Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Are you looking to cook up delicious homemade soup? Make my quick and easy chicken and dumplings recipe in a stock pot; no Bisquick or crockpot needed. 

Chicken n dumpling soup in a stainless steel pot on the stove.

There are many styles of chicken and dumplings and traditions around homemade chicken and dumpling soup. However, we can all agree that this satisfying comfort food warms our bodies and souls. 

Use store-bought chicken broth or make your own by following my simple homemade bone broth recipe. Or, if you are considering raising your chickens, here are my recommendations for the best chickens to raise for meat.

Over the years, I have adapted my easy chicken and dumplings recipe to make it quick, simple, and healthy. It has become a family favorite on a cold winter day. 

Recipe starts at minute 22:56 in the video below.

What Makes My Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Unique

I grew up in the South. The chicken and dumplings I grew up with contained dumplings that were more similar to noodles, and we would make the dumplings from scratch. 

We would make the dumpling dough, roll it out on the counter, and then cut the dough into strips. These strips were then dropped into the hot, simmering broth making a delicious thick noodle-like dumpling. 

After marrying Sweet Miah, I learned that he was used to a different style of dumplings in his chicken and dumplings. 

His family made the dumpling dough from Bisquick and dropped dough balls into the broth, creating a more biscuit-like dumpling, soft and fluffy on the inside and sticky and broth-soaked on the outside. They also added vegetables to their soup. 

If you have read the story behind Sweet Miah’s Dutch oven-roast beef recipe, you already know that there are things in the kitchen that Miah just does better than me, so I was open to adaptations. Over the years, I have developed my hybrid style of dumplings that makes both Sweet Miah and me happy. 

Plus, my children love it. My recipe, for them, has become mom’s chicken and dumplings, which I jokingly call lazy chicken and dumplings. We now have our own “traditional” way of making chicken and dumplings. 

My whole family loves it, and it's easier and less messy than the traditional way that I first learned to make it. 

Chicken n dumpling soup in a stainless steel pot on the stove.

Should Chicken and Dumplings Be Thick or Soupy

Just like the differences in how Miah and I were raised, this question is answered depending on your culture and/or preferences. You can make thick, creamy chicken and dumplings or have a thin broth-like texture.

This recipe doesn't use a thickener, but if you prefer cream of chicken soup texture, you can whisk together 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch and a cup of water before adding this mixture into the soup’s broth. It will thicken as it simmers.

The dumplings do act like a thickener though, so you might want to try this recipe once before adding in additional thickeners to make sure you like it.

Supplies Needed

  • Large Stock Pot – A 14 or 16-quart stock pot is ideal.
  • Tongs – Use these to scoop the bones out of the broth if you make your homemade chicken stock.
  • Food Processor – I have invested in a high-quality food processor because it gets a lot of use on the farm. I use it to make many recipes, like my roasted tomato salsa. With this recipe, feel free to use a food processor or prepare the dumplings by hand in a bowl. 
  • Large Mixing Bowl – If you are not using a food processor, you need to use a large mixing bowl.
  • Large Spoon – Use a spoon, spatula, or your hands to mix the dough.

A woman holding a handful of chopped herbs.

Ingredients

You can add many variations to make this soup your own. You could add vegetables like onions, carrots and celery.

I always double or triple this recipe to have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. Whatever you choose to include, have fun making it your homemade chicken and dumpling soup!

  • Chicken – I like using the whole chicken in this recipe, not just chicken breasts. I love to use everything I have grown on the farm. I use chicken I have raised from start to finish in this recipe. Pro-Tip: After making chicken dinners like this spatchcock chicken recipe, I save the carcasses in the freezer to use later to make bone broth or chicken stock. When I plan to make chicken and dumplings, I pull out the chicken carcasses and any leftover chicken meat and add them to a large stock pot with water. I let this simmer for up to 24 hours. 
  • Chicken Broth – Make your own from several chicken carcasses or use two cartons of store-bought chicken broth. You can add water to your stock pot to dilute the broth and create enough volume if you want it to be more soupy or brothy. 
  • Flour – I often use Einkorn flour for this recipe, but you can use regular flour too.  
  • Milk –  I've used both raw goat milk or cow's milk in this recipe. It's a great way to use up excess cow milk.
  • Chilled ButterHomemade butter makes a delicious dough, if you have it. Make sure the butter is cold and cubed.
  • Baking Powder – Baking powder adds carbon dioxide to the dough causing it to rise and spread out.
  • Fresh Thyme – Use more or less thyme according to taste.
  • Fresh Rosemary – Use more or less rosemary according to taste.
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste – My go-to flaked sea salt is Maldon Sea Salt.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings Step-by-Step

