Try This One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe When You Need a Comforting Dinner Fast (2024)

Our quick chicken and dumplings recipe makes it easy to enjoy this classic comfort food on a weeknight. Though the dish tastes like it simmered long and slow, it starts with cooked chicken and store-bought stock to streamline the prep. The rich chicken stew is packed with vegetables and crowned with fluffy drop dumplings, so it's a complete meal. And those dumplings; they are a magical combination of pantry ingredients; flour, baking powder, butter, and milk is transformed into tender dumplings.

Best of all, this cozy, nostalgic dinner comes together in about 45 minutes and uses one pot, so break out that Dutch oven—and be prepared to field weekly requests for this hearty meal.

Try This One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe When You Need a Comforting Dinner Fast (1)

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The Secrets to Fluffy Dumplings

Light, tender drop dumplings are easy to make, as long as you follow our recipe and keep these tips in mind:

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Just like when you make pancakes, mix the dumpling dough just until it comes together. First use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, cut in the butter and stir in the milk just until there are no patches of dry flour. It's okay if the dough looks a little lumpy.

Mixing the dough more than this is called overworking and will result in tough dumplings.

Cook the Dumplings With the Lid On

Drop heaping spoonfuls of the dumpling dough over the simmering chicken mixture and they will steam—as long as you put the lid on the pot. Putting the lid on means that the moisture that the stew creates stays in the pot and steams the dumplings. Steaming is key to producing light, airy dumplings; without the lid, dumplings are drier and harder. Let the dumplings steam for 12 minutes—no peeking.

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Directions

  1. Cook vegetables:

    In a large saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium-high. Add onion, celery, and carrots and cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes.

  2. Add flour, then broth and simmer:

    Add 1/4 cup flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.

  3. Stir in chicken and beans:

    Stir in chicken and green beans and season with salt and pepper.

  4. Make dumplings:

    Whisk together 1 cup flour, baking powder, 1 teaspoon coarse salt, and 2 tablespoons parsley.

  5. Add butter and milk:

    Cut in 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in milk.

  6. Drop batter over chicken mixture:

    Drop heaping spoonfuls batter on top of chicken mixture.

  7. Cook dumplings:

    Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 12 minutes. Serve topped with additional chopped parsley.

Try This One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe When You Need a Comforting Dinner Fast (2)

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my chicken and dumplings watery?

If you follow our One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe, the liquid for the chicken and dumplings should be rich and comforting, not watery. Adding too much liquid, whether that is water or broth, is the main reason the dish would be watery. You can thicken it by mixing a teaspoon or 2 of flour, or cornstarch with cold water, and then stirring in some liquid from the stew, then adding the slurry to the stew and heating it through until it thickens to the consistency you want.


Why are my chicken and dumplings hard?

There are two main reasons that the dumplings in chicken and dumplings turn out hard. One is the cooking; the dumplings will be hard if they are cooked too long or if they are cooked with the lid off so they simmer rather than steam and do not get the moisture from the stew as they cook.

The other reason for dry dumplings is overmixing the dough so that it doesn't rise as well, and the dumplings are dense not airy and will seem dry.


What goes with chicken and dumplings?

We think chicken and dumplings is a one-dish dinner, you really don't need to serve anything else with it. There's no need for bread or a starch because there are dumplings. If you want to add another vegetable, try sautéed broccoli or braised kale or go with roasted butternut squash or sweet potatoes.

Other Stew and Dumpling Recipes to Try:

  • Test Kitchen's Favorite Chicken and Dumplings
  • Mushroom-and-Dill Chicken and Dumplings
  • Green-Chile Chicken and Dumplings
  • Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
  • Cornmeal Dumpling Dough for Chicken and Dumplings
Try This One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe When You Need a Comforting Dinner Fast (2024)

FAQs

How do you make chicken and dumplings not bland? ›

The dumpings should be moist, uniform, contain some fat, and cook in the broth for 15 minutes. Adds to chicken and dumplings can include celery, chicken, broth, and I have seen carrots and peas.

What makes chicken and dumplings tough? ›

Using too much flour: If you use too much flour in your dumpling dough, the dumplings will be dense and tough. Be sure to measure the flour carefully and follow the recipe closely. Using the wrong type of flour: Different types of flour have different protein levels, which can affect the texture of the dumplings.

What helps thicken chicken and dumplings? ›

Use Cornstarch to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings

To give that a little thicker texture we're going to add 1 cup of cool water to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir it up well. Make sure the soup is brought back to a good boil and go ahead and stir in the cornstarch mixture.

