This easy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is SO FAST AND EASY to make from scratch in only 30 minutes if you use rotisserie chicken and store-bought (or other pre-made) broth! It’s a fast, easy comfort food to make on busy nights. The fresh thyme in the perfectly fluffy dumplings sets it over the edge! The chicken and dumplings broth can be made thick and luscious like a gravy, or more thin like a soup depending on preference.
This, my friends, is comfort food at its finest. It has all the taste of chicken pot pie without the effort (because who has time to deal with a pie crust on a busy weeknight?).
Between the fluffy dumplings with a biscuit-like texture, the juicy, tender shredded chicken, and the creamy, thick broth, this easy chicken and dumplings recipe will have you and your whole family literally RUNNING to the dinner table!
In this post I’ll explain how to make this easy chicken and dumplings from scratch in only 30 minutes with a few simple shortcuts, and give my best tips and tricks for getting the fluffiest dumplings that still hold their shape!
Why this chicken and dumplings recipe is SO FAST!
Traditionally, chicken and dumplings is a labor-intensive process, involving boiling an entire chicken to make stock, waiting for it to cool, and de-boning it, not to mention making dumpling dough by rolling and flattening out biscuit dough. It makes a mess and takes hours.
But almost every “quick and easy” recipe for chicken and dumplings I’ve come across uses processed ingredients like condensed canned creamed soup and pre-made biscuit dough.
I wanted to make a version of chicken and dumplings that was fast and easy to make but used as few pre-made, processed ingredients as possible.
You can make this chicken and dumplings recipe in only 30 minutes if you use shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover roast chicken, poached chicken, or meat from a slow cooker whole chicken) and store-bought chicken broth helps save loads of time without sacrificing any of that down-home, from scratch taste! Easy peasy.
How to make Easy Chicken and Dumplings
I’m telling you, this recipe for chicken and dumplings could not be easier. It cooks up super fast in only one pot!
- First, sauté some diced carrots, onions, and celery in some butter. Tip: use the rib AND the leaves from the celery, if you have them. The leaves are packed with flavor!
- Then, sprinkle some flour on the veggies and stir around to coat, and add some chicken stock and bring to a boil. The flour will help thicken the gravy-like broth to a perfect consistency.
- While the soup is coming to a boil, mix the dumpling dough: flour, salt, baking powder, fresh thyme, melted butter, and milk.
- Once the soup comes to a boil, add some milk and the cooked chicken to the pot. Add scoops of the dumpling dough to the broth, cover the pot, and simmer for 15 minutes. Done! Told you that was easy.
One thing to keep in mind: if the soup doesn’t seem that thick at first, don’t worry. Some of the flour from the dumpling dough will also seep into the broth, thickening it a bit more, and it will also thicken as it cools some.
Tips and Tricks for making the BEST fluffy Dumplings
There are two kinds of dumplings used for chicken and dumplings. The first is a flat dumpling- the dough is rolled out and cut, then dropped in the soup. The result is a thick noodle-like consistency (like Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings).
The other kind of dumpling is more biscuit-like: fluffy, round balls of dough that expand and cook after being dropped in the soup. This chicken and dumplings has the fluffy kind of dumplings.
Here are the best tips to getting the fluffiest dumplings that won’t fall apart with the PERFECT texture:
- Use white flour, not whole wheat. Whole wheat tends to be a bit dense and has less gluten, so the result won’t be as fluffy. If whole grains are super important to you, try a combination of half white and half whole wheat flour.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Stir it until it’s just combined and you can’t see any powdery flour anymore.
- Use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough into the soup. This will ensure that all the dumplings are evenly sized and fairly round.
- No peeking! Keep the lid on for 15 minutes while the dumplings cook. This will trap the steam and also ensure you don’t stir it, which may smush the dumplings and affect their texture.
How to make the broth thick and gravy-like
Craving a more substantial broth? Some readers have commented that the base of this chicken and dumplings is a bit thin for their taste.
If you want a more gravy-like base to this chicken and dumplings recipe, just increase the amount of flour added to the veggies. Add about 2 tablespoons more flour, more or less depending on preference.
Other easy comfort food recipes?
- Chicken Pot Pie with a Whole Wheat Biscuit Crust
- Healthy 20-Minute Chicken and Mushroom Stroganoff
- Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
- Classic Shrimp and Grits
- Easy Shepherd’s Pie
- Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
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Easy Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter divided
- 2 carrots diced small
- 2 stalks celery plus their leaves diced
- 1 onion diced
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour divided
- 4 cups low sodium chicken stock/broth
- 1 cup whole milk divided
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried, plus more for garnish
- 2 cups cooked diced or shredded chicken
- extra salt and pepper
Instructions
- Sauté the carrots, celery, and onions in 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large pot over medium high heat until softened a bit and beginning to brown (about 3 minutes).
- Add 1/4 cup flour, stir to coat.
- Add chicken broth (4 cups) and bring to a boil.
- Turn the heat down to simmer and add 1/2 cup milk and the chicken. Season with salt and pepper.
