Chicken Dumplings Classic (Printable Version)

Hearty chicken simmered in creamy broth, crowned with light, fluffy dumplings for ultimate comfort.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken Stew

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large chunks
02 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
03 - 1 tbsp olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
11 - 1 tsp dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
14 - 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste)
15 - 1 cup frozen peas
16 - 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (plus more for garnish)

→ Dumplings

17 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
18 - 1 tbsp baking powder
19 - 1 tsp salt
20 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
21 - 3/4 cup whole milk

# How-To Steps:

01 - Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy pot; add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle all-purpose flour over vegetables and stir to coat; cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
04 - Gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
05 - Add chicken chunks, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is tender and cooked through.
06 - Remove bay leaf; stir in milk or cream, frozen peas, and chopped parsley. Keep simmering uncovered while preparing dumplings.
07 - Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in melted butter and whole milk until just combined, taking care not to overmix.
08 - Drop spoonfuls (about 2 tablespoons each) of dough onto the simmering stew surface, spacing them evenly.
09 - Cover pot tightly and simmer on low heat without lifting the lid for 15 minutes until dumplings have puffed and are cooked through.
10 - Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Those fluffy dumplings drop right onto the stew and emerge cloud-soft, no rolling or cutting required.
  • The creamy broth clings to tender chicken pieces while peas hide little pockets of joy throughout.
  • One pot, one meal, one reason to gather people around the table on nights when the weather turns cold.
02 -
  • Don't skip the slow simmer of the vegetables at the start—rushing this step means losing the sweet caramelized flavor that makes the whole dish taste richer.
  • Overmixing the dumpling dough is the fastest way to end up with dense, gummy dumplings instead of tender clouds; mix just until the flour disappears and leave it at that.
  • The lid has to stay on while the dumplings cook; every time you peek, you're letting steam escape and adding minutes to their cooking time.
03 -
  • If your dumplings come out dense, it's because the dough was overmixed or the heat was too high—low heat is your friend, and a light hand makes the difference.
  • Leftover chicken and dumplings tastes even better the next day, but the dumplings will absorb broth and soften; if that bothers you, reheat gently and add a splash of fresh milk to loosen everything up.
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