Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

This homemade chicken and dumplings brings tender chicken, soft dumplings, and a rich, creamy broth together in one pot. Browning the chicken first builds a savory base, while vegetables, herbs, and a little apple cider give every spoonful plenty of flavor.

Make it for Sunday dinner or a cool evening when you want something warm and filling. I’ll walk you through the chicken, the broth, and the dumplings so you know what to look for at each step.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Flavor starts in the pot. The browned chicken and vegetables give the broth a savory foundation.
• The dumplings are homemade. Pantry staples turn into tender dumplings right in the simmering soup.
• It’s a full meal. Chicken, vegetables, and dumplings make a satisfying bowl without a long list of sides.
• The finish is creamy. Cream goes in at the end, along with parsley and thyme.

Key Ingredients

You’ll find all ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card below. Here’s what each part brings to the pot:

• Chicken: A cut-up chicken gives you the bone-in pieces used in this recipe. Buying it already cut saves prep work.
• All-purpose flour: Used to coat the chicken, thicken the broth, and make the dumplings. Keep the portions for those jobs separate.
• Onion, carrots, celery, and garlic: The aromatic base. Chop the vegetables into manageable pieces so they cook evenly.
• Chicken stock and apple cider: Stock carries the savory flavor; cider adds gentle sweetness. Use apple cider, not apple cider vinegar.
• Bay leaves, peppercorns, parsley, and thyme: These season the broth in layers. Remove the whole bay leaves and peppercorns before serving.
• Baking powder, milk, and melted butter: These help the dumplings rise and stay tender. Make sure the baking powder is fresh.
• Heavy whipping cream: Stirred in gently at the end for a creamy finish.

Useful Tools

Use a roomy Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid, mixing bowls, a whisk, a sturdy spoon, and forks for shredding. These tools from my shop can help with the prep:

• Chef Knife for chopping the onion, carrots, celery, and herbs.
• AB’s Premium Garlic Press for preparing the fresh garlic.
• SnG Food Thermometer for checking the chicken before shredding and leftovers when reheating.

The product links in this post go to my own AB shop. Purchases support Smokin’ and Grillin’ with AB.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

1. Season and brown the chicken. Coat the chicken with the seasoned flour and shake off the excess. Brown it in the oil, working in batches if needed. You’re building color here; the chicken finishes cooking in the broth.
2. Build the broth. Soften the onion, carrots, and celery in the same pot. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the reserved flour, then gradually add the stock. Scrape up the browned bits and add the cider, sugar, bay leaves, and peppercorns.
3. Simmer the chicken. Return the chicken to the pot, cover, and simmer for about 25 minutes. Check the thickest pieces away from the bone for at least 165°F, and give larger pieces more time if needed. Move the cooked chicken to a clean plate. Remove the bay leaves and peppercorns and skim excess fat.
4. Make the dumpling dough. Combine the dry ingredients, then gently mix in the milk and melted butter. Stop when the dough is just combined. Overworking it can make the dumplings tough.
5. Shred and return the chicken. Use forks to pull the meat into bite-size pieces. Discard the bones and skin, then return the chicken to the gently simmering broth.
6. Cook the dumplings. Add small, evenly sized portions of dough, leaving space for them to expand. Cover and cook for about 15 minutes. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean; if there’s wet dough, cover and give them more time.
7. Finish gently. Lower the heat and fold in the cream, parsley, and thyme. Stir carefully so the dumplings stay intact, taste for seasoning, and serve hot.

Pro Tips and Troubleshooting

• Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil can break up the dumplings and make the broth reduce too quickly.
• Give the dumplings room. They expand as they cook. Use a wide pot and avoid packing them tightly together.
• Check the center. A fluffy outside doesn’t guarantee the middle is cooked. Check a larger dumpling before serving.
• Adjust the finished consistency. If the soup is too thick, loosen it gently with stock. If it needs more body, let the broth reduce before adding the dumplings.
• Plan around doneness. Allow about 1 hour 10 minutes overall. Chicken size, browning batches, and dumpling size can change that estimate.

Make-Ahead, Storage, and Reheating

Make ahead: Cook the chicken and broth in advance, then cool and refrigerate them promptly. Reheat the base thoroughly and make fresh dumplings just before serving for the best texture.