  1. Simmer a whole chicken in water until the meat is fully cooked in your large stock pot. This should take at least an hour. 
  2. Take the chicken out of the pot and take all the meat off the bones. Set the meat aside to use later.
  3. Add the chicken bones back to the stock pot and simmer. This can simmer all day, even up to 24 hours. Let it cook down into a rich broth. 
  4. Take out all the chicken bones using tongs.
  5. Put the broth back on to simmer and increase the temperature to medium high heat. 
  6. While the broth is heating up, make the homemade dumplings. It should take less than 15 minutes to make the dumplings from scratch.
  7. Take out your food processor or a large bowl. 
  8. Add 2 cups of flour into the bowl or food processor.
  9. Cut in the cold butter or use the pulse function on the food processor.
  10. Mix in the herbs, like thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.
  11. Add the milk. Mix it in slowly to form a dough and ensure the milk is evenly dispersed. Mix the dough into a nice ball that is sticky and stretchy. If it is too thin, add more flour a little at a time until it is the correct consistency. 
  12. Check to see that your broth is at a full simmer.
  13. Mash a piece of dough into a thick, flat strip using your fingers and drop it right into the broth. It will sink at first, but once it is cooked, it will float to the top.
  14. Continue to form thick, flat dumplings and drop each piece into the stock pot of broth until you have used up all of the dough. 
  15. Stir your dumplings. If you want to make your chicken and dumplings thicker, just repeat the steps to make more dumpling dough and add more dumplings to the broth until you have the desired thickness. 
  16. Once you have the desired amount of dumplings and they are all floating to the top, add in the cooked chicken that you had set aside. 
  17. After it is salted and peppered to taste, serve and enjoy! 
  18. Save any leftovers in the refrigerator to heat up for lunch the next day.  

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Chicken n dumpling soup in a stainless steel pot on the stove.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Are you looking to cook up delicious homemade soup? Make my quick and easy chicken and dumplings recipe in a stock pot; no Bisquick or crockpot needed. 
4.08 from 26 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 202kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Large Stockpot 14 or 16 quart
  • 1 Food Processor
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl If you aren't using a good processor, you will need to use a large mixing bowl.
  • 1 Large Spoon

Ingredients

  • 2 cups chicken cooked and shredded
  • 8 cups chicken broth
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2-3 Tablespoons butter chilled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons thyme fresh if available
  • 1 Tablespoon rosemary fresh if available
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • If you're making homemade broth, simmer a whole chicken in water until the meat is fully cooked in your large stock pot. This should take at least an hour. 
  • Take the chicken out of the pot and take all the meat off the bones. Set the meat aside to use later.
  • Add the chicken bones back to the stock pot and simmer. This can simmer all day, even up to 24 hours. Let it cook down into a rich broth. 
  • Take out all the chicken bones using tongs.
  • Put the broth back on to simmer and increase the temperature to medium high heat. 
  • While the broth is heating up, make the homemade dumplings. It should take less than 15 minutes to make the dumplings from scratch.
  • Take out your food processor or a large bowl. 
  • Add 2 cups of flour into the bowl or food processor.
  • Cut in the cold butter or use the pulse function on the food processor.
  • Mix in the herbs, like thyme, rosemary, and black pepper.
  • Add the milk. Mix it in slowly to form a dough and ensure the milk is evenly dispersed. Mix the dough into a nice ball that is sticky and stretchy. If it is too thin, add more flour a little at a time until it is the correct consistency. 
  • Check to see that your broth is at a full simmer.
  • Mash a piece of dough into a thick, flat strip using your fingers and drop it right into the broth. It will sink at first, but once it is cooked, it will float to the top.
  • Continue to form thick, flat dumplings and drop each piece into the stock pot of broth until you have used up all of the dough. 
  • Stir your dumplings. If you want to make your chicken and dumplings thicker, just repeat the steps to make more dumpling dough and add more dumplings to the broth until you have the desired thickness. 
  • Once you have the desired amount of dumplings and they are all floating to the top, add in the cooked chicken that you had set aside. 
  • After it is salted and peppered to taste, serve and enjoy! 

Notes

  • You can add many variations to make this soup your own. You could add vegetables like carrots and celery. Or, if you do not have a whole chicken to simmer, cook boneless skinless breasts separately, shred them, and add them to the soup. 
  • I always double or triple this recipe to have plenty of leftovers for lunch the next day. Whatever you choose to include, have fun making it your homemade chicken and dumpling soup!
  • Save any leftovers in the refrigerator to heat up for lunch the next day.  

Nutrition

Calories: 202kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 943mg | Potassium: 153mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 192IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 74mg | Iron: 2mg
I want to share this beautiful life with others and teach them the lessons we've learned along the way. Welcome to Roots and Refuge, friend. I am so glad you're here.

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