Chicken and Dumplings
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is a super simple recipe. Flat strips of dough simmered in a yummy broth with tender chicken.
An Old-Fashioned Southern Style Recipe
There really is no other recipe that screams comfort food quite like chicken and dumplings. This meal will warm up and comfort any soul on a cold winter’s day! Want an easier version, be sure to check out my Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings.
The perfect recipe and just like I remember growing up. Thank you!
– Denise
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely! Use whatever cut of chicken you and your family enjoy! You could even purchase a store-bought rotisserie chicken to make this a little faster to prepare.
Personally, I like to serve with some sort of French Bread or Biscuits. If you want some more veggies with your meal, you could serve with a side salad or Green Beans.
For those of you who didn’t grow up eating this style of Chicken and Dumplings – then you may have eaten it at a place like Cracker Barrel. A lot of us grew up eating Chicken & Drop Dumplings. Flat dumplings are very basic and are meant to soak up the flavors of the broth. It’s an easy, comforting homestyle meal.
You certainly could. This particular version of chicken and dumplings usually does not have any vegetables added but you certainly could throw in some peas and carrots if you prefer.
Absolutely, instead of roasting the chicken breasts, you can pick up a store bought rotisserie chicken.
You sure can! You can boil the chicken directly in the chicken broth if you prefer. You can even do this the old school way and boil a whole chicken in water to create its own broth (see my post on how to make Homemade Chicken Broth on how to do that.)
Chicken and Dumplings are best eaten the day they are made. You can store it in a covered container in the fridge; however, the dumplings will continue to soak up the broth and can turn gummy over time.
Ingredients Needed: (See Recipe Card Below For the Full Recipe)
- chicken breasts – you can use bone in or boneless or even chicken thighs
- chicken broth – if you have any sensitivity to sodium, you can get the low or no sodium option. Alternatively, if you really want to kick up the flavor, try making Homemade Chicken Broth.
- all purpose flour – my favorite brand of flour is White Lily but any brand of all purpose flour will work here.
- baking powder – it’s super important you make sure your baking powder is fresh. If it isn’t the dumplings won’t puff up at all.
- salted butter – it needs to be real butter and not margarine.
- milk – whole milk is best if you have it.
How To Make Chicken and Dumplings
Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Drizzle a little olive oil on the 2-3 chicken breasts and season with salt and pepper. Bake for about 45 minutes. Chicken will reach an internal temperature of 165F degrees when fully cooked.
Once the chicken is cooked, shred it with two forks. Or, you can put it into a stand mixer and have it do the work for you. Pour 2 quarts of chicken stock or broth into a large pot and start warming it up on the stovetop while you make the dumplings. In a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Then add in cold cubed butter.
You can combine it all using a fork or a pastry cutter or your fingers. Just smoosh the butter between your fingers while you gradually mix it in with the flour mixture.
Now pour in the milk. Mix it all together. Dust your counter with a generous amount of flour. Place your dumpling dough on the counter and dust it with more flour.
With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4″ thickness. Be sure to add flour as necessary to keep it from sticking underneath or to your rolling pin.
Using a knife or a pizza cutter, start cutting out your dumplings into squares. They don’t need to be perfectly shaped. Remember, this dish is rustic and homemade so it should look like it. Dust your dumplings with a bit more flour. The extra flour is all gonna help keep them from sticking but will also thicken your chicken broth some as well when you add them to the pot.
Bring the chicken broth up to a boil. Add in the shredded chicken and stir.
Begin adding dumplings one at a time so they don’t all stick together. Stir frequently while adding them.
Allow dumplings to cook for about 15-20 minutes. You should notice your broth starting to thicken (from the extra flour) and your dumplings may start to sink a little to the bottom because they are soaking up the broth. Take one out and taste test it. It shouldn’t have a doughy taste anymore.
