Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

I recreated Old Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings and finally matched my Aunt Ruth’s recipe using one unexpected pantry staple.

Whenever I see a recipe titled The Country Cook Old Fashioned Chicken And Dumplings I get a little suspicious, because grand recipes sound the same on paper, but this one grabbed me. It reminded me of my Aunt Ruth’s, not exactly perfect but full of soul.

I used a whole chicken and some sliced carrots and that combo just sings in the bowl, you’ll want to know why. There’s a tug between simple and weirdly clever here, like something a grandma would hide in plain sight.

I can’t promise it’s fancy, but it might change how you think about dumplings.

Ingredients

• Chicken: Dark and white meat give protein and flavor, makes broth rich and hearty
• Chicken broth: Low sodium warms the soup, gives savory depth, adds little fat
• Carrots: Sweet, add fiber and vitamin A, soften and sweeten the cooking liquid
• Celery: Crunchy stems add mild bitterness, fiber and aromatic base to broth
• All purpose flour: Main carb thickener for stew and dumplings, gives body and structure
• Butter: Buttery fat for richness, helps saute veggies, makes mouthfeel silky
• Milk or cream: Adds creaminess, a bit more fat and protein, makes dumplings tender
• Baking powder: Leavening for dumplings, puffs them up light, no real flavor change
• Fresh herbs: Bright herb notes cut richness, add aroma and fresh green flavor

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 whole chicken about 3 to 4 lb cut into pieces
• 8 cups low sodium chicken broth (or water plus bouillon)
• 2 large carrots peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks sliced
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour for thickening
• 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
• for the dumplings 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or shortening cut into bits
• 3/4 to 1 cup milk or buttermilk
• 1 large egg beaten optional
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley for garnish

How to Make this

1. Rough chop the whole chicken into pieces if not already done and put them in a large pot with 8 cups low sodium chicken broth (or water plus bouillon), 2 large carrots sliced, 2 celery stalks sliced, 1 medium chopped onion, 2 cloves minced garlic, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh), 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer, skimming any foam, and cook about 45 minutes until the chicken is falling off the bone.

2. Carefully lift the chicken out to cool on a plate, remove and discard the bay leaves, then shred the meat off the bones and discard bones and skin; leave the vegetables in the pot for texture and flavor.

3. In a small saucepan melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat, whisk in 1/2 cup all purpose flour and cook 1 to 2 minutes till it smells a little nutty but not brown, then slowly whisk in 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream and 1 cup of hot broth from the pot until smooth; pour this mixture back into the soup pot and simmer to thicken, taste and adjust salt and pepper.

4. While the soup simmers make the dumpling dough: in a bowl mix 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder and 1 teaspoon salt; cut in 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter or shortening with a fork or pastry cutter until the mix looks like coarse crumbs.

5. Stir 3/4 to 1 cup milk or buttermilk into the flour mixture just until a soft dough forms, stir in the optional beaten egg if using for richer dumplings, but don’t overmix — the dough should be shaggy and slightly sticky.

6. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil), drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the liquid using two spoons or a cookie scoop so you get evenly sized dumplings, leaving space between them because they will expand.

7. Put the lid on and simmer gently for 12 to 15 minutes without lifting the lid, that’s how they steam through; test one with a toothpick or knife, it should come out clean and the dumpling should be fluffy not gummy.

8. Turn off the heat, stir the shredded chicken back into the pot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons unsalted butter if you like it richer, warm through gently for a minute or two, taste and add more salt or pepper if needed.

9. Spoon into bowls, sprinkle 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley over top and serve hot; tip if soup seems too thick thin with extra broth or milk, if too thin simmer a few minutes or whisk a little flour with cold water and add gradually.

10. Quick hacks: use cold butter for the dumplings so they stay tender, don’t overwork the dough, and if your broth lacks flavor roast the chicken pieces first or add a bouillon cube to boost it.

Equipment Needed

1. Large stock pot (6 to 8 qt), big enough for the whole chicken and 8 cups broth, you want room so it wont boil over.
2. Chef’s knife and cutting board, for chopping carrots, celery, onion and rough cutting the chicken.
3. Slotted spoon or tongs plus a plate, to lift the cooked chicken out to cool and discard bones/skin.
4. Small saucepan and a whisk, for the butter‑flour roux and slowly whisking in milk and hot broth.
5. Mixing bowl and pastry cutter or fork, to cut cold butter into the dumpling flour so they stay tender.
6. Measuring cups and spoons, for flour, milk, broth, baking powder and seasonings.
7. Two spoons or a cookie scoop and a ladle, for dropping evenly sized dumplings into the simmering soup.
8. Pot lid and a timer or kitchen clock, you must cover and time 12 to 15 minutes so dumplings steam through.

FAQ

Chicken And Dumplings Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Whole chicken: use about 3 to 4 lb bone in chicken thighs or 2 to 3 lb boneless thighs for a richer, faster cook; or grab 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken as a quick shortcut, just cut simmer time.
• Low sodium chicken broth: swap equal parts vegetable broth for a vegetarian twist, or use water plus 1 to 2 tsp chicken bouillon if thats whats on hand, just taste and adjust salt.
• Whole milk or heavy cream: use half and half or canned evaporated milk for similar creaminess, or unsweetened oat or soy milk to make it dairy free, same amount but watch thickness.
• Cold unsalted butter or shortening for dumplings: use cold vegetable shortening or lard for extra flakiness, or use salted butter and reduce the added salt by about 1 quarter teaspoon.

Pro Tips

1. Brown or roast the chicken first if you want extra depth of flavor, even just under the broiler for 10 minutes. It adds a lot more roastiness to the broth so you wont need to salt as much later.

2. Strain and reserve a cup or two of the hot broth before you thicken the soup, that way you can loosen the gravy quickly without making lumps and you wont have to guess how much more liquid you need.

3. Keep the dumpling butter rock cold and mix until the dough is shaggy, not smooth. If you overwork it the dumplings get chewy, so stop as soon as it holds together; use a cookie scoop for even sizes so they all cook the same.

4. Simmer dumplings gently with the lid on, don’t lift the lid or they may sink and cook unevenly. Test one at the thickest part with a toothpick, if it comes out clean they are done, if not give them a few more minutes.

5. Finish with cold butter or a splash of cream at the end, taste and adjust salt last. Leftovers improve overnight but dumplings soak up liquid, so add a little extra broth when reheating.