Chicken and dumplings is a classic comfort food dish that is popular in the American South. It consists of a chicken broth with homemade dumplings, along with shredded chicken meat The key to great chicken and dumplings lies in preparing a flavorful chicken broth Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to cook chicken specifically for using in chicken and dumplings.
Selecting the Chicken
You should use a whole chicken for chicken and dumplings. This allows you to make a rich and flavorful broth. If you can, choose a young, small chicken. They are more tender and cook faster. It’s fine to use chicken breasts or thighs, but the broth won’t taste as good without the bones.
Seasoning the Chicken
Before cooking, rinse the chicken and pat it completely dry. Season it generously inside and out with salt and pepper. To make it taste even better, you can rub it with thyme, sage, or rosemary. It’s important to season, so don’t be shy with the salt and pepper.
Browning the Chicken
For extra chicken flavor, many recipes call for browning the seasoned chicken in a bit of oil or butter before making the broth. This caramelization of the skin and exterior of the chicken adds tons of flavor. Simply heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Carefully place the chicken in the pot and let it brown for 4-5 minutes on each side until the skin is nice and golden.
Simmering the Chicken
Once browned remove the chicken and set it aside. Add your aromatics – onions, carrots celery, garlic, etc. Fry the vegetables for four to five minutes, or until they begin to get soft. Then put the chicken back in the pot and add enough chicken broth or water to cover it by 1 to 2 inches.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat and let it simmer for 45-60 minutes You want the chicken to become extremely tender and fall off the bone easily. As it simmers, use a spoon to occasionally skim off any foam that rises to the top. This helps keep the broth clear.
Making the Broth
Take the chicken out of the pot and set it aside when it’s done. Take out of the broth the bigger pieces, like onion and celery, with tongs. Then, put the broth in a large bowl or container and strain it through a fine mesh sieve. This will get rid of any smaller pieces and leave you with a smooth broth with no sediment.
Return the strained broth back to the cooking pot. At this point, you can shred or dice the chicken meat and add it back to the broth. You can also add cream, chicken soup, or milk to enrich the broth. Season with additional salt, pepper, herbs, etc. to taste. Now your flavorful chicken broth is ready for the dumplings!
Tips for the Best Broth
Here are some additional tips for maximizing flavor and richness when making your chicken broth:
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Roast the chicken bones before making the broth to add even more flavor
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Add chicken wings, necks, or feet to the pot with the whole chicken
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Use a chicken base or bouillon to boost the flavor
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Add fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, parsley, and bay leaves
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Include aromatic veggies like onion, celery, carrot, and garlic
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Simmer the broth for 1-2 hours for best flavor extraction
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Let broth cool and skim fat from the top for a clearer broth
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Season again just before adding dumplings if needed
Making Perfect Dumplings
An exemplary chicken broth deserves the best dumplings. There are a few secrets to ensure your dumplings come out light and tender:
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Use self-rising flour or add baking powder to regular flour
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Work the dough as little as possible to prevent toughness
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Add very cold water or milk to help keep dumplings light
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Drop spoonfuls of dough into boiling broth using two spoons
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Cook dumplings until they float to the top, about 10 minutes
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Resist the urge to stir the dumplings once added to the broth
With a properly cooked chicken and a rich homemade broth, you’ll be ready to create the ultimate chicken and dumplings. The secret is taking the time to build an incredibly flavorful broth. Follow these steps for cooking chicken specifically for use in this quintessential comfort food dish.
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I’m a bit confused. Do you throw away the onions, celery & carrots you’ve strained out of the broth in Step 2? I get that they might be there just to flavor the broth, but tossing them seems a bit of a waste.
Chicken n dumplings was a much loved dish made by my much loved – great cook grandfather in the day of my childhood in my familys Anglo household. My Sicilian husband who grew up with his Italian speaking grandmother heading the kitchen has never appreciated dumplings. Until now. These dumplings are so good even he likes them. For people who have never made dumplings before, the broth needs to be at a simmer when the dumpling dough is added and cooked.
This was not my mother’s dumplings! Rather than water I did use boxed chicken broth. Having made my own broths for years, even with the comments from others, 40 minutes of cooking the chicken did not seem enough time to get a rich broth. Beginning with the boxed broth the flavor was sublime. I also added the parsley to the dumpling dough instead of sprinkling it on top at the end. Loved the look and flavor of the dumplings!.
This is what I make most of the time when I want to bring comfort food to someone. It’s also amazing gluten free! I used bobs red mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour and they are fluffy and flavorful. I had a friend that is gluten free nearly in tears because they haven’t had dumplings fluffy and flavorful like this since they went gluten free!.
This dish is outstanding! Made it exactly as directed in recipe. I am used to southern style but this will be a staple too.
Best chicken and dumplings recipe Ive found.Private comments are only visible to you.
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FAQ
How long do you boil a chicken for chicken and dumplings?
I start with 4 chicken breasts and add them to some hot water in a large pot. Add a little salt and boil them until they are good and tender (about 25 minutes). Oct 9, 2018.
How to cook chicken all the way?
So sear it quickly over high heat until you get a nice golden brown color, and then take it off the heat right before the internal temperature hits 165°F—stop at 150°F to 155°F—to finish cooking as it rests. This method guarantees your chicken breasts will not be overcooked and dry.
What type of chicken is best for chicken and dumplings?
Chicken: Some chicken and dumplings recipes start with a whole chicken or bone-in cuts, but we’ve found a way to get maximum flavor from quick-cooking boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Vegetables: Onion, celery, garlic, carrots, and peas give the broth slow-cooked flavor with every hearty spoonful. Jan 31, 2025.
When making dumplings, do you cook the meat first?
Why you should pre cook your pork dumpling filling?The Maillard reaction makes the pork more delicious. The Maillard reaction happens when the meat reaches 285 °F (140 °C) or higher. This is when the meat starts to brown. It’s easier to season your pork dumpling filling when it’s cooked. Pork food safety.