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Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2-3 chicken breasts (about 3 cups of cooked chicken)
- 2 Tablespoons oil (avocado or olive oil)
- salt and pepper (to taste)
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed
- 1 cup milk
- all purpose flour (for your counter and for rolling out the dumplings)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
- Place 2-3 chicken breasts on the baking sheet. Drizzle 2 Tablespoons oil on the chicken and season with salt and pepper
- Bake chicken for about 45 minutes. Chicken will reach an internal temperature of 165F degrees when fully cooked. Once the chicken is cooked, shred it with two forks.
- Pour 2 quarts chicken broth into a large pot and start warming it up on the stove top while you make the dumplings.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 cups all-purpose flour and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Then add in 2 Tablespoons cold salted butter, cubed.
- Combine using your fingers, fork or pastry cutter. The butter should resemble tiny pebbles when combined well.
- Pour in 1 cup milk. Mix it all together.
- Dust your counter with a generous amount of all purpose flour. Place dumpling dough on the counter and dust it with more flour.
- With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4" thickness. Be sure to add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking underneath or to your rolling pin.
- Using a knife or a pizza cutter, start cutting out your dumplings into squares.
- Dust dumplings with a bit more flour. The extra flour is gonna help keep them from sticking but will also thicken your chicken broth some as well when you add them to the pot.
- Bring chicken broth up to a boil. Add in shredded chicken and stir.
- Begin adding dumplings one at a time so they don’t all stick together. Stir frequently while adding them.
- Allow dumplings to cook for about 15-20 minutes. You should notice your broth starting to thicken (from the extra flour) and your dumplings may start to sink a little to the bottom because they are soaking up the broth.
- Take one out and taste test it. It shouldn't have a doughy taste anymore. Then serve!
Video
Notes
- Please refer to my FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions) and ingredient list above for other substitutions or for the answers to the most common questions.
- This particular version of chicken and dumplings usually does not have any vegetables added but you certainly could throw in some (like peas and carrots) if you prefer.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
“The Country Cook” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Originally published: April 2012
Updated photos and republished: May 2025
I use buttermilk in place of milk. Makes it a little thicker. Love both ways! Sometimes, punch one biscuit four times. 🙂 it works.
Thank you for showing just how simple it can be.
This is MY ABSOLUTELY FAVORITE dish from Cracker Barrel!!! I am SO Thrilled that you posted this!! Thank you SO Much!!! (Angeliza)
I love this recipe!! Could you give me a guess to about how many servings this recipe makes? I need to decide whether to double the dough part of it. thanks.
I have been making these for years because I grew up in the south. I boil my chicken and use a boullion cube in the pot. After it is cooked and while I am pulling the chicken, I let a cup of the broth cool and when mixing the dumplings, I use half milk and half broth which adds flavor in the dough. Then when I heat broth back to boiling to add rolled dough, I add the other half of milk which makes a creamier broth for the dumplings. You can also keep the dark and white meat in 2 separate bowls so that each person can add a couple spoonfuls of their own choice on top after putting dumpling in their bowl to stir in. Then everybody is happy.
Freeze the cut dough. Then it can be added to the boiling broth without fear of them sticking together. Just stir occasionally. I do this all the time. It doesn't change the taste or texture of the dumplings.
Thanks for posting this tip. I have made chicken and dumplings for years. I was asked to make them for Wednesday night church supper for about 80. I was wondering if I could make ahead and freeze. This will be a life saver as well as time saver.
My husband lived in the South a few years ago and requested Chicken and Dumplings for his birthday dinner last night. After much internet searching I decided on this recipe. It was SO GOOD! I added carrots, celery, and onion to the broth while the chicken was cooking and it was a great addition. I actually ate more than my husband did, I loved it! THANK YOU!
I'm fromAmish country, PA, and here we call this meal Pot Pie. I've been wishing I had my grandmas recipe ever since she passes. This seems awful close!
Me too. The pie crust version was chicken pieces and the drop dough balls were dumplings. The noodles were made paper think, put in a layer at a time, cook 3 minutes before stirring and adding more noodles. The noodles were made simply with flour and water. I thought my family was going to disown me when I mentioned that I serve it was vegetables (peas, carrots, peas, corn, onions, and celery) in my final product. It’s good and we like our vegetables from the garden. I am so happy to know that I am not the only one who remembers this!
