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Best Homemade Chicken and Dumplings – Easy Comfort Food Recipe

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This crowd-pleasing homemade chicken and dumplings features impossibly light, spoon-dropped dumplings in a rich, savory broth. It’s a simplified version of a classic comfort food that’s perfect for potlucks, Sunday dinners, or chilly evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups water
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

  1. Sauté the vegetables. Place your Dutch oven over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons of butter. Once it’s melted and bubbling, toss in the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions turn translucent and the vegetables start to soften.
  2. Add the garlic and seasonings. Stir in the minced garlic, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Cook for another minute until the garlic is fragrant. Add a pinch of salt and pepper here to start building flavor.
  3. Brown the chicken. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pot and place the chicken thighs in the center. Let them cook undisturbed for about 4 to 5 minutes per side, until they’re golden brown.
  4. Simmer the broth. Pour in the 6 cups of chicken broth and 2 cups of water. Add the bay leaf. Use your wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
  5. Shred the chicken. Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the pot and place them on a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. Discard the bay leaf from the broth. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir to combine. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper as needed.
  6. Make the dumpling dough. While the broth simmers, prepare the dumplings. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, combine the 1 cup of milk and the ¼ cup of melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until a soft, shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop the dumplings. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Using two spoons, drop rounded spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly into the hot broth. Aim for about 1 ½ tablespoons per dumpling. You should get around 12 to 14 dumplings. Do not stir the pot after adding them.
  8. Cook the dumplings. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the dumplings cook undisturbed for 15 minutes. Do not peek! After 15 minutes, the dumplings should be puffed up, cooked through, and tender. You can test one by inserting a toothpick—it should come out clean.
  9. Finish and serve. Remove the pot from the heat. Let it rest for about 5 minutes before serving. Ladle into bowls and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Serve hot.

Notes

Don’t overmix the dumpling dough. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer when dropping dumplings. Resist the urge to peek while dumplings cook. For a thicker broth, mix 2 tablespoons cornstarch with ¼ cup cold water and stir in before adding dumplings. Season as you go for best flavor.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken and dumplings, comfort food, easy dinner, homemade, chicken recipe, dumplings, one-pot meal

Find it online: https://emmaoven.com/best-homemade-chicken-and-dumplings-easy-comfort-food-recipe/