Classic Southern Chicken and Dumplings

Southern Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort-food dish: a rich, savory chicken broth filled with colorful vegetables and tender pieces of chicken, finished with soft, fluffy dumplings that melt in your mouth. This version uses a simple biscuit-style dumpling dropped into a simmering broth so each dumpling stays light and tender. It’s hearty, family-friendly, and perfect for chilly evenings.

These dumplings are quick to prepare and turn a simple chicken soup into a substantial, satisfying meal. The dough is made from a basic biscuit-style mixture and dropped by the spoonful into the hot broth so each dumpling cooks through while staying moist on the outside and fluffy on the inside.

Why You’ll Love These Dumplings

• Easy: The steps are straightforward—once the broth is ready, the dumplings come together in minutes.
• Hearty: This recipe is warming and filling, an ideal choice for cold weather or any time you crave comfort food.
• Kid friendly: Simple ingredients and mild flavors make it a hit with kids; letting them help drop the dumplings is a fun way to include them.

Ingredients

What you’ll need for a 4-serving batch:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, butter, or bacon fat
• ¼ cup sweet red bell pepper, chopped
• ½ cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons dried basil, crumbled
• 8 cups (2 quarts) chicken broth or stock
• 1 large carrot, sliced (about ½ cup)
• ½ cup fresh or frozen peas
• 2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or chopped
• ½ teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Dumpling Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup cold butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 cup milk

Instructions

This recipe works well with leftover roasted chicken, a whole roasted bird, or a rotisserie chicken. You can make the broth from the carcass for deeper flavor, or use store-bought broth for convenience. Either way, you’ll end up with a satisfying, flavorful pot of chicken and dumplings.

1. Heat the oil, butter, or bacon fat in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the red bell pepper, parsley, garlic, and dried basil. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are tender, about 4–6 minutes.
2. Add the chicken broth, sliced carrots, and peas. Bring the mixture to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to medium and stir in the cooked chicken, salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer until the carrots are tender, about 15–20 minutes.
4. While the soup simmers, make the dumpling dough: in a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the cold butter pieces and, using your fingers or a pastry blender, work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized bits of butter.
5. Pour in the milk and stir gently with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. Take care not to overmix—the dough should be slightly shaggy.
6. Raise the soup to a gentle boil. Using two small spoons, drop the dough by small spoonfuls (about 1 inch across) into the simmering broth. Space the dumplings apart so they cook individually instead of merging together.
7. After adding all the dumplings, reduce the heat so the broth simmers gently. Cook for about 15–20 minutes, turning dumplings carefully once or twice so they cook evenly. The dumplings should be fluffy and set on the outside while still slightly tender inside.
8. Serve immediately, ladling soup and dumplings into bowls. A simple side salad or raw vegetable sticks make a nice, crisp accompaniment.

How to Make Homemade Broth

To make homemade chicken broth, remove leftover meat from the bones and place the carcass, bones, skin, and any pan drippings into a large pot. Cover with water and simmer for at least one hour—longer if you have time. Strain the broth and use it as the base for the soup. Homemade broth adds depth of flavor and extra nutrition compared with store-bought stock.

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