I am 74 yrs old and you are the FIRST person I ‘ve ever heard call this dish Pot Pie like my Grandma always did! We cut the soft, rolled dough into 1.1/2″ squares and drop them into the boiling broth, one at a time so they don’t clump together.. We don’t let them dry like we do noodles. We always use whole chickens….the bones and skin make all the flavor. No veggies added. Best food in the world!! Thank you for sharing your memory!
I am also from Lancaster County, PA or Amish country. I make my chicken pot pie (as we call it) with chicken, pot pie dough, potatoes, onions & celery added. The dough is rolled out and dropped into the broth. Some people in our area will add saffron to give it a yellow color. This is a wonderful winter meal on a cold evening. Most restaurants in our county serve this as a special all you can eat and for some reason it is mostly Wednesday!
sounds like the way my Mother and Grandmother used to make dumplings just the way you are describing.
Just made this over the weekend while we were all snowed in and my family Loved it! Next time though I will make my noodles a little thinner since the broth does soak into them and they were a little thick for me. Also, I will make a double batch since there were no leftovers for a family of 4 – and everyone wanted more! 🙂
I am so excited to try this. I am from the North and when I was in the South I had Chicken and Dumplings like this and it was fantastic. I have been looking for a recipe like it ever since. I can't wait!!
Anonymous, I really recommend butter for the dumplings. But you could certainly substitute veggie oil for cooking the chicken breasts. Hope that helps! Kelly – yay! So happy you liked it!
Anonymous, I do to when I have the time! Sometimes on Sundays, I'll make the broth ahead of time and store it in the fridge til I'm ready to make later in the week. Homemade broth is the best but the store bought stuff is great in a pinch and some of the brands are really getting better with the flavor. 😀 ~Brandie
I make my own broth by simmering my chicken with added onion, garlic and a little celery flakes, also I add chicken bouillon. I make my dumplings exactly the same!! My kids favorite
meal, so glad toseesomeone else rolls out the dough! Love it!! Thank you! Gale Osborn
this was FANTASTIC so so yumm full of flavors thank you!
If you don't have real butter, can you substitute margarine? And do you have to use olive oil or can it be vegetable oil?
For the amounts used in this recipe, how many servings is it? I need to feed three adults and wonder if this will be enough or should I double the recipe.
So happy you liked the simple recipe! Thank you for letting me know!
I made the simple chicken and dumplins the other day. It was delish! Can't wait to try this recipe.
Tryin this today!!
Made these for Thanksgiving & they were awesome! Have made them three times now and each time they turned out great:)
Just made this! Its delicious! Only issue i had was the flour..i ran out of alk purpose. So i had to use a lil bit of self rising. I found that i had to use more flour than what this recipe calls for. Total i used about 3 cups for the dough. Anyway its awesome!
Delicious! Thank you so much for sharing.
Thank you so much everyone for the wonderful comments! Megan, so happy this turned out great for you! You were so sweet to come back and let me know how it turned out! ~Brandie
Made chicken and dumplings tonight. Was delicious! Thank you do much for such a good recipe and perfect directions!
Great recipe. Growing up in NC we call it chicken pastry. Whatever you call it, it's so good. We make this instead of chicken soup when someone is sick!
My husband loves chicken & dumplings, he likes the hormel cans of it & says this is better than that. I added carrots to mine & some garlic & herb mrs. Dash to the chicken while it was baking, turned out pretty good =)
There was a comment on here about baking powder. Sorry about the typo in the instructions, but you do use baking powder – not baking soda. 🙂
I use self-rising flour so there is no need for the baking powder. I had never had Chicken and dumplings until I met my sister-in-law in Tennessee and she taught me how to make it that way. It is awesome!
