn’t expect it to be so domineering. Outside of that, the broth and dumplings were very tasty and I might make it again without the thyme.