Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

818 2 minutes read

This Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings recipe delivers ultimate comfort food perfection. Tender chicken and vegetables are simmered in a rich, savory broth, topped with fluffy, homemade dumplings that puff up beautifully. It’s a hearty and deeply satisfying dish that evokes warmth and nostalgia.

Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

For the Chicken:

Ingredient	Quantity
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts and/or thighs, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces	2 lbs
All-purpose flour	1/2 cup
Olive oil, divided	2 tablespoons

For the Sauce:

Ingredient	Quantity
Butter	2 tablespoons
Large carrots, peeled and diced	2
Celery stalks, diced	2
Large onion, diced	1
Bay leaves	2
Dried thyme	1/2 teaspoon
Garlic, minced	2 cloves
Chicken broth	5-6 cups
Heavy cream	1/2 cup
Frozen peas, thawed	1 1/2 cups

For the Dumplings:

Ingredient	Quantity
All-purpose flour	1 1/2 cups
Baking powder	2 teaspoons
Salt	1/2 teaspoon
Buttermilk	3/4 cup
Eggs	2
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper	To taste (for chicken & sauce)

Instructions:

Prepare Chicken: In a medium bowl, season the 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper. Toss the seasoned chicken with the 1/2 cup all-purpose flour until each piece is lightly coated.
Brown Chicken: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the floured chicken and cook until the outsides are browned, stirring occasionally, about 3-5 minutes. The chicken doesn’t need to be cooked through at this point. Remove the browned chicken to a plate and set aside.

Sauté Vegetables: Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of butter to the same pot. Add the 2 diced large carrots, 2 diced celery stalks, and 1 diced large onion. Cook until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Build Broth: Stir in the 5-6 cups chicken broth, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, and 2 bay leaves. Return the browned chicken to the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Finish Sauce Base: Once simmering, stir in the 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 1/2 cups thawed frozen peas. Season the sauce to taste with Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Prepare Dumplings (Meanwhile): While the sauce simmers, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, stir together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the 3/4 cup buttermilk and 2 eggs to the dry ingredients and stir just until no raw flour remains and a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
Cook Dumplings: Drop spoonfuls (about 1 tablespoon each) of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth, making sure to leave some space between them as they will expand.
Simmer & Serve: Cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer gently until the dumplings are puffy and cooked through, and the chicken has finished cooking, about 15 minutes. Uncover and serve hot.