My husband is NOT a chicken n dumplings fan, but after making this tonight he ate THREE bowls of it. I was in shock lol…our daughter and her friend also downed their entire serving, which is saying a lot since our kids are quite picky. This one is definitely a keeper!!!
Oh, Brandie! This is exactly how my Nanny Richburg used to make her dumplings. I reeeaaally don't like the doughy, drop dumplings! Thanks for all your great recipes. I appreciate you!!!
Wonderful recipe, really enjoyed it. Reminds me of my mom's chicken and dumpling.
This is the kind of dumplings my mama used to make. Just one question: it's baking powder in the recipe (not what mama used) and baking soda in the direction. I'm thinking it's supposed to be soda, or just salt. Which one?
I posted my success using your recipe on my blog and linked to your blog. This recipe was terrific and the dumplings now one of my favorites to make. Thanks again.
http://gooddealmeals.blogspot.com/2012/04/chicken-and-dumplings.html
I made these last night. They were absolutely delicious. I have always made my dumplings just using flour and warm water BUT these were the best ever. Recipe is a keeper!!
Iknow you stated before the recipe for anyone who has never had chicken and dumplings….that just broke my heart because I can't IMAGINE living in a world where I had never had chicken 'n dumplings! There truly is nothing better and I can't wait to try your recipe!!
I have never had chicken and dumplings–I think I’ve have missed out on something yummy. This recipe looks easy and usually have all items on hand. Going to try this over the weekend. Thank you!!!!
Nothing better on a sick day then a big bowl of hot and steaming chicken with dumplings.
AS I promised, earlier this week, I made this tonight…. turned out terrific! My first time making chicken and dumplings, too. I added frozen mixed veggies to the chicken and broth. Thanks again.
When I post it on my blog, I'll mention you and link to your blog page.
Brandie,
I have to leave now. Appt with Hospice Social Worker. I don't have time to post on my FB page. I'll have to do it later, unless you want to do it.
Thanks
Rebecca Ann
Brandie,
Thanks for featuring my Easter Bunny Cupcakes and hosting this fun event!
I haven't had chicken and dumplings in the longest time! Looks delicious!
chicken and dumplings, the perfect comfort food, and yours looks soo good, like I want some now.
This dish looks perfect! I would love every tasty bite…your tutorials are always so great. So glad you shared…my mouth will water every time I think of this, and I WILL make it one of these days too.
My Mom made Chicken and Dumplings when we were kids. Her dumplings were little clumps of dough. mmmmm…
Your sounds good too. lol This is definitely a comfort food.
It sounds yummy! Rainy & cool here in Kansas, too. Think I'll make some tonight!
Few dishes remind me of home but this one certainly does. Looks delicious.
Have made chicken and dumplings this way for years and my kids and grandkids love them. In fact, had family here for the Easter weekend and the grandaughters asked it I was going to make chicken and dumplings. Unfortunately ham took priority for Easter dinner but you can bet I'll be making them next time around. So easy and tasty.
You can do it with ham. Make a nice rich stock then throw in the dumplings.
Now this is some down home cooking!! Looks delish!
Just made a batch of mom’s chicken and dumplings, I was stumped on the baking soda, it’s been a long time.
The warm memories of my mom’s love from a bowl of chicken and dumplings are just what the doctor ordered.
I think the recipe says baking powder, big difference! lol
Oh, this looks so good. It's chilly and rainy in New York today and I'd love to have a bowl of this right now! I actually just watched Tyler Florence on the Food Network make dumplings, too. It must be a sign that I should make some dumplings! 🙂
Ugh youre making my mouth water! If i wasnt just starting back on weight watchers id be heading to the store for some chicken and dumplings lol
Ooh, looks like a wonderfully warming and comforting meal 🙂 What a classic!
I am so trying this! It's one of those recipes I always mean to try or make and never get around to it, but put it down for later this week. Thx!
This looks wonderful. I usually make the bisquick kind I admit, because it's what I grew up with thus what comforts me, but sometimes I get a craving for the real thing and your recipe looks great 🙂
My mom used to make it with bisquick too! Do you make it the same way just substitute bisquick for flour? She rolled it out and cut squares like this recipe.
