Homemade chicken and dumplings are a classic comfort food dish that is sure to make your family happy, and it's easy to see why! This creamy dish takes less than an hour to make, uses one single pot, and requires minimal effort.
Contents
🌟 Why this recipe works
There's nothing quite like a big bowl of creamy chicken soup with homemade dumplings on a cold winter's eve. It's pure comfort food in a bowl and always a huge hit with the family.
This easy chicken and dumplings recipe has been simplified and made even more delicious by using store-bought rotisserie chicken, cream of chicken soup, and self-rising flour dumplings. All you have to do is chop the celery, mix the ingredients together in a pot, and add the dumplings.
With 5 minutes of prep and 45 minutes of cooking, you can have this deliciously creamy thick soup on the table in under an hour!
The flavor combination of chicken, celery, chicken broth, and cream of chicken soup combined with fluffy homemade dumplings that soak up the delicious sauce is heavenly.
The best part about this recipe is that it's incredibly easy to prepare and even more satisfying to devour! It's the perfect dish to make when you're short on time and need a hearty meal that everyone will love.
And if you need more hearty, comforting meals to add to your repertoire, try our slow-cooker Salisbury steak meatballs, chicken wellington, chicken pot pie, chicken pot pie soup, and chicken and biscuits.
🍽 Key Ingredients
The creamy chicken soup is made with just 5 key ingredients and only 2 pantry ingredients for the airy dumpling recipe!
Shredded chicken - For ease of use, we're using shredded rotisserie chicken.
Celery - Chopped celery is a common vegetable in soups because it adds flavor and texture.
Cream of chicken soup - To give the soup a creamy texture, use Campbell's cream of chicken soup. It's the perfect way to give this recipe a creamy base.
Broth - We're using 2 cans of chicken broth for extra flavor in the soup.
Self-rising flour and shortening - For the perfect fluffy dumplings, all you need to do is combine these two ingredients together and a touch of water.
Substitutions
If you don't have all the ingredients needed for this recipe, there are plenty of substitutions that can be made!
Cooked chicken
If you do not have rotisserie chicken, you can boil chicken breasts and shred them or use canned chicken.
Celery
White or green onions are the perfect substitution for celery.
Chicken broth
You can use vegetable broth as an alternative to chicken broth.
Self-rising flour
A combination of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt can be used in place of self-rising flour. For every cup of all-purpose flour, use 1 teaspoon of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt.
Shortening
Butter, margarine, or lard can be used as a substitute for shortening in the dumpling recipe.
🔪 How to make
Making chicken and dumplings soup couldn't be easier with this simple recipe! All you need is 5 key ingredients, a pot, and some time. In less than an hour, you can have a hearty, delicious meal that's packed with flavor and texture.
Preparations
Step 1
Finely chop the celery and shred the chicken.
Step 2
Combine the flour and shortening in a bowl using a fork.
Step 3
Add ¾ cup of boiling water to the dough bit by bit until it forms a ball.
Step 4
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to around ⅛ inch thickness and cut it into squares around 2 inches in size.
Cooking instructions
Step 1
Combine the broth, celery, cooked chicken, soup, water, and broth in a wide soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
Step 2
Once boiling, remove the lid, and drop the dumplings into the soup. Cover the dumplings with the liquid and place the lid over the pot.
Tip: Simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes until the dumplings are soft and fluffy.
Step 3
Gently stir the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 4
Scoop the soup and dumplings into serving bowls, season with salt and pepper, and chopped fresh parsley.
💭 Cooking tips
Steaming the dumplings
Don't remove the lid while cooking the dumplings or the steam will escape and the dumplings will not cook evenly.
Choose a wide-based pot
For best results, use a large pot that can cook the dumplings in a single layer.
Thick soup
If you prefer a thicker soup, you can thicken it by mixing 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of water and mixing it into the chicken and dumplings soup at the end. It will start to thicken instantly.
