Momma's Best Chicken and Dumplings

4.9
(48)

There's a lot of love in those dumplings! This is comfort food at its best and so worth the time and effort. I love the ohhs, awws, and OMGs, smiles, and sighs of total satisfaction that come with this bowl of heaven.

close up on a bowl of chicken and dumplings
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Prep Time:
30 mins
Cook Time:
1 hr 28 mins
Additional Time:
35 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs 33 mins
Servings:
8
Yield:
8 servings
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Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

  • ¼ cup butter

  • 2 ribs celery, quartered

  • 1 large carrot, quartered

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 1 teaspoon mashed garlic

  • 2 large bay leaves

  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme

  • ½ teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper

  • teaspoon poultry seasoning

  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts

  • water to cover

  • 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (such as White Lily®)

  • 2 cups self-rising flour (such as White Lily®)

  • ¼ cup cold shortening

  • ¼ cup chicken broth, slightly chilled

Directions

  1. Gather all ingredients.

    all ingredients gathered to make chicken and dumplings

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  2. Melt butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.

    vegetables and seasonings cooking in a pot until flavors are combined

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  3. Push vegetable mixture to the sides and add chicken; cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

    chicken added to pot, cooking until sides are browned

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  4. Pour enough water over the chicken to cover by 3 inches; bring to a boil. Stir, scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.

    chicken covered and simmering until tender

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  5. Transfer chicken and carrots to a serving plate with a large slotted spoon; let cool.

    chicken and carrots transferred to a plate

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  6. Ladle 1/4 cup cooking liquid into a bowl; cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons flour. Stir back into the pot.

    flour stirred into pot

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  7. Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl; cut in shortening with 2 knives until mixture forms pea-sized bits. Mix in chilled chicken broth until dough is combined.

    dough slightly formed in a mixing bowl

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  8. Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead 5 to 6 times; pat down to 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle lightly with flour; roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into squares with a sharp knife.

    dough rolled out and cut into squares

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  9. Drop squares, in batches, into simmering cooking liquid, moving squares to the side with each addition. Partially cover pot; simmer until dumplings are firm, about 12 minutes. Separate any dumplings that stick together. Remove from heat; keep covered.

    dumplings cooking in pot until firm

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

  10. Bone chicken; cut into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot. Chop carrot; return to the pot. Cool chicken and dumplings, about 30 minutes, before serving.

    chicken and carrots cut, ready to be placed back in pot

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  11. Enjoy!

    close up on a bowl of chicken and dumplings

    Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Recipe Tip

You can substitute chicken thighs or legs for chicken breasts if desired. If using only chicken thighs or legs, reduce butter to 2 tablespoons.

80 home cooks made it!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

405 Calories
19g Fat
28g Carbs
28g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Calories 405
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 19g 25%
Saturated Fat 7g 36%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 718mg 31%
Total Carbohydrate 28g 10%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 28g 56%
Vitamin C 2mg 2%
Calcium 144mg 11%
Iron 3mg 15%
Potassium 328mg 7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.