Homemade Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

25 Replies

by Texas Homesteader

There’s not a much better comfort food than homemade Chicken & Dumplings.  I always have homemade broth on hand so when I have leftover chicken it’s my kinda quick & easy southern comfort to whip up chicken & dumplings from scratch.  It’s a very versatile recipe and you can add whatever seasonings float your boat.

I’ll share the basic recipe I use, although I’ll admit I throw in whatever sounds good at the time or whatever I have waiting to be used.  I’ve used beef broth instead of chicken broth, carrots, no carrots, celery, no celery, etc.  All came out deliciously.

Leftover chicken makes it it quick to make chicken & dumplings from scratch. It's a versatile recipe that costs pennies per serving! #TexasHomesteader

 

Although I’ll be canning my chicken broth this winter so I can store it in the pantry, when I make broth during the heat & humidity of a typical Texas summer I freeze it instead – I just can’t stand the thought of adding even more heat & humidity to the house by canning when other options exist!  This time I’m using frozen broth. So the night before I simply take a container of chicken broth from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw overnight.

First Add Veggies To Broth

The following day when I’m ready to start making my chicken & dumplings I’ll pour the broth into a deep pot & put it on the heat to simmer, usually tossing in a handful of whatever dehydrated veggies I want so they can rehydrate right there in the broth.  Typical additions for me are chopped onion and celery and also a chopped carrot.  If you don’t have dehydrated veggies tossing the fresh counterparts in at this point would be appropriate.

I also chop about 2 cups of chicken and have it ready to drop into the simmering broth at the end.  You can use more or less chicken based on how much leftover chicken you have available or how meaty you want your chicken-n-dumplings to be.

Making The Dumpling Dough

While the broth is simmering and the veggies are rehydrating/cooking I whip up my homemade dumplings using a bit of flour, baking powder, milk, shortening and seasonings. My typical seasoning is simply salt, coarsely-cracked pepper and thyme.  This makes a pretty stiff dough.

Leftover chicken makes it it quick to make chicken & dumplings from scratch. It's a versatile recipe that costs pennies per serving! #TexasHomesteader

Cooking The Dumplings

Now that my broth is simmering nicely I pinch off about a teaspoon of my dumpling dough. I roll it into a small ball & press it gently between my palms to flatten it somewhat before dropping it into my broth.

This procedure is continued until all my dumplings are simmering in the broth.   I give a very gentle stir and put the lid on the pot to allow it to simmer for 12-15 minutes. (depending upon the size & thickness of your dumplings).  It’s important not to stir the dumplings too much when they are in dough form as they will dissolve into your broth.  (Ask me how I know.  Eh hemmm….)

Sometimes I Like To Thicken The Broth

After the dumplings have cooked I remove the lid and stir again very gently.  Oftentimes the broth of my chicken & dumplings is not quite as thick as I like it. If that’s the case I’ll take a jar and add about 1/4 cup of flour with enough water or broth to make a thin paste, stirring until the flour is completely incorporated and no lumps remain.  Then I pour this thickening into my simmering broth stirring very slowly & gently. My broth always thickens up beautifully.  Now is the time to drop in my chopped chicken and leave just enough for it to get heated through.

This chicken & dumplings recipe fed RancherMan & me a hearty supper. Plus I still had enough leftovers for a couple of lunches for each of us. Gotta love it!

5 from 1 vote
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Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Leftover chicken makes a homemade chicken & dumplings dish quick and easy! #TexasHomesteader

Author www.TexasHomesteader.com

Ingredients

Ingredients

  • 5 Cups Chicken Broth
  • 2 Cups Chopped Cooked Chicken
  • 2 Tablespoons Minced Onions
  • 1 Tablespoon Chopped Celery
  • Dumplings (recipe below)

DUMPLINGS:

  • 2 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon Salt (or salted chicken seasoning)
  • 1 teaspoon Coarsely-Cracked Black Pepper
  • 1/4 Cup Shortening
  • 1/2 Cup milk

Instructions

Dumpling Directions

  1. Combine flour, baking powder, thyme, salt & pepper. Cut in shortening, add milk and knead until all ingredients are combined to make a stiff dough.

Chicken & Dumplings Directions:

  1. Make dumplings & set aside. Boil broth and add veggies. When broth is simmering start dropping in dumplings by pinching off 1-teaspoon dumpling dough, rolling into a small ball and pressing the dough ball between palms to flatten slightly. Drop dumplings into simmering broth. When all dumplings are in the broth stir gently, cover pot and simmer for 12-15 minutes, depending upon the size and thickness of your dumplings.

  2. If broth is not thick enough after the dumplings are cooked, mix up about 1/4 cup of flour with enough water or broth to make a thin paste & stir until no flour lumps remain. Then pour into simmering broth and stir very gently just to incorporate thickening and keep dumplings from sticking to the pan. When it's as thick as you want it, add the diced cooked chicken and heat a few minutes more until heated through.

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25 thoughts on “Homemade Chicken & Dumplings Recipe”

  1. Lindsey Scott

    5 stars
    Thank you for the instructions to thicken the broth. I’ve never cooked with shortening before but this tasted delicious and we’ll add it to our regular line up. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      I’m so glad you love it as much as we do Lindsey. There are two things I always use shortening for – my pie crust and my chicken & dumplings. Enjoy – it’s a great cold-weather meal during the winter months! ~TxH~

      Reply ↓

  4. Pingback: What’d You Do This Weekend? #189 | Recipes and Ramblings with the Tumbleweed Contessa

  7. Ginger Wroot

    It seems like forever since I’ve made homemade dumplings. Your yum-looking recipe, along with the change of the seasons, has inspired me to make some chicken and dumplings verrryyy soon. Thanks! –Ginger

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      The leftover chicken and pre-made broth I seem to always have available makes this come together pretty quickly, Ginger. And the leftovers are wonderful the next day for lunch so that makes it TWICE as good! LOL ~TMH~

      Reply ↓
  11. JES

    This looks amazing! I have never had or made chicken and dumplings (crazy, huh!). However, we have a freezer full of chicken we processed last winter that I am going to try this with! Thank you for sharing on the Art of Home-Making Mondays! 🙂

    Reply ↓
  12. Carole West @ Garden Up Green

    This looks yummy! I should really surprise my husband with this meal with the temperatures cool. Mornings have been wonderful but need another 10 degree drop before I’m ready for soup. Thanks for the recipe looks pretty easy and I happen to have a rooster that’s ready to go.

    Reply ↓
  15. bobbi dougherty

    I can’t remember the last time I had this. I will have to put it on the menu. Still hot here (FL) though so it will be a while, lol. Thanks!

    Reply ↓
    1. Texas Homesteader Post author

      We have Chicken & Dumplings relatively often Bobbi. It’s oodles better in the cold weather just for the coziness of it, but it’s still pretty hot in Texas right now too and it was still a delicious supper for us recently. ~TMR~

      Reply ↓
  16. ColleenB.

    Sure does look delicious and Good for the soul
    Now I have had chicken noodle soup and used the veggie broth but I must admit; I have Never had or made dumplings before. Guess I was always intimidated in making them so never have; but never to old to learn new things; no matter what the person’s age is :}
    Will be giving them a try……using your recipe of course.
    Thank You

    Reply ↓

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