📖 Recipe Variations
There are so many ways to customize chicken and dumplings to suit your needs. Here are a few ideas that you can try!
Adding veggies
To make the chicken and dumplings soup even heartier, add 1 cup of chopped carrots and/or potatoes while simmering the broth. You can also add ½ cup of frozen peas and/or corn at the end.
Add herbs
Add a tablespoon of fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, oregano, chives, or basil to give extra flavor to the soup. You can even add a teaspoon of poultry seasoning if you have it;
Creamy chicken dumplings
For an extra creamy soup, gently stir in ½ cup of sour cream or heavy cream at the end.
Cheesy dumplings
Mix ½ cup of shredded cheese into the dumpling dough before rolling it out.
🥗 What to serve with
Chicken and dumplings pair perfectly with a variety of sides, from salads to roasted vegetables. Here are some ideas that you can use to complete your meal.
Salads
Add some freshness to your meal with a tomato, basil, and mozzarella salad or a couscous salad. For something more indulgent, try this creamy potato salad.
Rice and grains
Serve your soup with a simple side of basmati rice or quinoa. You can also mix in some paprika and cilantro - like in this Mediterranean rice recipe.
Bread
A warm piece of pull-apart garlic bread, artisan bread, sandwich bread or freshly made dinner rolls with melted butter is the perfect accompaniment to this comforting soup.
🙋 Frequently asked questions
Is biscuit dough the same as dumplings?
No, biscuit dough is not the same as dumplings. Biscuits are made from flaky dough and are usually baked in the oven. Dumplings are made from a denser dough, usually dropped into boiling liquid where they cook until done.
Is chicken and dumplings supposed to be thick or soupy?
Chicken and dumplings can be made as thick or as soupy as you'd like. If you prefer a thicker soup, mix in cornstarch at the end and let it thicken and for a soupy version, add more broth or water to the soup.
🧊 Storing and ♨️ reheating
This comforting soup can be made in advance and stored in the fridge or freezer, but I recommend making the dumplings fresh.
Fridge - The soup can be stored in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer - Transfer the soup to a freezer container and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating - To reheat the soup, heat the leftovers in a pot over medium-low heat until boiling, then simmer and drop the freshly made dumplings in, cooking for 20 minutes.
🍳 Related classic comfort food recipes
👪 Serving size
You can expect this chicken and dumplings recipe to serve 4 to 6 people. Although, it can be easily scaled to suit your needs.
This classic chicken and dumplings recipe is an easy, delicious dish that can be enjoyed all year round. With just a few simple ingredients and some time to simmer, you can have a hearty, flavorful meal that will satisfy the whole family.
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Try one of my comfort dessert recipes for your next meal! And if you have any questions, I'm here to help!
📋 Recipe
Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
Chicken/Broth
- 4 cups Chicken - chopped (you can use rotisserie chicken too)
- 1 cup Celery - chopped
- 1 can Cream of chicken soup - 10.5 ounce - I use Campbell’s soup and broth
- 2 cans Chicken broth - 10.5 ounce
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 3 cans Water - 10.5 ounce
- ¼ teaspoon Pepper
Dumpling Ingredients
- 2 cups Self-rising flour
- ¼ cup Shortening
Instructions
Preparations
- Finely chop the celery and shred the chicken.
- Combine the flour and shortening in a bowl using a fork. Add ¾ cup of boiling water to the dough bit by bit until it forms a ball.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to around ⅛ inch thickness and cut it into squares around 2 inches in size.
Cooking instructions
- Combine the broth, celery, cooked chicken, soup, water, and broth in a wide soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, cover with a lid and bring to a boil.
- Once boiling, remove the lid, and drop the dumplings into the soup. Cover the dumplings with the liquid and place the lid over the pot.
- Simmer for around 20 to 25 minutes until the dumplings are soft and fluffy.
- Gently stir the soup and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Scoop the soup and dumplings into serving bowls, season with salt and pepper, and chopped fresh parsley.
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