What to make with dumplings for dinner? ›

The best side dishes to serve with European dumplings are green salad, stew, mashed potato, cheesy 'nduja slider, pollo picante pasta, potato salad, chipotle carbonara, baked mozzarella pasta.

Can you eat dumplings as a meal? ›

They're good for lunch or dinner or breakfast. They're good steaming hot just out of the boiling pot, they're good cold, eaten standing in front of the fridge. Between the filling and the wrapper, a dumpling covers at least three food groups.

What can I add to the dumplings to make them taste better? ›

A teaspoon of sugar adds an extremely subtle hint of sweetness. It also helps the dumplings retain their moisture through the cooking process and slows gluten development, which ensures tender dumplings. A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Can I use water instead of chicken broth for chicken and dumplings? ›

Chicken Broth Substitute: Salted Butter + Water

If you don't have broth on hand and want a little more flavor than just plain water, try subbing in 1 cup of water plus 1 tablespoon of butter for every cup of chicken broth in your recipe. The butter will help create a richer flavor than just water alone.

Why do my dumplings disappear when I make chicken and dumplings? ›

Lower your heat so that your broth is just barely barely barely boiling and drop these pieces in one at a time. It is important that you DO NOT STIR. We are not going to stir these as we don't want our dumplings cooking up. If you do stir, you will basically cause your dumplings to dissolve.

Do you cook dumplings covered or uncovered? ›

Bring Water To Boil and Cover

Once your water comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium or medium-low. You want a gentle boil that won't disturb your dumplings as they steam. Make sure you cover them! This allows for as much steam as possible so that your dumplings can definitely get cooked.

Why do my dumplings fall apart when I cook them? ›

Homemade dumplings can fall apart for a number of different reasons, or any combination of them. Often they burst during cooking because they have too much filling for the amount of dough. Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing.

Why are my chicken and dumplings not fluffy? ›

If it's boiling too hard, the dumpling dough can fall apart. Simmering broth might not be hot enough to raise the dumpling dough. Remove or tilt the lid after they've cooked so the dumplings don't over-steam and get soggy and dense. At least, that's the way I was taught and dumplings come out fluffy and delicious.

How to tell when dumplings are done in chicken and dumplings? ›

Here's how you can tell whether your chicken and dumpling soup is done and ready to eat. If the biscuit pieces feel gooey or mushy, they are not thoroughly cooked—give them more time to simmer in the rapidly boiling liquid until perfectly pillowy and fluffy.

How do you thicken chicken and noodle broth? ›

Add Flour Or Cornstarch

Instead, ladle a small amount of broth into a separate bowl and let it cool. Add a few tablespoons of flour or cornstarch to the bowl and whisk until it's blended smooth. Next, bring the soup to a simmer and add the mixture back to the pot. Pro tip: Don't dump in the entire mixture at once.

How long does it take chicken and dumplings to thicken up? ›

Slowly add the hot chicken broth, stirring constantly, and simmer over low heat until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in the heavy cream, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaves. Adjust the heat to maintain a slow simmer while you prepare the dumplings.

What side dishes go well with dumplings? ›

The best side dishes to serve with dumplings are chicken noodle soup, beef and broccoli, ramen, bok choy, egg roll in a bowl, orange chicken, Chinese curry sauce, fried rice, hot and sour soup, kung pao chicken, cucumber salad, bao buns, stir-fried vegetables, sesame noodles, spring rolls, and crispy tofu.

What is usually eaten with dumplings? ›

While dumplings are not traditionally served with side dishes, there are good pairings that make them a true meal.
  • Egg Drop Soup. Use homemade vegetable or chicken stock, you won't regret it! ...
  • Pickled Vegetables. Dill pickles, kimchi, even sauerkraut is good served on the side.
  • Fried Rice. ...
  • Noodle Soups.
Feb 21, 2018

Where do people eat chicken and dumplings? ›

Although chicken and dumplings is most commonly attributed to the South, it can also be found in the Midwest and may have even originated from a similar French Canadian dish that appeared in the Great Depression (says Wikipedia).

What to eat with stew and dumplings? ›

Slow Cooker Beef Stew and Dumplings – this hearty stew topped with herby dumplings is THE perfect comfort food. This easy crockpot beef casserole requires no browning – simply sit back and let your slow cooker do all the work. Serve with my Goose Fat Roast Potatoes and some crusty bread.

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