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Ultimate Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings

Close-up of a white bowl filled with creamy chicken and dumplings, topped with shredded chicken and herbs.
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Make this classic Southern Chicken and Dumplings recipe for a hearty, satisfying meal. You get tender shredded chicken and soft, flat homemade dumplings in a rich, creamy broth. This is true comfort food.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 8 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
  • 1 large carrot, diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cold water
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk

Instructions

  1. Place the chicken, chicken broth, carrot, celery, onion, thyme, and bay leaf in a large pot or Dutch oven. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool slightly. Keep the broth simmering gently. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken using two forks. Discard the bay leaf.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup cold water to create a slurry. Slowly whisk this slurry into the simmering broth. Stir constantly until the broth thickens slightly.
  4. Stir the shredded chicken and heavy cream into the thickened broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low to maintain a gentle simmer.
  5. Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter using a pastry blender or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  6. Pour in the buttermilk and mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop the dumpling dough by rounded tablespoons directly onto the surface of the simmering stew. Do not crowd them; leave space between each one.
  8. Cover the pot tightly and cook the dumplings without lifting the lid for exactly 15 minutes. This steams the dumplings perfectly.
  9. Remove the lid. The dumplings should be light and fluffy. Check the seasoning and add more pepper if desired. Serve immediately for the best texture.

Notes

  • For the best flavor, use good quality chicken broth. This makes a difference in your creamy chicken stew base.
  • When making the flat dumplings, resist the urge to knead the dough. Overworking the dough results in tough, doughy dumplings instead of light, fluffy ones.
  • If you prefer a thicker stew, you can add a little more slurry at the end, but remember the stew will thicken more as it cools.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://tastetaught.com/chicken-and-dumplings-ultimate-southern-style-recipe/