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Best Ever Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings for Fluffy Results

Close-up of steaming chicken and dumpling dish with fluffy dumplings, shredded chicken, and parsley garnish.
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Make classic, comforting Chicken and Dumplings with this homestyle recipe. Follow these steps to guarantee soft, fluffy dumplings every time, creating a hearty one-pot meal perfect for family dinner.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (breasts and thighs)
  • 8 cups water or low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 large yellow onion, quartered
  • 2 carrots, roughly chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken, water or broth, onion, carrots, celery, salt, pepper, and bay leaf into a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Strain the broth into a separate bowl, discarding the cooked vegetables and bay leaf. You should have about 6 cups of broth.
  3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and discard the bones and skin. Set the shredded chicken aside.
  4. Return 5 cups of the reserved broth to the pot. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
  5. Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  6. Pour in the milk and stir just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix; a slightly shaggy dough is best for fluffy dumplings.
  7. Drop the dumpling dough by rounded tablespoons directly onto the simmering broth. Do not crowd the pot; work in batches if necessary.
  8. Cover the pot tightly, reduce the heat to low, and let the dumplings steam for exactly 15 minutes without lifting the lid. This traps the steam needed for them to become light.
  9. After 15 minutes, gently stir the shredded chicken back into the pot. Simmer for 5 more minutes to heat the chicken through.
  10. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley before serving immediately.

Notes

  • For the fluffiest dumplings, do not overwork the dough when mixing. Mix only until the dry ingredients are just incorporated.
  • Avoid lifting the lid while the dumplings are steaming for the first 15 minutes. This is crucial for light texture.
  • To adapt for a Slow Cooker: Cook the chicken and broth mixture in the slow cooker on low for 6-8 hours. Shred the chicken, return it to the liquid, and bring the liquid to a simmer on the stove. Drop the dumplings and cook covered for 15 minutes as directed above.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://cookingzenith.com/chicken-and-dumpling-fluffy-homestyle-recipe/