Description
Comfort classics reach new heights with this chicken and dumplings recipe, blending Southern hospitality and hearty flavors. Creamy broth, tender chicken, and fluffy dumplings create a soul-warming dish that wraps you in delicious memories.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat and Protein:
- 4 cups shredded cooked chicken
Vegetables:
- 1 cup diced yellow onion
- 1 cup matchstick carrots
- 1 cup diced celery
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
Soup Base and Seasonings:
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 can (12 ounces / 354 milliliters) evaporated milk or half and half
- 1 quart (32 ounces / 946 milliliters) chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper, or to taste
- Salt, to taste
Dumpling Ingredients:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
- 3/4 cup (6 ounces / 177 milliliters) whole milk
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Heat butter in a robust pot over medium-high temperature until melted. Sauté onion, carrots, and celery for approximately 5 minutes until they soften, then quickly incorporate minced garlic for an additional minute.
- Dust softened vegetables with flour, stirring consistently to eliminate raw flour taste and initiate sauce thickening. Gradually incorporate evaporated milk and chicken stock, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
- Allow mixture to reach gentle boiling point, then introduce shredded chicken, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Reduce heat to low simmer, allowing flavors to harmonize and develop depth.
- Prepare dumpling mixture by combining flour, baking powder, seasonings in a mixing bowl. Create central cavity, pour milk and melted butter, then mix with wooden spoon until dough consistency forms. Adjust liquid if needed for proper texture.
- Utilize cookie scoop or spoons to create uniform dough portions. Gently drop dumplings across simmering soup surface, ensuring even distribution. Softly press dumplings to submerge slightly beneath broth.
- Cover pot and reduce heat to low, allowing dumplings to steam for 15 minutes. Minimize lid lifting to maintain steam environment. After cooking duration, verify doneness by cutting a dumpling center. Extend cooking an additional 3-4 minutes if required.
- Complete preparation by stirring soup thoroughly, then serving immediately in warm bowls. Enjoy while dumplings remain exceptionally light and broth remains piping hot.
Notes
- Perfectly dice vegetables into uniform small pieces to ensure even cooking and balanced flavor distribution in every spoonful.
- Create extra-fluffy dumplings by handling the dough minimally and using cold milk to prevent overworking the mixture.
- Swap regular milk with lactose-free or plant-based alternatives for dairy-sensitive individuals without compromising the recipe’s creamy texture.
- Boost protein content by adding additional shredded rotisserie chicken or mixing in white beans for a heartier version of the dish.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 22 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 90 mg