Chicken and Dumplings
Updated
Updated
One of my favorite comfort food dishes is Chicken and Dumplings. I make it with tender, super-easy-to-prepare egg noodles and rotisserie chicken, so it’s a dish I can pull together quickly. I find it’s simple, satisfying, and SO good.
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5 STAR REVIEW
Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
For the longest time, I thought making chicken and dumplings from scratch was something you only did for a special Sunday dinner—the kind of cozy meal grandma would spend all day cooking in the kitchen.
And while I’m sure some chicken and dumpling recipes take all day to prepare, this isn’t one of them! Instead, in this comfort food recipe, I’ve taken a few shortcuts to save time without sacrificing any flavor.
I’ve opted to use a time-saving rotisserie chicken, making this budget-friendly meal a cinch to pull together, and ensuring nothing goes to waste, as I also use the rotisserie chicken to make an ultra-rich, savory broth. The dumplings are made from simple homemade egg noodles, which have an incredibly forgiving dough that requires little time to prepare.
There’s truly no way to mess up this easy chicken and dumplings recipe and with just 20 minutes of prep, it doesn’t need to be saved for a special occasion.
Helpful Tips and Variations
- This dough is forgiving. If it’s too sticky, add more flour. If it’s too dry, add sprinkles of water.
- Do not skip resting the dough. This allows the proteins in the flour to relax, making it easier to roll. If your dough is still difficult to roll out after resting for 10 minutes, cover it and try again in 5 minutes.
- Thinner dough makes tender dumplings. Roll out the dough VERY thin; the dumplings will puff up considerably when they hit the hot broth.
- Use raw chicken. Place the broth and chicken in the Dutch oven, adding aromatics if desired. Bring to a boil, then simmer gently until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove and shred the chicken, then strain the broth.
- Add more veggies. If you’d like to add more veggies, toss in 1/3 cup of frozen green peas just before serving.
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
FOR THE SOUP
- 1 store-bought rotisserie chicken, turkey also works
- ½ onion, peeled and root cut off, but kept intact
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- handful of fresh parsley sprigs/leaves
- 1 tsp dried rosemary
- pinch dried thyme
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 64 oz. low-sodium chicken broth, divided
- 2 large carrots, slice into thin rounds
- 2 ribs celery, diced
FOR THE DUMPLINGS
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cold butter (or vegetable shortening), cubed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ to ¾ cup cold water
Instructions
- Shred the breast and thigh meat from the chicken and set aside. In a large Dutch oven or soup pot, place the chicken bones, skin, and any juices from the tray. Add the onion, garlic, a few sprigs of fresh parsley, rosemary, thyme, and the salt and pepper. Top with enough broth to just cover the chicken (about 32 oz.), bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer. Simmer, covered with the lid cracked, while you prep the dumplings.
- For the dumplings: In the bowl of a food processor, add the flour, baking powder, salt, butter, eggs, and ½ cup water. Pulse and process until mostly combined, about 1 minute. If needed, slowly stream in more water as the processor is running, just until the dough forms into one ball and begins to thump around inside. The dough should be well combined and may be slightly sticky. (Alternatively, combine all dry ingredients, butter, eggs, and ½ cup water in a large mixing bowl and mix with a wooden spoon until mostly combined. Switch to using your hands to combine and knead until a soft dough forms, adding sprinkles of water as needed.)
- Generously flour your work surface and turn out the dough. If the dough is sticky, knead it, adding sprinkles of flour as needed, until a soft dough forms that is no longer sticky. If it appears dry or cracked, knead for 2 to 3 minutes until a smooth dough forms, adding a sprinkle of water if needed. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and rest for 10 minutes.
- Once the dough has rested, divide it in half. Place one half of the dough on a generously floured work surface and flatten it with your hands. Use a heavy rolling pin to roll the dough out, flouring the dough generously, and flipping it over as needed. It should be very thin, about as thick as a credit card. Use a pizza cutter or large knife to cut into 1" squares—this is a rustic dish, do not worry about being precise! Use your fingers to gently round up the noodles and toss lightly with flour so they don’t stick together. Place them in a bowl and set aside. Repeat the rolling process with the second ball of dough.
- Remove the chicken carcass from the broth and strain the broth with a fine mesh strainer. Return the broth to the pot and add about 12 more ounces of broth. Bring the broth back up to a boil and add the shredded chicken, carrots, and celery. CAREFULLY add the noodles to avoid splashing the hot broth, stir immediately.
- Simmer partially covered until noodles are tender and cooked through, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. If you would like your chicken and dumplings more soupy, add more broth. Serve hot, garnish with fresh parsley.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information given is an automatic calculation and can vary based on the exact products you use and any changes you make to the recipe. If these numbers are very important to you, I would recommend calculating them yourself.
Did you make this? Leave a rating below!How to Make Chicken and Dumplings Step by Step
Prepare the broth base: Shred the meat from the chicken and place the bones, skin, and juices in a soup pot with the ½ onion, 2 cloves of garlic, a handful of fresh parsley, 1 tsp rosemary, a pinch of thyme, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Top with just enough broth to cover the chicken, I usually add about 32 oz., bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to allow it to simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
Make the dumpling dough: Process 3 cups of flour, 1½ tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 3 tbsp cold butter, 2 large eggs, and between ½ to ¾ cup cold water until a uniform ball of dough forms.
Knead the dough: Turn the dough out on a clean, floured work surface and knead, adding sprinkles of flour as needed, until it forms a soft dough that is no longer sticky. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it rest for 10 minutes.
Form the dumplings: Using your hands, flatten half of the dough, then use a rolling pin to roll it out even more, flipping it over and flouring as needed. You want the dough to be as thin as a credit card. Cut into 1-inch squares. Gently gather the noodles with your fingers and lightly toss them with flour. Set this batch aside and repeat with the second half of the dough.
Strain the broth: Remove the chicken carcass from the broth and strain with a fine mesh strainer. Return the broth to the pot.
Cook the noodles: Add the remaining broth, about 12 oz., bring it to a boil, and add the shredded chicken, 2 carrots, and 2 ribs of celery. Add the noodles to the pot and stir immediately. Simmer, partially covered, until the noodles are tender and cooked through.
Enjoy. Taste test the broth and add more salt or pepper as needed. Serve hot, garnished with fresh parsley.
How to Store
Store any leftover chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that by the next day, the dumplings will have absorbed all of the liquid. Use any reserved broth to loosen it back up if desired.
Reheat gently over low heat, stirring frequently, or microwave individual servings in 30-second intervals.
Serving Suggestions
These easy chicken and dumplings are the perfect meal on their own. However, I sometimes like to add a side of buttermilk biscuits or Dutch oven bread to soak up every bit of the tasty broth.
Absolutely delish and delightful! So yum! Lived the dumplings especially. Will make again. Love all her recipes bc they all so good and made w love. I watch Amy on Tik Tok always and that’s where I find/see her amazing recipes!
Loved this recipe