Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Southern Style – Comfort Food Made Simple

Nothing beats a warm bowl of chicken and dumplings on a busy weeknight or a slow Sunday. This southern classic is cozy, hearty, and surprisingly easy to make at home. You get tender chicken, soft fluffy dumplings, and a rich, creamy broth that tastes like it simmered all day.

The best part? You don’t need fancy ingredients or special skills just a big pot and a little patience. This version keeps it simple while staying true to real Southern flavor.

What Makes This Special

This recipe focuses on familiar pantry ingredients and straightforward steps, so it’s ideal for beginners. The broth gets depth from sautéed vegetables and a quick homemade stock right in the pot. The dumplings are soft and pillowy, not dense or doughy. You can use a rotisserie chicken to save time, or simmer chicken thighs for extra flavor. Either way, you’ll get that classic, down-home taste without fuss.

Ingredients

• For the soup:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 to 1.5 pounds cooked chicken (shredded; thighs or rotisserie work great)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or a mix of dried thyme and sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional but recommended)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

• For the dumplings:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (for extra lift)
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

Instructions

1. Sauté the aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened.Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Build the broth. Pour in chicken broth, add bay leaf, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Add the chicken. Stir in shredded chicken. Simmer 10 minutes to let flavors come together.Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Make the dumpling dough. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut in cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms.Do not overmix.
5. Drop the dumplings. Reduce the soup to a steady simmer (not a rolling boil). Using a spoon or small scoop, drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the surface, leaving a little space between each.
6. Steam, don’t stir. Cover the pot with a tight lid. Cook 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid.The dumplings will puff and cook through from the steam. Check one: it should be set and fluffy in the center.
7. Finish the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in cream and parsley.Gently nudge the dumplings around to coat with broth, but don’t break them up. Simmer 2 more minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
8. Serve. Ladle into bowls with plenty of broth and a couple of dumplings each.Sprinkle more parsley if you like.

Storage Instructions

• Refrigerate: Cool completely, then store in airtight containers up to 3 days.
• Reheat: Warm gently on the stove over low heat or in the microwave at 50–70% power to avoid toughening the dumplings.
• Freeze: The broth and chicken freeze well, but dumplings can turn mushy after thawing. If freezing, store the soup without dumplings and make a fresh batch when reheating.

Why This is Good for You

This dish delivers protein from the chicken and comforting carbs from the dumplings, which can be helpful after a long day. Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic add fiber and vitamins along with flavor. Using low-sodium broth and seasoning it yourself helps control salt. You can lighten it with half-and-half or skip the cream if you prefer.

What Not to Do

• Don’t overmix the dough. Overworked dough makes heavy, tough dumplings.
• Don’t boil furiously after adding dumplings. A hard boil can break them apart; keep it at a gentle simmer.
• Don’t lift the lid early. Steam cooks the dumplings. Opening the lid releases heat and can leave them raw inside.
• Don’t skip tasting. Season at the end so the flavors pop.

Variations You Can Try

• Flat (slick) dumplings: Roll the dough 1/4 inch thick, cut into strips, and simmer 10–12 minutes for classic Southern-style slicks.
• Herb dumplings: Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill, parsley, or chives to the dough for brightness.
• Veggie boost: Stir in peas or diced potatoes during the simmer for extra heartiness.
• Richer broth: Add a splash of dry sherry or a teaspoon of Worcestershire for depth.
• Dairy-free: Use oil instead of butter in the soup and swap the cream for unsweetened oat milk.Make dumplings with plant milk and oil.

FAQ

Can I use raw chicken instead of cooked?

Yes. Brown 1.5 pounds of bone-in, skin-on thighs in the pot first, remove, then sauté the veggies. Add the thighs back with broth and simmer 25–30 minutes until cooked through. Shred the chicken, return it to the pot, and continue with the dumplings.

How do I know when the dumplings are done?

They should be puffed and dry-looking on top. Cut one open no doughy center. The texture should be fluffy and tender, not gummy.

Can I make the dumpling dough ahead?

It’s best mixed right before cooking. If needed, whisk the dry ingredients in advance and keep the butter cold. Add the liquid when you’re ready to drop them.

What if my broth isn’t thick enough?

Stir 1 tablespoon cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water and add to the simmering soup before the dumplings. The dumplings will also naturally thicken the broth as they cook.

Can I make this gluten-free?

Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with baking powder for the dumplings and confirm your broth is gluten-free. Texture will be slightly different but still comforting.

Final Thoughts

This easy Southern-style chicken and dumplings brings big comfort with simple steps and familiar ingredients. Keep the simmer gentle, trust the steam, and season to taste at the end. Once you make it a time or two, it’ll be one of those reliable, crowd-pleasing dinners you can cook from memory. Serve it with a simple green salad or some hot cornbread, and you’re set.

Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Southern Style - Comfort Food Made Simple

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr

Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• For the soup:
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 to 1.5 pounds cooked chicken (shredded; thighs or rotisserie work great)
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning or a mix of dried thyme and sage
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional but recommended)
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
• For the dumplings:
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (for extra lift)
• 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 3/4 to 1 cup buttermilk (or milk with 1 teaspoon lemon juice)

READ Related Post  Healthy Buffalo Chicken Dip

Method

 

1. Sauté the aromatics. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Build the broth. Pour in chicken broth, add bay leaf, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Bring to a gentle simmer.
3. Add the chicken. Stir in shredded chicken. Simmer 10 minutes to let flavors come together. Taste and adjust seasoning.
4. Make the dumpling dough. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Cut in cold butter with your fingers or a pastry cutter until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
5. Drop the dumplings. Reduce the soup to a steady simmer (not a rolling boil). Using a spoon or small scoop, drop tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the surface, leaving a little space between each.
6. Steam, don’t stir. Cover the pot with a tight lid. Cook 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid. The dumplings will puff and cook through from the steam. Check one: it should be set and fluffy in the center.
7. Finish the soup. Remove the bay leaf. Stir in cream and parsley. Gently nudge the dumplings around to coat with broth, but don’t break them up. Simmer 2 more minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
8. Serve. Ladle into bowls with plenty of broth and a couple of dumplings each. Sprinkle more parsley if you like.