This is truly the best chicken and dumplings recipe I’ve ever made. The broth is so rich and creamy, the chicken is tender, and those big, fluffy drop dumplings? They soak up the flavorful broth as they cook until they practically melt in your mouth. Made completely from scratch, or with a rotisserie chicken to save time, this one-pot meal tastes like it took all day. My family calls this the best thing I make, and after 3,000+ five-star reviews from home cooks just like you, I think they might be right. Grab a spoon. You’re going to want seconds.
“I made this homemade chicken and dumplings recipe exactly as written and the dumplings were so soft and tender after cooking in the creamy broth. This soup had the best flavor and was only took me about an hour even though I made it 100% from scratch. It was seriously so good that my daughter actually licked her bowl clean!” — Brittany, home cook, homesteader, and recipe tester.
Types of Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
- Drop Dumplings (this recipe!) — Thick, fluffy dough is dropped straight into the simmering soup. They steam into big, soft, pillowy rounds that soak up the creamy broth as they cook.
- Flat/Rolled Dumplings — Thin strips of dough are rolled out and cooked in the broth. Chewier and not fluffy, Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings are made with this type of dumpling.
- Biscuit Dumplings — Canned biscuit dough is cut into pieces, coated in flour, and simmered in the soup. They cook up denser and breadier, but still tasty! My Easy Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits utilizes this faster shortcut.
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How To Make Chicken and Dumplings With The Best Creamy Broth
Evaporated milk is my secret weapon in this chicken and dumplings recipe, and once you try it you’ll understand why. It gives the broth that thick, velvety, almost restaurant-quality creaminess. It has less fat than heavy cream but more richness than regular milk, landing in the perfect sweet spot for a soup that feels indulgent without being heavy. It’s also shelf-stable, so you can keep a can in your pantry and make this recipe any time the craving hits.
Regular milk or half and half will work in a pinch, but evaporated milk is what makes this recipe genuinely different from every other chicken and dumplings you’ve tried.
Tips for the Fluffiest Dumplings
- Measure flour correctly: Too much flour can make the dumplings overly dense and sink! Fluff the flour in the bag or canister with a fork, then spoon the flour into the measuring cup. Use a butter knife, scraped across the top, to level the flour.
- Don’t over-mix: Stir the dumpling dough just until it comes together. Over stirring can make them tough and overly-dense.
- Use a cookie scoop: It’s the easiest way to keep the dumplings similar in size so they cook evenly!
- Keep the lid on while the dumplings cook: It traps the steam that helps them rise and cook evenly. Opening the lid too often will slow the process.
- Simmer — don’t boil: While the dumplings cook, keep your heat to a low simmer (with little bubbles popping up). If your heat is too high, you can scorch the bottom.
Chicken and Dumplings
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, +1 extra cup of broth if using raw chicken
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken, or 1.5 lbs raw, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme, optional
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
- salt, to taste
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
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
- 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!
- If using raw chicken: Add 1 cup more of chicken broth (or water) and add the raw chicken. Simmer for 20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Shred the chicken and return it to the soup. Lower the heat and let the soup simmer, uncovered, while you make the dumplings.
- If using pre-cooked chicken: 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 just until a dough ball forms. If your dough seems too dry, you can add an extra tablespoon of milk. Do not over-mix this batter, stir it until it comes together, otherwise your dumplings can be dense!
- 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. Use one spoon to scoop 2 tablespoons of dough, then use the other spoon to push it into the pot. Try to keep the dough balls the same size for even cooking.
- Lower the heat to a low simmer and cook dumplings for 15 minutes with the pot lid on. 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. About half way through the cook time, I will press the dumplings back under the broth, breaking up any dumplings that are stuck together.
- Gently stir the soup/dumplings and cut one dumpling in half to make sure they are cooked through. If the dumplings are cooked through, serve hot! If not, cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes (with the lid on) and check again.
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Recipe Help – Frequently Asked Questions
Yes and no. You can leave out the carrots and celery if you prefer, but I highly recommend still including the onion and garlic for flavor!
Sure! If you are in a rush, follow the dumpling directions from this recipe for easy chicken and dumplings with biscuits.
This can be caused for two common reasons, expired or improperly measured baking soda or flour. The dumplings use 1 tablespoon PLUS 1 teaspoon of baking powder! If you use just 1 tablespoon they will not rise properly.
Yes, cooking dumplings longer than needed can cause them to fall apart and essentially disappear into your soup! Dumplings are done once they are fluffy and cooked through, not raw and doughy in the center.
