Creamy Chicken and Dumplings with Vegetables

I didn’t learn to make chicken and dumplings until I was in my thirties. My mom always said it was too much work for a weeknight dinner. When I finally tried it myself, I realized she was probably just intimidated by the dumplings.

That’s because making dumplings seems harder than it actually is—you just drop spoonfuls of batter right into the simmering chicken broth. Add some carrots, celery, and peas, and you’ve got a complete meal that cooks itself. For busy families like mine, it’s the perfect comfort food that doesn’t require much fuss.

What Kind of Chicken Should I Use?

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are the perfect choice for this recipe because they stay tender and juicy even after simmering in the broth. You could substitute chicken breasts if that’s what you have on hand, but thighs have more flavor and are much harder to overcook. If you’re using frozen chicken, make sure to thaw it completely before cooking so it cooks evenly. Fresh or previously frozen both work great, just pat the thighs dry with paper towels before seasoning to help them brown nicely in the pan.

Options for Substitutions

This comfort food classic is pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here’s what you can change up:

• Chicken thighs: You can use chicken breasts if that’s what you have, but thighs stay more tender during the longer cooking time. If using breasts, add them later in the cooking process to avoid overcooking.
• Whole milk: Heavy cream will make it richer, while 2% milk works fine too. You can even use half-and-half for something in between. Avoid skim milk as it might make the sauce too thin.
• Fresh herbs: Don’t have all those dried herbs? Use what you have on hand – Italian seasoning works great as a substitute for the parsley, thyme, rosemary, and sage combo.
• Vegetables: Feel free to swap in other vegetables like diced potatoes, frozen peas, or green beans. Just add harder vegetables earlier and softer ones toward the end of cooking.
• All-purpose flour: For the dumplings, you can use self-rising flour instead – just skip the baking powder and reduce the salt to ¼ teaspoon total.
• Chicken broth: Vegetable broth works if you want a lighter flavor, or you can use water with extra bouillon cubes in a pinch.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Cooking

The biggest mistake when making chicken and dumplings is adding the dumplings to broth that isn’t at a proper simmer – if the liquid is boiling too hard, your dumplings will fall apart, but if it’s not hot enough, they’ll turn out dense and gummy. Make sure your broth is gently bubbling before dropping in spoonfuls of dumpling batter, and resist the urge to lift the lid during the first 15 minutes of cooking since this releases steam that’s needed for fluffy dumplings. Another common error is making your base too thick before adding the dumplings – the flour and butter roux should create a sauce that coats the back of a spoon but still flows easily, as the dumplings will absorb some liquid as they cook. Finally, don’t overcook the chicken thighs in the beginning since they’ll continue cooking in the simmering broth, and cut your vegetables into similar-sized pieces so everything cooks evenly.

What to Serve With Chicken and Dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings is pretty much a complete meal on its own, but I love serving it with some crusty dinner rolls or buttermilk biscuits for extra carb goodness. A simple side salad with mixed greens and a light vinaigrette helps cut through all that creamy richness and adds a nice fresh contrast. If you want to keep things cozy, try serving it alongside some roasted green beans or steamed broccoli – the vegetables pair really well with the hearty flavors. For a true comfort food experience, cornbread is another great option that’s perfect for soaking up any leftover broth.

Storage Instructions

Refrigerate: This comforting chicken and dumplings keeps really well in the fridge for up to 4 days in a covered container. The flavors actually get even better after a day or two! Just keep in mind that the dumplings will absorb some of the broth as it sits, so it might be a bit thicker when you go to reheat it.

Freeze: You can freeze this for up to 3 months, though I’ll be honest – the dumplings change texture a bit after freezing. They’re still tasty, just not quite as fluffy as when fresh. Let it cool completely before transferring to freezer-safe containers, leaving some room at the top for expansion.

Warm Up: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of chicken broth or water if it seems too thick. You can also use the microwave, but stir it every minute or so to heat evenly. The dumplings might break apart a little, but that’s totally normal and it still tastes great!

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 1800-2000
• Protein: 85-95 g
• Fat: 90-100 g
• Carbohydrates: 160-180 g

Ingredients

For the chicken stew base:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the dumpling topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Step 1: Brown the Chicken Thighs

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)

Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat.

