Here’s how to make classic chicken and dumplings! Start with a hearty chicken and vegetable stew, then adding delicious homemade dumplings. Learn the trick to light and fluffy homemade dumplings that still hold together.
Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings—the ultimate comfort food. When we were kids, my mother used to make chicken and dumplings for us by simply adding Bisquick biscuit dough to chicken stew.
We would always fight over these dumplings. (Ever wonder why people from big families eat fast? The first kid who finishes gets seconds on the dumplings.)
Homemade Dumplings
Making dumplings that are tasty, light, yet hold together isn’t a given. The Bisquick dumpling version, although light and fluffy, tends to fall apart.
At the other end of the spectrum, my dad remembers his mother’s dumplings which were, in his words “as hard as hockey pucks.” Leftovers would be grated the following morning and fried up like potatoes.
Tips for the Best Homemade Dumplings
The dumplings in this recipe are firm enough to hold together without disintegrating even after multiple reheats of the stew, yet still, manage to be light and fluffy. Below are some tips to achieve the best chicken and dumplings:
- Don’t peek! The key is to not peek into the pan while the dumplings are cooking. The dumplings need to gently steam in the simmering stew to result in a light texture.
- Use cake flour: Using cake flour in place of all-purpose flour will also help the dumplings be lighter, as cake flour has less gluten than regular flour.
- Brown the chicken: To coax more flavor into the stew base, we brown the chicken pieces before cooking them in the stew.
- Make a roux: Browning the flour in a roux with rendered chicken fat will give the base more flavor, while thickening the stew.
What to Serve with Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is basically a meal unto itself. But if you’d like something extra on the side, go for a simple green vegetable, like steamed broccoli, sautéed greens, or roasted Brussels sprouts. A simple salad would also be great.
Looking for more classic comfort foods?
- Easy Shepherd’s Pie
- Chicken Pot Pie
- Biscuits and Gravy
- Chicken Noodle Soup
- Classic Meatloaf
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