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
This was the first time trying this recipe and it was a hit with me and my family. thank you very much…..
love these ….best I’ve found.
I’m a vegetarian..I made this recipe with my granddaughter and now it’s highly requested..thank you for a new family staple that’s simple and makes me look like a wonderful chef.
Really love hearing that Vicki! Thanks so much!
I hadn’t made chicken and dumplings in years but my family really wanted some. They turned out great!! They loved them! Thanks for the recipe!!
I love to be able to look up recipes and find exactly what I’m looking for. I’m now making the chicken dumplings..cant wait.. thank you for the recipe.
Easy recipe! I’m a guy trying to impress my fiance kids. With this recipe I knocked it out of the ballpark. Delicious and the boys loved it . No leftovers. Thanks again
You knocked it out of the park – yes! And trust me – not easy to impress the kids! Way to go!
As southern country boy I grew up on chicken and dumplings. This recipe i used turned out great . Brought back childhood memories as we enjoyed this inexpensive meal.
Thank you so much Brady! I really appreciate you taking the time to come back and comment!
Excellent
Love this recipe! Do yourself a favor and keep it smart, simple and elegant – just like Brandie has written it. Eight ingredients. Simple steps. Makes a delicious, elevated Chicken & Dumplings. Thank you, Brandie!
That means a lot Dan – thank you! Sometimes simpler really is better. I think we tend to overcomplicate a lot of cooking these days!
So I’m the only one wondering why the dough was so wet? It was SO wet that by the time I put flour down on the counter, rolled out the dough, and then cut the pieces, the dough had absorbed the extra flour on the table and stuck to it, and I ended up scraping it off, and it came off in wet lumps. So I should have just dropped the dough in with a tsp, but I wanted flat strips. That’s the whole reason I used this recipe.
With homemade dumplings you have to add more flour as necessary to keep it from sticking which I mention a minimum of three different times in the recipe instructions. If it felt wet as you rolled it out, you just add more flour on top and bottom to make it easier to roll out and to keep from sticking. This is homecooking and you have to go by feel as you make this.
This is called Pot Pie in South Central Pennsylvania. You can also make it with ham! My dad’s favorite! My Mom always put in a raw potato half – she said it helped thicken the broth. Also, made our stock from cooking the chicken. Great idea to add other spices to your taste.
Making dumplings with good texture and not chewy or pasty in the middle has alluded me for years. I’ve tried can biscuits (moms idea) too making drop dumplings and everything in between, still they never seemed to come out right.. until this recipe. These made a perfect dumpling. I added to stock I had frozen ( Rotisserie chicken leftovers) but will make the exact stock on this recipe anyway. Thank you for boosting my Southern cred. up a notch.
This is one of the best comments I’ve ever received on this recipe. I’m thrilled to hear this & I’m so happy you had success!
Can you use pre-made frozen dumplings (such as Anne’s Old Fashion Flat Dumplings? Will it thicken up?
I love this recipe! We’re ranchers so need more veggies in our meals so its more filling from those long cold days.
Perfect every time and so easy! I boil my chicken and use the broth, but the dumplings are so good!
This recipe turned out so GOOD, better tasting than Cracker Barrel. I cooked a whole chicken in the crockpot with carrots and onions-picked the chicken and used the stock and vegetables. The dumplings were very easy. I froze leftovers in ziploc bags and it tast as good as the day I made it!!! Delicious
Tina F Hanover pa
This recipe was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I added a pinch of celery seed to the chicken while it was cooking and a sprinkle of garlic and onion powder to the broth but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. I shared it with my coworker the next day and she said she was trying not to lick the bowl. It is as close to perfect as you can get.
Can you use margarine, instead of butter?
They look just like my mothers dumplings. I failed to get her recipe before we lost her years ago but they taste just like hers. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you so much. I was looking for a chicken and dumplings recipe close to my Aunt’s that died years ago. My son wants me to fix him some for his birthday next w week. And came upon this sight. I have seen the others but I know she did not add any vegetables. Christmas I found the recipe for her cake and cheese biscuits as we called the m. My Grandson got me a recipe book to write down recipes to pass on. Thank you I will be adding my email to your sight. I got married last year to my third grade boyfriend. He lost his wife two years ago this month. We are both retired.
Wow, there hasn’t been any recent comments on here and it’s 2021. This is going to sound odd but I will be 59 years old next month and have only made chicken and dumplings once in my life and I used canned biscuits but by the time it was finished there were no dumplings to be found and it was a hot mess. So today is my son’s 30th b-day and I’m going to try and make them using this recipe using a little real butter as I go. Wish me luck ladies and if they turn out like I’m praying they do I will make them more often. Seems simple and easy so here I go and will let you all know how they turn out or if they don’t. I’m not a bad cook but thinking way back then of the mess I made makes me kinda scared.
I’m back Ladies and have to say I made some really good dumplings for the first time!! The only problem I had was making enough, I used a big roasting chicken and had a little trouble seasoning it enough. These are so simple to make and I used to think they would be hard by seeing my mother with flour all over the table as she made hers that taste just like this recipe. Now I know a person is never too old to learn. I made a mess with the flour all over the table but it was so worth it. My husband always made them and would used canned biscuits but hearing him say mine are so much better because they have a bite to them makes me kinda proud of myself. Now I know why Mom had flour all over her table cause she had to make plenty to feed 7 people and always made sure we had enough for seconds, next time I’ll make sure to double up on the dumplings and season it all as I go. Thanks so much
I just made this for me and my family and they absolutely loved it thank you!!!
