Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 2½ pounds bone-in chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 3 tablespoons cold butter
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Optional Ingredients:
- Fresh thyme
- Sage
- Garlic powder
- Heavy cream
- Extra black pepper
- Green onions
Recommended Kitchenware:
- Large Dutch oven
- Heavy-bottomed stockpot
- Mixing bowls
- Pastry cutter
- Sharp chef’s knife
- Silicone spatula
- Wooden spoon
- Premium cookware sets
Instructions
Start by preparing the vegetables. Chop the onion, celery, and carrots into small, even pieces.
Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for approximately 5 minutes until they begin to soften.
Add the minced garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Using quality cookware sets helps distribute heat evenly, which is especially important when slowly building the flavor of a broth-based comfort food recipe.
Place the chicken into the Dutch oven with the sautéed vegetables.
Pour in the chicken broth and water.
Add salt, black pepper, poultry seasoning, and bay leaves.
Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for approximately 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken pieces.
The chicken should become tender enough to pull apart easily.
Once cooked, carefully remove the chicken from the pot and allow it to cool enough to handle.
Remove the meat from the bones and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Return the chicken to the broth.
While the chicken is simmering, prepare the dumplings.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and black pepper.
Add the cold butter and cut it into the flour using a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Pour in the buttermilk and milk.
Stir gently until a soft dough forms.
Do not overmix. The goal is to create tender dumplings rather than dense ones.
A good set of cooking tools and sturdy kitchenware makes this process quick and easy.
Bring the chicken broth back to a gentle simmer.
Using a spoon, drop small portions of dumpling dough directly into the simmering broth.
Leave a little space between each dumpling because they will expand as they cook.
Cover the Dutch oven and simmer gently for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.
Avoid lifting the lid repeatedly during cooking because the trapped steam helps the dumplings become light and fluffy.
The dumplings should be cooked through in the center while remaining soft and tender.
Remove the bay leaves.
Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper if necessary.
Add fresh parsley or thyme for a bright finishing touch.
If you prefer a slightly creamier broth, stir in a small amount of heavy cream after the dumplings have finished cooking.
Allow the finished dish to rest for approximately 5 minutes before serving.
Ladle generous portions of chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings into bowls and serve immediately.
Notes
The most important part of successful chicken and dumplings is maintaining a gentle simmer. A rolling boil can make the chicken tough and cause the dumplings to break apart.
Bone-in chicken provides especially rich flavor because the bones contribute additional depth to the broth. However, boneless chicken can be used when convenience is the priority.
Cold butter is important when making the dumpling dough. Small pieces of butter create pockets of tenderness as the dumplings cook.
Don’t overwork the dough. Mix only until the ingredients come together.
Keep the lid closed while the dumplings cook. The steam trapped inside the pot helps them become fluffy.
A heavy Dutch oven is particularly useful for this recipe because it maintains consistent heat. If you’re upgrading your kitchen, dependable cookware sets and durable kitchenware are excellent long-term investments for soups, stews, casseroles, and easy dinners.