The only difference between the Bisquick and flour is the Bisquick already has the baking powder in it. My Mom too used Bisquick and water and never added butter. I am thinking I will try this recipe but use the Bisquick and the butter and milk AND possibly add a chicken bouillon cube to the broth to make sure its really got allot flavor
Bouillon gives it a not so good taste.use thighs that are fatty leave skin on.boil with salt and pepper.then Devine put in dumplins
True thighs give so much flavor.
I dislike when ppl alter recipes however I’ve looked long and hard to make them like my
Mom. Since this had her ingredients I tweaked the amounts ( like all old recipes she said ‘eyeball it that was my instructions) and am so grateful. It’s my moms dumplings !! I can pass it to my daughters now. Many thanks!
Looks like you tweeked it also. A tweek is a tweek. But it’s all good. To each his or her own. Glad it came out well.
Boiling the chicken is how to start making chicken n dumplins from scratch…you can add broth or bouillon after removing the chicken for extra flavor.
Homemade dumplings never made from Bisquick are key as well. However, in the frozen section Mary B’s has a dumpling that is comparable and I promise you wont be disappointed. Especially for those of you on the fly. You simply break them apart and put them in your boiling broth. You can also adjust the length to your taste. If I use these I break them in half. Enjoy!!
Why would you cook the chicken in water? Then finish with stock? Cook the chicken in stock for bonus flavor.
You cook the chicken in water to make stock. I’ll boil a whole chicken for about an hour. Remove the chicken and pick through it to get what meat you want. Strain the broth to get any bone fragments out.
I always “tweak” recipes many times based on the reviews. I made these dumplings per the recipe and they turned out well. Don’t forget to use flour on the bottom and top of the dough. As for the chicken part, I boil my chicken in chicken broth. I take chicken out to cool and shred and add some celery and green onions to broth. When celery is tender, I add the dumplings, then chicken, carefully mixing them. I finish by adding a little milk because that’s how my grandma did it. It’s all about personal taste, but the dumplings we’re great and not “doughy” tasting.
I also just recently found your site. You have some very nice recipes! I’ll be back! ????
That’s how my 80 yr old neighbor made them too. She added a little milk at the end and they are soooooooooo good!
A little milk never hurts! Ha!!
I also like to season my flour with chives and thyme and creole seasoning before I make my dumplings..DELISH..
Ok., I’m a guy. My Grammy taught me how to cook stuff while my single mom was out playing.
Made C &D today cause of a cold front in the Keys. Granny says stockpot and boil the kaKa out of the bird salt, pepper, garlic to taste and pull it to cool. Basic right! Now here’s my newbie to all this. I had a 1/4 bag of SR flour in the fridge. Mixed an egg whole milk with some oil and blended in my flour. Well it was too soft I reached in the fridge, grabbed a bag and commensed to blend. The dumplings mix began to thicken nicely. But, something was strange. My dough was weirdlyk to the touch. WHH is wrong. Well, my blend to the batch was SR cornmeal. The dumplings are the BOMB!!!! I think it ended up 2 part flour 1 part cornmeal. Ya gotta try this. My grandma probably rolled over in the grave. Lol! A wonderful new twist to good ol dumplings.
Johnny that sounds delicious. I will give it a try.
Too funny! Glad they turned out! 😀 I may have to try that some time. 🙂 I always add celery to my stock. Adds flavor. I usually skim some of the fat off the top for the oil part of my dumplings and use broth, never water. Any way you fix ’em..dumplings are an old favorite of mine!
I made these 2 weeks ago with bisquik. And they were amazing
That’s awesome Melissa! Love hearing that it turned out well with Bisquick!!
I love this recipe. I boil my chicken for 25 minutes and then make the dumplings while that is happening. I also add cracked rosemary, thyme and sage at the end for a herby finish that my partner and I really enjoy.