Woo hoo! Thanks so much Cayla!
This is the best recipe i ever try it all started when i needed to cook something for a dinner and i said what about chicken and dumplings so i came on google looked up on chicken and dumplings and i found this one so i wrote down the recipe and try it and when i try the chicken and dumplings i was amazed because this was my first time cooking chicken and dumpling so i’m telling y’all if y’all ever want to cook chicken and dumpling come on this app and look at this recipe and i really do recommend this recipe.
This was a great recipe. So easy and quick to make.
I’ve never made chicken and dumplings before but this recipe made it so so easy …. was delicious!!!!
My husband thanks you!
Just like grandma made delicious
I used a rotisserie chicken and store bought chicken stock. I made a mirepoix with the stock, skin, bones, etc (including carrots, celery, onion, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf, and a few peppercorns) and simmered for 2 1/2 hours before straining and adding the rotisserie chicken meat and dumplings. WOW! A rich sophisticated taste! It’s my go-to now for the classic dish…
Excellent! Tastes exactly like the Western PA Chicken & Dumplings my grandma used to make. Thanks for this!!!
I’m looking for a recipe to make dumplings like my grandmother use to make. This sounds like the perfect one. I had an aunt that always added a can of Cream of Chicken Soup and a stick of butter to her dumplings. Best dumplings ever.
My nanny made homemade dumplings and always added cream of mushroom too it. Amazing
This is the one chicken and dumpling I keep coming back to time and time again.
GIRL! This recipe is definitely old school! It looks great!!
This is how I have been making for over 50 years ! Best ever…however, I think I will start using the rotesserie chicken ! Thank you !
The best ever , Everyone should try this .
Just like what my mom made many, many years ago with one exception – she used hot water instead of milk. If they soaked up most of the broth, she would then add a little milk and flour to thicken the gravy. Delicious
No one makes it exactly like our Mommas be we can sometimes come close, right? 🙂
I love this recipe. I add about 1/4 tsp of celery salt for some added flavor.
I made these dumplings, and they came out really nicely! Next time I’ll roll them a little thinner. They puff up a bit while cooking. The broth was too thin at first. I figured I dusted too much of the flour off of the dumplings, so added more. Worked great! Thanks for a recipe to play with, and for a lovely pot of dumplings!
I can’t give this 5 stars since it used baked chicken breast–that is a SIN! You boil a whole hen or leg quarters to make a delicious broth and provide the tender meat. I like to roll my dumplings thinner and let them dry a bit before using. I also leave them in strips, the way my neighbor taught me. She also added some whole milk to the broth before the last step. The final glory is to have these in a shallow oven-proof dish and finish them in the oven so that the top dumplings get a little brown crust. Heavelnly!
Question on this please. My mother in law has been trying to find a recipe that her mother made when she was a child. She said that the dumplings were simmered all day in the chicken broth while the chicken cooked. How long can the dumplings cook in the chicken broth? I would like to make this for my mother in law’s birthday. Thank you!
In my opinion, the dumplins would fall apart if cooked too long or they might get tough. I do as she says, 15-20 minutes…perfect ! Good luck !
Has anyone ever used frozen (not refrigerated in the cans) biscuits to make the dumplings? I think I read somewhere that you can roll them out and slice them just like you did.
I’m from southeastern North Carolina, and I love your recipe! Tastes just like my grandmother’s! I’ve made it a few times now and it’s perfect. Thank you so much!
Easy to make. Wonderful flavor. Just like my Granny use to make.
Finally I can again enjoy my Mom’s chicken and dumplings. Thank you.
This makes me so happy Rose Mary! I know nothing beats a meal made by Mom but I am happy this came close to what you remembered! Thank you!
Unbelievable – just like grandma made it when I was a kid!
These are just like my Grandmother made! Delicious!!
Love hearing that!! Thanks so much Jan!
I had to taste at least ten of them to see if they were done!
Ha! I often do that too Liz. 😉
My mom used to make them when I was growing up.
Wonderful! This recipe took me back to childhood when my Grandmother made Chicken and Dumplings. My Mother in law, 81, said she’s never going to Cracker Barrel again . Delicious
This recipe was so easy and delicious!!! Use plenty of flour when you roll out your dumplings, as recommended, and they’ll be perfect.
Definitely my go to recipe from now on!
used this recipe 4 times now,works great,easy to follow,good job!
This was EXACTLY what I was looking for. I made a big batch of chicken stock this weekend, and had a bunch of leftover shredded dark meat chicken. I stuck to the recipe exactly, only adding around a cup and a half of defrosted frozen peas at 15 minutes, then cooked another five. This was a very easy recipe, and I can’t believe I made homemade dumplings on a weeknight.
Came out perfect!
Woo hoo!! Thanks so much Wen!
I’ve been using this recipe for years now. I LOVE Cracker Barrel dumplings and this is the closest I can get. Super easy too.
Love hearing that so much! Thank you Katy!