Refrigerate: Divide leftovers into shallow, covered containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour if the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F. Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Freeze: Freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality. The dumplings may soften and the creamy broth may separate a little after thawing. For a better make-ahead result, freeze the chicken and broth before adding the dumplings and cream.

Reheat: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Warm gently on the stove, adding stock as needed and stirring carefully. Heat leftovers to 165°F throughout. These handling and reheating temperatures follow USDA leftover-safety guidance.

What to Serve With Chicken and Dumplings

This is already a hearty meal. Choose a vegetable side for balance, and add bread only if you want something extra for the broth.

Vegetable Sides

• Green Beans and Bacon brings a smoky, savory side to the table.
• Southern Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey Legs works well for a bigger Sunday dinner.
• Southern Fried Cabbage with Bacon adds a simple skillet vegetable.
• Oven Roasted Zucchini and Squash gives you a vegetable side without another starch.
• Southern Coleslaw adds cool, tangy crunch.
• Stewed Okra and Tomatoes brings bright tomato flavor to the spread.

For a simple roasted-vegetable side, AB’s SPG (Salt, Pepper, and Garlic) is an optional seasoning. Taste as you go because the blend contains salt; it is not an extra required ingredient in this chicken and dumplings recipe.

Optional Breads

• Southern Cornbread for a classic Southern pairing.
• Buttermilk Biscuits when you’re putting together a larger family-style meal.
• Garlic and Herb Bread for a crisp, buttery bite alongside the soup.

Variations and Substitutions

• Chicken pieces: Use pre-cut bone-in chicken pieces to save the work of breaking down a whole bird. Check each piece for doneness because sizes vary.
• Herb flavor: Change the finishing herbs to suit your taste, or try Easy Poultry Seasoning as an optional seasoning direction. Keep the original card amounts as your starting point and avoid stacking salty blends.
• A little heat: Add hot sauce at the table so each person can choose their own level.
• Extra vegetables: Stir in peas near the end and heat them through gently.
• Biscuit shortcut: In the video, I mention cut-up refrigerated biscuits as a shortcut. They will have a different texture and may need a different cooking time; check the centers rather than assuming the homemade-dumpling timing applies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are these rolled dumplings or drop dumplings?

These are soft drop-style dumplings made with baking powder. There’s no need to roll the dough into thin strips. Keep the pieces similar in size so they cook at the same rate.

Can I use apple cider vinegar instead of apple cider?

No. This recipe uses apple cider for gentle sweetness. Apple cider vinegar is much more acidic and will change the flavor of the broth.

Can I double the recipe?

Yes, but make sure your pot has room for the chicken, broth, and expanding dumplings. Two pots can be easier to manage than one crowded pot. The chicken still needs to reach 165°F, and the dumplings need cooked centers.

Can I use self-rising flour?

The original recipe uses all-purpose flour with separately measured baking powder and salt. Self-rising flour already contains leavening and salt, so it is not a straight swap while keeping the rest of the dumpling ingredients unchanged.

More AB Recipes for Your Next Comfort-Food Dinner

If you enjoyed this bowl, keep these recipes in mind for another night.

Cozy Soups and Slow-Simmered Pots

• Marry Me Tuscan Chicken Soup for creamy chicken with pasta and spinach.
• Creole Chicken and Sausage Gumbo for a deeply flavored chicken-and-sausage pot.
• Southern Style Collard Greens and Potatoes Stew for hearty greens and potatoes.
• AB’s Southern Navy Beans with Ham for slow-simmered Southern comfort.
• Roasted Basil Tomato Soup for a tomato-forward soup night.

More Chicken Dinners

• Chicken Pot Pie puts creamy chicken and vegetables under a flaky crust.
• Cajun Chicken Cobbler with Cheddar Garlic Biscuits is another chicken-and-biscuit comfort meal.
• Southern Stewed Chicken and Gravy keeps the focus on tender chicken and savory gravy.
• Southern Smothered Chicken is a chicken-and-gravy option for Sunday dinner.
• Smothered Cajun Chicken Drumsticks and Rice pairs the chicken with rice for a different hearty meal.

For more cooking ideas, take a look at my Taking the Mystery out of Cooking Cookbook. It’s an optional addition to your kitchen shelf, not something you need to make this recipe.

Save This Recipe

Save this chicken and dumplings recipe for your next comfort-food dinner using the save form in the recipe card.