Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (2024)

by Tiffany King 445 Comments

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (1)

A bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings. A glass of sweet tea. It’s a meal any Kentuckian would be proud to fix and danged happy to sit down to.

And it’s not hard to make. Come on, I’ll show you how…

You probably have all the ingredients for these dumplings in your kitchen right now.

And you don’t have to be a great cook to make them.

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (2)

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

First, here’s what you’ll need to make your old fashioned, homemade chicken and dumplings:

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (3)

  • about 3 cups cooked chicken
  • 6-8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • salt to taste (I just shake some in)
  • about a cup of milk, maybe a bit less

In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender.

Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter.

I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (4)

Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin.

Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eyeball it.

Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (5)

Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.

Ifthey will be cookedsoon, this method works well.

If I’m going to cook them later in the day I layer them on a cookie sheet with wax paper between and lots of flour.

You can also freeze them like this and then transfer them to a ziplock bag.

To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them.

The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting.

Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (6)

Print Recipe

4.05 from 239 votes

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings – It’s Easy. Really.

Ingredients

  • about 3 cups cooked chicken
  • 6-8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 Tbs. butter
  • 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  • salt to taste I just shake some in
  • about a cup of milk maybe a bit less

Instructions

  • In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

  • Heavily flour a work surface. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut the dumplings with. I like to use a pizza cutter. I also like to use a small spatula to lift the dumplings off the cutting surface.

  • Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact. Just eye ball it. Some will be bigger, some smaller, some shaped funny.

  • Use the floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings. If they will be cooked soon, this method works well. If I’m going to cook them later in the day I layer them on a cookie sheet with wax paper between and lots of flour. You can also freeze them like this and then transfer them to a ziplock bag.

  • To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken to the pot and you’re done!

Want to try other tasty chicken and dumplings recipes?

Here are three more homemade chicken and dumpling recipes:

Made in the Slow Cooker

Made in a Slow Cooker with Gnocchi

Drop Dumpling Stew

Have you ever made homemade chicken and dumplings?

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (7)

Eat at Home Weekly Meal Plans

Join thousands of happy members and let us do your meal planning and grocery list making for you. We make dinner fiteasily into your days by giving you 15-minute meals, lots of slow cooker meals and keeping things simple. Find out how you can become a member here.

Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›

A teaspoon of sugar adds an extremely subtle hint of sweetness. It also helps the dumplings retain their moisture through the cooking process and slows gluten development, which ensures tender dumplings. A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Can you eat chicken and dumplings on a diet? ›

Is Chicken and Dumplings Healthy? Chicken and dumplings is a classic Southern comfort food dish, but it isn't necessarily the healthiest dish. Traditional chicken and dumplings from scratch uses a lot of rich ingredients like chicken fat, butter, and heavy cream.

Why are my chicken and dumplings not fluffy? ›

If it's boiling too hard, the dumpling dough can fall apart. Simmering broth might not be hot enough to raise the dumpling dough. Remove or tilt the lid after they've cooked so the dumplings don't over-steam and get soggy and dense. At least, that's the way I was taught and dumplings come out fluffy and delicious.

What are the 3 components of dumplings? ›

What are dumplings made of? The dumpling dough is made of three main ingredients: flour, water and salt. But which flour you use depends on which dumpling you want to make.

What's the best flour for dumplings? ›

For dumplings, 🌾 all-purpose flour 🌾 is typically the best type to use. It has a moderate protein content, which gives the dumplings a tender and soft texture. 🍴 If you want a slightly denser dumpling, you can use 🌾 cake flour 🌾 or 🌾 self-rising flour 🌾, which have lower protein contents.

Are homemade dumplings healthy? ›

Dumplings can be healthy or unhealthy depending on the ingredients used. Traditional dumplings made with ground meat, vegetables, and whole grain flour can be a balanced meal. However, dumplings with refined flour and high-fat meat can be high in calories and unhealthy.

Are dumplings good or bad for you? ›

As long as they're not pre-deep fried and contain whole, healthy ingredients they are an okay option, according to Austin. Aside from meat quality and how the dumplings have been cooked, the vegetable content (or lack thereof) is also crucial in knowing whether dumplings are a healthy food option.

What to eat with dumplings? ›

The best side dishes to serve with Asian dumplings (East Asia) are ramen, tomato and egg stir fry, fried greens, chilli miso steamed aubergine, pork belly fried rice, cucumber salad (Oi Muchim), tahini miso noodles, and claypot tofu.

How do you thicken chicken and dumplings? ›

Use Cornstarch to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings

To give that a little thicker texture we're going to add 1 cup of cool water to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir it up well. Make sure the soup is brought back to a good boil and go ahead and stir in the cornstarch mixture.

Should chicken and dumplings be covered? ›

(Note that the dumplings will easily double in size as they cook.) Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil.

What is another name for chicken and dumplings? ›

Chicken and dumplings
Alternative namesChicken and pastry, chicken and sliders, chicken and slicks
TypeDumpling
Place of originUnited States, Quebec
Region or stateSouthern and Midwestern United States
2 more rows

Do you cook dumplings with lid on or lid off? ›

Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!

What makes chicken and dumplings tough? ›

Using too much flour: If you use too much flour in your dumpling dough, the dumplings will be dense and tough. Be sure to measure the flour carefully and follow the recipe closely. Using the wrong type of flour: Different types of flour have different protein levels, which can affect the texture of the dumplings.

Why do my chicken and dumplings taste like flour? ›

If your dumplings taste like flour, that means the flour hasn't been cooked thoroughly. David Mowbray is right -- You need a new recipe! Do I add flour even if my batter tastes like flour?

What keeps dumplings from falling apart? ›

Don't boil or stir the dumplings.

Vigorous boiling and stirring will cause the dumplings to fall apart.

How to make dumplings more juicy? ›

Hand-mincing meat and adding more pork belly results in the juiciest dumplings. Traditionally, some Chinese cuisine uses hand minced meat for their dishes. For example, lots of dim sum items like siu mai, pork buns, beef meatball, and more use hand minced meat to control the texture and fat content of the dish!

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Last Updated:

Views: 6579

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (42 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fr. Dewey Fisher

Birthday: 1993-03-26

Address: 917 Hyun Views, Rogahnmouth, KY 91013-8827

Phone: +5938540192553

Job: Administration Developer

Hobby: Embroidery, Horseback riding, Juggling, Urban exploration, Skiing, Cycling, Handball

Introduction: My name is Fr. Dewey Fisher, I am a powerful, open, faithful, combative, spotless, faithful, fair person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.