- Meanwhile, to make the dumplings, mix together the remaining 1 cup of flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, melted, until flour mixture is crumbly looking. Add the remaining 1/2 cup of milk and stir until JUST combined. Do NOT over mix, or your dumplings may be dense.
- Add spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture to the simmering pot- I recommend using a small cookie scoop for this (a tablespoon can also be used).
- Cover and simmer on low for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are fluffy, cooked, and float to the top. No peeking!
- Serve garnished with extra fresh thyme and fresh ground pepper, if desired.
Video
Notes
- If you are sensitive to salt, cut the salt in the dumplings in half, as they are quite salty. I like them that way, but some readers have recommended taking the amount of salt down. Also, if you are using fine grain salt instead of kosher, use 3/4 teaspoon, as 1 teaspoon will be too much.
- Make sure your baking powder is fresh. Baking powder often isn’t good after a year of opening it. If you find your dumplings are dense and not fluffy, this may likely be the culprit.
- Readers have commented that this recipe doesn’t make as much as they would like. Please double it if you and your family have a big appetite!
- You can freeze the leftovers, or double the batch and freeze one for later in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
- If you prefer a really thick base, you can add 1-2 more tablespoons of flour to the veggies before adding the broth and milk.
- If you don’t like thyme, you can use other herbs– parsley, oregano, or even dill- or leave them out entirely.
- Feel free to add more veggies toward the end of cooking, such as frozen peas or corn, or a few handfuls of baby spinach.
- I love making this in a Dutch Oven, because it stays hot for a while if dinner is ready early. The one in the photos is a Cuisinart 5.5 qt. Oval Dutch Oven but lately I’ve been recommending the Lodge Dutch Oven.
- The provided nutrition information does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. Feel free to calculate it yourself using this calculator or by adding the recipe to Yummly.
Nutrition
Nutrition Information Disclaimer
The provided nutrition information is my best estimate and does not include any added sodium from seasoning to taste, any optional ingredients, and it does not take brands into account. I use an automatic API to calculate this information. Feel free to calculate it yourself using one of these tools:
This chicken and dumplings recipe first appeared on Bowl of Delicious in September, 2016. It has been edited to include a video, process shots, and more detailed instructions, tips, and tricks.
Krysti W.
I come back to this recipe again and again! This is a family favorite. Even the pickiest of my eaters cheers when I say I’m making this. We always have to double the recipe so we have enough for seconds. And leftovers. Thank you for sharing!
Krysti W.
I forgot to add the stars!!!
Totally earns the ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Thanks!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Jacqui R
I used breast tenders, boiled with celery, carrots and onion. I didn’t have thyme. I seasoned the chicken with poultry seasoning and once the chicken was done, I added two tablespoons of Irish butter. I dropped spoonfuls if dumpling dough into the boiling broth. Oops, I forgot to say I used two boxes of chicken stock. They boiled for 15 minutes. Unfortunately, I used Jiffy bisquit mix to make the dumplings. They came out sweet. Yuk! But the broth and chicken was good. Next time I’ll use regular white all purpose flour. Maybe the dumplings will taste better. Shucks! I had my mouth all set for them. Oh well, better luck next time.🤨
Elizabeth Lindemann
Yes I think switching to regular AP flour for next time will do the trick! :-)
Naomi
Such a yummy soup! I was feeding a few extra people so I doubled the broth and added 1/2 cup heavy cream as well as the milk called for. Got tons of compliments and yummiest dumplings we’ve ever had! Definitely a new family favorite! Thank you!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your family liked it!
Ann Byrne
I must say this is the best chicken & dumplings recipe I’ve ever prepared. It was easy and quick to put together and it turned out so delicious!! I pinned it but I need the recipe copied and couldn’t figure out how to do that. Could you please email the recipe. My friends are wanting it too. My grandson says “it’s the best yet”. He is my critic!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your grandson liked it! Here’s the printable version of the recipe that might be helpful for you to share with your friends (though sending them the link to the actual post is best, as I earn income for my business from visits to my recipe post pages- thanks!): https://www.bowlofdelicious.com/wprm_print/7717
Ramell
This recipe is the best!! And so easy. I’ve never made it with chicken though. We’re hunters, so when we get a couple of pheasants, we use this recipe. Slow cook the pheasants so they shred easily, then follow this recipe. So good!!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad this recipe worked well with your pheasants! Great tip, thanks so much :-)
Lupita
This is very delicious. I made the recipe as is, except, I used heavy cream in place of whole milk due to not having any whole milk. My family and I LOVED it! Thank you for sharing this recipe. 😋
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Kristi
My dumplings were doughy 😞
Elizabeth Lindemann
Oh no! They probably just needed a little longer to cook. This might have had to do with their size or even the kind of flour/milk used. It’s hard to overcook them so it’s safe to assume you can add 5-10 minutes more to their cooking time without negative results, for next time, or for anyone else reading this comment. Hope that helps and better luck next time!
Cheryl
I have made this recipe several times and each time it was absolutely delicious. My dumplings came out perfectly each time. I am not a huge thyme fan so I just halved the amount called for. This is definitely my chicken and dumplings go to. Thank you for such an easy recipe.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Ann Byrne
My dumplings were perfect! I dropped them from a teaspoon measuring spoon. I covered them and they cooked on low for !5 minutes. No peeking was the instruction. When I removed the lid, they were all cooked. The gravy was smooth and creamy!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and the dumplings turned out well for you!