Sure you can, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the fridge before reheating. Just know the dumplings will change in texture, becoming more mushy as they soak up all the broth.
More Comforting Chicken Recipes To Try
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings: Let the slow cooker do all the work.
- Chicken and Dumplings Casserole: Your favorite soup as a casserole.
- Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings: Mostly hands-free with great flavor!
- Garlic Parmesan Chicken: Made with just 4 ingredients!
- Baked Chicken Recipe: So juicy and tender with crispy skin.
- Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken: With my best Alfredo Sauce Recipe.
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Best Chicken and Dumplings I ever had! It turned out so good the dumplings were so fluffy and it was even better the next day!
My go to recipe for making chicken dumpling soup. The photo is the dumplings just put in the pot and a cooking for 15 minutes… I usually make a little bit more dumplings so I kind of double the recipe and shove the dough balls into the soup because that’s always the good stuff that you wanna get when you’re eating that soup… Highly recommend this recipe
I absolutely love this dough‼️‼️ It’s so very easy to make and it is delicious. I didn’t use any vegetables in my dumplings and I used leg quarters (cut meat off bone once done). I also make smaller dough because I don’t like them large. This is my go to recipe when I can’t get my mom to make her famous homemade chicken and dumplings.
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!
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.
I’m 30 minutes?! Not a chance. I do double it, but I prep the chicken and vegetables one day, then make the soup the next and it still takes 1.5 hours. I do double the recipe but bringing it to a boil takes time. Well worth the time
It took me 1.5hours to make too😊💓… not doubling, just hella pregnant and waddling around the kitchen. Lol. We enjoyed it. Yum.
Somebody made this exact recipe for me last week! I was in love at first bite. I am making it for my hubby as soon as I get back from the grocery store. Bye!
I love this recipe. It was quick came together beautifully in my crockpot the dumplings I will eat alone. The chicken is the sidekick. Thank you for sharing your recipe. It was a great guide for me.
Fabulous! Light, fluffy- just like a dream! I recently tried another chicken and dumplings- but the dumplings were flat like pir crust! YUCK! These are perfect- thank you!
The very best recipe! My entire family loves this and asks for it often.
This is a fabulous recipe. I have made it several times and it never disappoints!
Oh my gosh, this is absolutely the BEST chicken and dumplings recipe ever! The soup is so flavorful and the dumplings were light and fluffy. Perfect amount of spice…perfection in every way!!!
Made this soup today for the first time. It turned out great. I will definitely save this recipe.
Best Chicken and Dumplings I have ever eaten. I make it for my adult daughter and she loves it. Especially good in cold weather. I find when I bake the chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper that is all I need as long as you season as you shred it. It does take me awhile to get it together but its so worth it. Im glad I use the carrots now as they do add flavor.
This looks heavenly. I have been making variations of this recipe for over 50 years and my dumplings never looked like these. I will definitely be trying this recipe real soon. Thank you for your recipes. When I make my chicken and dumplings I sometimes add seasonings I use in stuffing.
Truly lovely recipe. We make it often as a family and it’s always so good!
I made this and used a rotisserie chicken meat. Turned out great. Thanks for the recipe
Such an easy and yummy dish! I used heavy cream. Saved in my faves!
Just made this tonight and it was delicious. I wanted to keep eating even after I was feeling stuffed! I used Bisquick dumplings and they turned out like fluffy clouds. The perfect complement to the rich and tasty soup. This will definitely be my go-to recipe for chicken and dumplings.
So good! My new go to for chicken and dumplings!
This is delicious! It’s a real fan favorite in the winter. Tonight, I cooked the chicken in the liquid, and it was so much better than cooking it separately and adding it in. I have to cut back on the pepper a little for my younger ones. It’s so perfect as written though!
We love this recipe and always make half a batch more of the dumplings. We usually use homemade broth and it’s delicious. We’ve made it for years now. Thank you for the recipe that is a winter staple in our home.
I love this recipe!
This is by far the best chicken and dumpling recipe I’ve tried. So creamy and comforting on this cold day in Georgia. The dumplings were so light and fluffy. It makes a lot, so the hubs and I will have several meals. Just delicious.
Could I substitute heavy cream
Hi Ashley, yes you can!
Absolutely Delish !! Would recommend this recipe to anyone that has an interest in making this dish. It’s rib sticking and lots of flavor and goes well with cold winter weather.