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Chef Ava

Classic Chicken and Dumplings

This Classic Chicken and Dumplings features tender shredded chicken, hearty vegetables, and a rich creamy herb broth topped with soft, fluffy homemade dumplings steamed right in the pot. Ready in just 50 minutes using one Dutch oven, this comforting family favorite is perfect for chilly evenings and cozy weeknight dinners.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Dumpling Steaming Time 15 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 485
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 2 carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 tbsp cold water
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp paprika
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 2 tbsp cold butter, cubed
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Equipment

  • Dutch oven or large soup pot
  • medium mixing bowl
  • whisk
  • wooden spoon
  • pastry cutter Optional for cutting butter into the flour.

Method
 

  1. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and cook for about 5 minutes until softened.
  2. Stir in the garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, black pepper, and paprika. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  3. Pour in the chicken broth and add the shredded chicken. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  4. Whisk together the cornstarch and cold water until smooth. Stir into the stew along with the heavy cream and cook for 3–5 minutes until slightly thickened.
  5. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly, then stir in the milk just until a soft dough forms.
  6. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough evenly over the simmering stew.
  7. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook over low heat for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
  8. Ladle the chicken, vegetables, creamy broth, and dumplings into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

Use rotisserie chicken for the quickest preparation. Keep the butter cold when making the dumplings, avoid overmixing the dough, and never lift the lid while the dumplings steam or they may become dense. Check that a dumpling is fully cooked before serving.