Rose
This recipe is absolutely delicious! Exactly the recipe I was looking for! So easy with the Rotisserie Chicken breast. I diced the chicken breast instead of shredding it which I think, was the way to go. It was a huge hit at our house. A definite make again, keeper of a recipe. Thank you!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your family liked it!
April
This is a wonderful recipe and I’ve made it three times now. Today I decided to bake my dumplings to see if they’d turn out more like a biscuit and they did! I baked for 10 minutes on 350, then popped them in the soup.
I recommend this method for anyone who prefers more of a flaky biscuit texture to their dumpling.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and thanks for sharing that tip with us about baking the dumplings!
Kendra
Delicious! This was my first go at chicken and dumplings, and the recipe is super easy to follow. I am taking some over to my grandparents, and I know they will enjoy. Thanks!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and hope your grandparents do too!
Sherry
Easy, quick and delicious!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it!
tdbates831
Excellent recipe. I did add a touch more flour when coating the vegetables because I like a slightly thicker soup. Loved the addition of fresh thyme to the dumplings. Because I had a whole rotisserie chicken I was using for this, I went ahead and used the carcass to make homemade stock for the base, and it really added a much more deep, complex flavor than boxed stock, though that would work in a pinch if you’re pressed for time. Probably the best chicken and dumplings I’ve ever had!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it, and I agree that using homemade stock works so well here!
Gale
This is probably the most tasty and easiest chicken and dumpling recipe ever. My husband said don’t try any others. This will be my go to chicken and dumplings.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad to hear you and your husband liked it!
Jan
This is one of our favorite meals! I’ve made a couple of changes, nothing major: I add the brown skin of the rotisserie chicken to the broth and take it out before adding the dumplings. It adds a little extra flavor. I also add about 3 or 4 thyme sprigs to the soup (in addition to the thyme in the dumplings) for more flavor, and I use about half of the salt in the dumplings. Thank you for such a tasty recipe!!
Elizabeth Lindemann
Love the idea of adding the skin to the broth for flavor! Thanks for sharing your suggestions, and glad you liked it!
Jenny
How should I store leftover dumplings? Will they get soggy in the fridge? If so, would you recommend that I half the dough and make fresh ones the next day?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Personally, I think the leftover dumplings are great. Maybe they’re slightly better fresh, but I don’t think it’s worth the work of making new for leftovers. They don’t get too soggy. Hope you like the recipe!
Erika
Shouldn’t the dumplings be filled with chicken and vegetables? Or you just put the dough in the pot on its own? Thank you
Elizabeth Lindemann
Nope! The dumplings are kind of like drop biscuits that get cooked in the chicken soup base. So just plop it in on its own :-) Hope you like it!
Denise
First time ever making chicken and dumpling soup and it was AMAZING!! So easy and delicious! I doubled recipe for our family of boys and it was devoured❤️
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you and your family liked it!
Suzy
This was a great recipe! Super easy and super tasty. As written mine came out pretty thin- like soup, so I think I’ll try the tip and add more flour next time and see if it comes out thicker.
It was really good- thanks for posting!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it and you’ll be good to go with more flour next time for a thicker soup base!
Patricia
Chicken and dumplings came out great!
Just the dish for cool weather!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Beth
Great dish for a cold day! Comes together quickly. Added a few extra vegetables (maybe a half cup each of green beans, peas, and corn). We really enjoyed the recipe. We will definitely be making it again!
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked it!
Susan Bannister
Can you use cream if chicken soup and omit the flour?
Elizabeth Lindemann
Sure!
Priscilla R Oebel
Being from the South and raised on my grandmother’s chicken & dumplings, I haven’t been able to find any recipes that were easy and delicious…..until this one! My grandmother always made her dumplings from scratch and rolled them out into strips. I wasn’t sure how well I would like these, but they are so delicious and flavorful. My husband loved them too. In fact, I thought we were going to fight over the last bit in the bowl. The only thing I would change would be more liquid. The next time I make them I will double the recipe and see what happens. Thanks for sharing such a special find.
Elizabeth Lindemann
So glad you liked the recipe! And yes, doubling the recipe would be a good way to avoid strain in your marriage by fighting over the last bit haha! :-)
Kathy Galvan
I boiled boneless, skinless chicken thighs and used that chicken & broth in the recipe. It was delicious. Big hit with the family.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked it!
Jennifer Myers
Definitely not enough liquid. I would double everything except chicken and biscuit amount. Dumplings soaked up most of the liquid using original amounts. Good flavor.
Elizabeth Lindemann
Glad you liked the flavor, and this recipe can definitely be doubled (with everything but the chicken and biscuits) for more of that soup base! The dumplings shouldn’t have soaked up all the liquid though – as long as the pot is covered while the dumplings cook, you should be left with most of the liquid in the pot. Thanks for this feedback!
Amanda
Definitely agree on the amount of liquid ! I added almost double what the recipe calls for !:)