Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings bring tender chicken, vegetables, and soft dumplings together in one comforting stovetop dinner. Here, carrots and celery simmer in a creamy broth, while homemade drop dumplings cook right on top.

The dumpling dough comes together with simple pantry ingredients, and the gentle simmer helps the chicken and vegetables take on the broth’s savory flavor. A little attention to the dough and the pot’s lid makes a big difference in the texture.

What gives the broth its creamy texture

Onion, carrots, and celery build a familiar savory base. Diced onion softens as it cooks, while the carrots and celery add texture throughout the stew. Cutting the carrots into even rounds helps them cook alongside the other vegetables.

Flour stirred into the softened vegetables helps thicken the broth. Adding the chicken broth and heavy cream gradually, while stirring, helps the mixture turn smooth. Once it reaches a gentle simmer, the chicken can cook in the creamy broth with the salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Keeping the simmer gentle helps the stew cook steadily without a hard boil.

Keep the dumpling dough tender

Cold unsalted butter gives the dumpling dough small, distinct pieces of fat. Work it into the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until the mixture looks like it has pea-size bits. You can use your fingers or a pastry cutter; the goal is to distribute the butter without warming it too much.

Pour in the whole milk and stir only until a soft dough forms. Mixing beyond that point can make the dumplings dense, so stop as soon as the dry ingredients come together. The dough should be soft enough to drop onto the stew, rather than kneaded or shaped.

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Let the covered pot do the work

Drop the dough in rounded spoonfuls across the simmering stew, leaving room for each dumpling to puff as it cooks. Cover the pot and keep the stew at a gentle simmer. The trapped steam cooks the dumplings from above while the broth cooks their undersides.

Resist lifting the lid while the dumplings cook. Releasing the steam interrupts the covered cooking environment and can keep them from cooking evenly. When they are puffed and cooked through and the chicken has reached the temperature specified on the recipe card, stir in the chopped fresh parsley. The dumplings should be soft, with a tender interior, while the broth stays creamy beneath them.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why should I avoid overmixing the dumpling dough?

Stir the milk into the flour mixture only until a soft dough forms. Too much mixing can make the dumplings dense instead of tender. Once the dry ingredients come together, leave the dough alone and drop it onto the stew.

Why does the pot need to stay covered while the dumplings cook?

The covered pot holds in steam, which helps the dumplings puff and cook through above the stew. Keeping the lid closed also lets the chicken and dumplings cook together at a gentle simmer. Open the pot when the recipe card says they are done.

How do I know when the chicken and dumplings are done?

Check that the dumplings are puffed and cooked through, and confirm the chicken has reached the temperature listed on the recipe card. The recipe card provides the specific timing and temperature, so use those details to judge doneness.