Description
This comforting Chicken and Dumplings recipe combines tender chicken simmered in a flavorful broth with soft, fluffy dumplings steamed to perfection. Enhanced with a blend of herbs and a touch of heat from hot sauce, this classic dish makes a satisfying meal that’s perfect for cozy dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs. bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (I use Franks hot sauce)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup frozen peas
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dumplings
- 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ cup cold sour cream
- ¼ cup cold milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Sear the chicken: Season each side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 4 ½-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned but still uncooked inside. Let the chicken rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones.
- Make the Soup: Combine the seasonings in a bowl and set aside. Melt butter in the same pot over medium heat, stirring with a silicone spatula to clean the bottom. Add the diced onions, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and the seasoning blend, cooking for 1 more minute. Sprinkle in flour and toss to coat the vegetables; cook for 2 minutes while stirring continuously.
- Add Liquids and Simmer: Gradually pour in chicken broth in small splashes, stirring constantly and scraping up any browned bits from the pot bottom. Add half and half similarly, and stir in the chicken bouillon cube if using. Add frozen peas, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil and let it simmer uncovered while you prepare the dumplings.
- Make the Dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Add cold sour cream, cold milk, and melted butter. Use a folding motion to combine into a dough, careful not to overmix to avoid dense dumplings.
- Add Chicken and Dumplings to Soup: Return bite-sized chicken pieces and any juices back to the soup pot, stirring gently. Reduce heat to low. Using a small cookie scoop, evenly drop dumpling dough on the surface of the simmering soup. Spoon a little liquid over each dumpling to moisten the tops.
- Cook the Dumplings: Cover the pot tightly, increase heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook undisturbed for 15 minutes to steam the dumplings. After 15 minutes, check doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a dumpling; it should come out clean. If not cooked fully, cover and simmer a few more minutes until set.
- Serve: Once dumplings are cooked through, garnish with fresh parsley if desired, and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use bone-in chicken breasts or thighs for richer broth flavor, or substitute with 2 large boneless/skinless chicken breasts (~1.25 lbs).
- If using leftover cooked chicken, add it with the dumplings instead of searing.
- Mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce enhance flavor subtly without overt taste.
- To reduce sodium, omit bouillon cube and use unsalted butter and low/no sodium chicken broth.
- Try the Chicken Stew recipe for a similar dish with potatoes instead of dumplings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 20g
- Saturated Fat: 10g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 32g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 30g
- Cholesterol: 80mg
