If you are looking for an easy homemade chicken and dumplings recipe that delivers rich, cozy comfort from scratch, this is it! There is nothing quite like a big bowl of tender chicken and fresh vegetables simmering in a deeply flavorful broth, topped with the fluffiest drop dumplings ever, especially with extra dumplings, because they are just that good. It's the ultimate comfort food, easy to make from scratch, and perfect for leftovers.
In my house, the age-old debate of flat dumplings versus drop dumplings is still going strong. My husband prefers flat dumplings, but I'm all about the fluffy drop dumplings in this recipe. They remind me of the biscuits on a biscuit-topped chicken pot pie, and something about their pillowy texture soaking up that rich broth is just pure comfort and nostalgia.
Table of contents
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Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Bone-In Chicken: You will need about 3 pounds of bone-in chicken. Dark meat cuts like chicken thighs or leg quarters give you super tender meat and a deeply flavorful broth that boneless breasts just cannot match.
- Aromatics & Veggies: Yellow onion, carrots, celery, and freshly minced garlic create the classic savory flavor base for your soup.
- Chicken Stock: Use a good quality store-bought chicken stock (or homemade Chicken Stock) for the richest base. Chicken broth works as a great 1-to-1 substitute if that is what you have on hand.
- Fluffy Drop Dumplings: A quick mix of all-purpose flour, baking powder, cold whole milk, and melted butter creates a light, biscuit-like dough that steams into pillowy perfection directly over the simmering broth.
See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and exact measurements.
How To Make Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Making chicken and dumplings from scratch is much easier than you might think! Follow these simple step-by-step photo instructions below to guide you through building a rich, flavorful broth and making the fluffiest drop dumplings ever.
- Sear the Chicken: Start by getting a golden sear on your seasoned chicken pieces in olive oil. Searing locks in flavor and leaves behind rich browned bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Finish the chicken: Pour the chicken stock and water directly over the seared chicken, then toss in the thyme and bay leaf. Cover and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked. Remove the chicken to cool, then strain and reserve the broth. Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat and set it aside.
- Sauté the Veggies: Melt butter in the pot over medium heat and toss in your diced celery, onions, and carrots, cooking until tender. Stir in the minced garlic right at the end until fragrant.
- Make the Roux & Whisk in Broth: Sprinkle flour over the softened vegetables and stir to coat. Slowly pour in your reserved warm chicken broth, whisking constantly to build a smooth, velvety soup base.
- Add in the cooked chicken: Stir the shredded chicken back into the gently simmering broth.
- Mix the Dumpling Dough: Whisk your dry ingredients together in a bowl. Drizzle the melted butter into cold milk (it will form tiny butter specks, that's normal!) and gently mix into the flour until just combined.
- Drop in the dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the surface, keeping them spaced apart so they don't stick together.
- Steam, Garnish, and Serve: Cover tightly with the lid and let the dumplings steam on low heat for 10 minutes until fluffy and cooked through. Garnish with fresh thyme and dish into big bowls!
See the recipe card below for the full recipe.
👉 Sky's Tips
- Use a Whole Chicken: This recipe is fantastic for using a whole chicken! Break it down into larger parts (leave the thighs and legs connected, and keep the breasts on the rib bone) to sear them quickly in batches. Searing bone-in pieces builds maximum flavor in your broth, cooks faster than a whole bird, and keeps the meat super tender and juicy.
- Watch Your Dumpling Size: The size of your dumplings directly affects how long they take to fully cook. I like to use a 1-ounce portion scoop for the dumplings in this recipe, at 10 minutes, they come out cooked perfectly every time! If you decide to scoop larger dumplings, remove one at the 10-minute mark and check the center for doneness, adjusting your cooking time as needed.
- Don't Peek While Steaming: Keep the lid tightly on the pot while your dumplings cook! Trapping that steam inside is what makes drop dumplings puff up into light, pillowy clouds rather than getting dense and gummy.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe uses a quick butter-and-flour roux before adding the stock, which naturally thickens the broth into a rich, velvety base as it simmers. If you prefer an even thicker, gravy-like broth at the end, whisk a cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water) directly into the simmering soup just before adding your dumplings.
Yes! Always keep the lid tightly on the pot for the entire 10 minutes while the dumplings steam. This ensures the drop dumplings rise into light, pillowy clouds rather than becoming dense or gummy.
Yes, you can use water in a pinch! Because you are searing and simmering bone-in chicken, the meat and bones will infuse the water with natural flavor. However, using a good quality chicken stock (or homemade chicken stock) will give your soup a much deeper, richer base.
There is truly nothing better than pulling off the lid to reveal a pot of rich, simmering chicken soup topped with golden, pillowy drop dumplings. I hope this recipe brings as much cozy comfort and nostalgia to your family's dinner table as it does to mine!
-Sky🩷
If you tried this Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 3 pounds bone in chicken thighs or leg quarters skin on
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 ½ teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 4 cups water
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 6 ounces butter
- ½ cup celery small diced
- ½ cup onion small diced
- 1 cup carrots sliced ¼" to ½" thick
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ¾ cup flour
For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- pinch pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter melted
- ¾ cup milk kept cold until needed
Instructions
- Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, sear the chicken for 6 minutes per side to brown the skin. (Do not cook the chicken all the way through, just enough to get a deep golden sear).
- Add the water, chicken stock, thyme, and bay leaf directly to the same pot. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the largest chicken pieces reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
- Remove the chicken from the pot, strain the broth, and reserve the liquid. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat and set it aside.
- Place the pot back over medium heat and melt the butter. Add the celery, onions, and carrots, sautéing for about 8 minutes until softened. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, stirring continuously to coat them evenly. Slowly pour in the reserved chicken broth, whisking constantly to prevent any clumps from forming. Season with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, cover, and bring to a simmer.
- For the dumplings: In a small bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until well combined. In a separate measuring cup or bowl, drizzle the melted butter into the cold milk and stir, it will look like tiny butter flecks or small clumps, which is exactly what you want. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and mix just until fully incorporated.
- Stir the shredded chicken back into the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the surface of the broth, taking care not to overlap them so they don't stick together. Season the tops of the dumplings with an optional pinch of salt and pepper.
- Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and let the dumplings steam untouched for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, garnish with fresh thyme, and serve hot. Enjoy!
Kay says
I made this last night and it was so good! Those dumplings are were fantastic. I have a feeling I'll be making this recipe often this winter.
Simply Scratch Made says
Thank you so much! I am happy you like the recipe!
Kate says
This is just my sort of comfort food, and I'm a sucker for dumplings!
Lauren says
Chicken and dumplings was the perfect meal for a cold, rainy evening. This recipe was delicious - reminded me so much of the chicken and dumplings my mom used to make.
Sky Pilgreen says
What a great compliment, thank you!
Tayler says
I made this chicken and dumplings for dinner last night and my family adored it! Definitely a new go to recipe!
Tiffany says
Browning the chicken first really adds to the flavor! This will be on regular rotation in our house! Thank you
Angel S. says
I made this last night for my husband and I and it was AMAZING!! It had so much flavor! I usually just do store bought biscuits for my dumplings but my husband loves homemade drop dumplings and he absolutely loved these!! I will definitely be making this again!
Sky Pilgreen says
That is so wonderful to hear!!