Description
Chicken and Dumplings the name alone feels like a hug waiting to happen. This version is creamy, comforting, and deeply savory, with tender chicken and cloud-soft dumplings that soak in every bit of goodness.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Soup:
- 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 (plus 1 extra cup 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
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme), optional
- 3/4 cup whole milk (6 oz)
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to create a roux.
- Slowly pour in evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring to create a smooth base.
- If using raw chicken, add extra cup of broth, simmer 20 minutes until cooked, shred, and return to pot.
- If using cooked chicken, bring soup to a boil, add chicken, thyme, pepper, and salt, then reduce to simmer.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, pepper, salt, and thyme. Add milk and melted butter. Stir just until a soft dough forms.
- Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dough into simmering soup. Gently press tops under broth.
- Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes. Press dumplings lightly halfway through cooking.
- Check dumplings for doneness. If needed, cook 3–4 minutes longer. Serve warm.
Notes
Keep the simmer gentle to ensure tender dumplings. Do not overmix the dough. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 3–4 days and reheat gently with extra broth or milk if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 95mg
