Chicken and Dumplings

Crowd-pleasing without the fuss, leaning on chicken and flour for depth. Rest a few minutes before slicing so the juices stay in.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Stick-to-your-ribs comfort food.
• One pot, full meal.
• Cheaper than takeout.
• Old-fashioned Southern classic done right.
• Reliably crowd-pleasing.

Ingredient Notes

• Boneless thighs poach into the broth quickly and stay tender.
• Baking powder (not soda) is what makes dumplings rise.
• Whole milk gives the dumplings a tender crumb; nonfat will be tough.

Ingredient Substitutions

• Bone-in chicken pieces for deeper broth (simmer 35 minutes, then debone and shred).
• Rotisserie chicken (3 cups, added with the peas) for a 30-minute version.
• Frozen biscuit dough quartered and dropped on top for a shortcut dumpling.

Equipment Needed

• Large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid
• Wooden spoon
• Mixing bowl
• Pastry cutter or two forks
• Tablespoon measure for dropping dumplings

Prep Tips

• Mix the dumpling dough only after the broth is simmering and the chicken is shredded — drop it in as fresh as possible.
• Use cold milk and cold butter for the dough.

Instructions

1. 1

   Gather and prep: 1 lb chicken, 1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 2 tbsp butter, 1 cup chicken broth, 1 medium onion, diced, 1 medium carrot, sliced, 1 celery. dice the onion, and chop the vegetables into even pieces before you start cooking.

2. 2

   Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a pinch of salt; cook 8 minutes until soft and lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and thyme; cook 60 seconds.

3. 3

   Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 90 seconds — this cooks off the raw flour taste. Slowly whisk in the broth and milk, then nestle in the chicken thighs. Add the salt and pepper.

4. 4

   Bring to a gentle simmer (not a boil — boiling toughens chicken). Cover partially and cook 18–20 minutes until the chicken reads 165°F. Lift the chicken out, shred with two forks, and return to the pot with the frozen peas.

5. 5

   Make the dumplings: in a bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or two forks until pea-sized crumbs form. Stir in the milk and parsley with a fork just until a shaggy dough comes together — don't overmix.

6. 6

   Bring the stew to a low simmer. Drop heaping tablespoons of dough on top, spaced 1 inch apart (about 12 dumplings). Cover tightly and steam undisturbed for 15 minutes — no peeking, or steam escapes and dumplings turn dense. Test a dumpling with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Serve immediately.

Artsi Pro Tips

• DO NOT lift the lid while dumplings cook. Steam is what makes them puff. Set a timer and walk away.
• Cold butter cut into the flour creates pockets that make dumplings tender, not gummy. Don't soften it.
• A low simmer (not a rolling boil) keeps the chicken silky and the dumplings light.

Common Mistakes

• Lifting the lid to peek — they'll never puff.
• Overmixing the dough, making leaden dumplings.
• Boiling the stew, which can break apart the dumplings and toughen the chicken.

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