Once hot, add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and brown them on each side.

The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point; just focus on getting a nice golden color on the outside.

Once browned, transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl to rest.

Step 2: Sauté the Vegetables

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced

In the same skillet (without cleaning it), add the diced onion and minced garlic.

Sauté over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the browned bits on the bottom of the pan as the onions cook.

When the onions start to soften, add the diced carrots and diced celery, continuing to sauté everything together for about five more minutes or until the vegetables have softened.

Step 3: Make the Gravy Base

• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk

Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until the butter has melted and created a thick paste (roux) that coats the vegetables.

Cook and stir this mixture for about two minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.

Next, add the dried parsley, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, salt, black pepper, chicken broth, and whole milk.

Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir continuously until the mixture comes up to a gentle simmer and thickens into a flavorful gravy.

Step 4: Simmer the Chicken in Gravy

• browned chicken thighs from Step 1

Dice the browned chicken thighs from Step 1 into bite-sized pieces.

Return the diced chicken to the skillet with the thickened gravy and vegetables.

Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently over medium heat while you prepare the dumplings.

I like to let the chicken absorb the flavors of the gravy during this stage.

Step 5: Prepare the Dumpling Batter

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, dried parsley, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, and black pepper.

Pour in the milk and melted butter, and gently stir the ingredients just until a soft, scoopable batter forms.

Be careful not to overmix; a light touch helps keep the dumplings fluffy.

Personally, I find that letting the batter rest for a minute helps hydrate the flour and leads to better dumplings.

Step 6: Cook the Dumplings and Finish the Dish

• dumpling batter from Step 5
• simmering chicken and gravy from Step 4

Remove the lid from the chicken and gravy mixture, which should be gently simmering.

Using two spoons, drop 2-tablespoon dollops of dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering gravy, creating about 12 dumplings.

Make sure the gravy continues to simmer, then place the lid back on the skillet and allow the dumplings to steam-cook for 15 minutes.

Avoid lifting the lid during this time to ensure the dumplings stay light and fluffy.

Once cooked, the dumplings will have doubled in size and should be cooked through.

Serve hot and enjoy!

Creamy Chicken and Dumplings with Vegetables

Delicious Creamy Chicken and Dumplings with Vegetables recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 42 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 2 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 1900 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the chicken stew base:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper

For the dumpling topping:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted

Instructions

 

• Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the boneless, skinless chicken thighs and brown them on each side. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point; just focus on getting a nice golden color on the outside. Once browned, transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl to rest.
• In the same skillet (without cleaning it), add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat, stirring to dissolve the browned bits on the bottom of the pan as the onions cook. When the onions start to soften, add the diced carrots and diced celery, continuing to sauté everything together for about five more minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
• Add the butter to the skillet and let it melt. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until the butter has melted and created a thick paste (roux) that coats the vegetables. Cook and stir this mixture for about two minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste. Next, add the dried parsley, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, salt, black pepper, chicken broth, and whole milk. Turn the heat up to medium-high and stir continuously until the mixture comes up to a gentle simmer and thickens into a flavorful gravy.
• Dice the browned chicken thighs from Step 1 into bite-sized pieces. Return the diced chicken to the skillet with the thickened gravy and vegetables. Cover with a lid and let it simmer gently over medium heat while you prepare the dumplings. I like to let the chicken absorb the flavors of the gravy during this stage.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, dried parsley, granulated sugar, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pour in the milk and melted butter, and gently stir the ingredients just until a soft, scoopable batter forms. Be careful not to overmix; a light touch helps keep the dumplings fluffy. Personally, I find that letting the batter rest for a minute helps hydrate the flour and leads to better dumplings.
• Remove the lid from the chicken and gravy mixture, which should be gently simmering. Using two spoons, drop 2-tablespoon dollops of dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering gravy, creating about 12 dumplings. Make sure the gravy continues to simmer, then place the lid back on the skillet and allow the dumplings to steam-cook for 15 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during this time to ensure the dumplings stay light and fluffy. Once cooked, the dumplings will have doubled in size and should be cooked through. Serve hot and enjoy!