Chicken And Dumplings
Ingredients
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- 4 pounds whole chicken
- 10 cups water
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter – divided, 4 tablespoons melted and cooled
- 2 cups yellow onion – chopped (~2.5 medium yellow onions)
- 1 cup carrots – diced (~2.5 medium carrots)
- 1 cup celery – chopped
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup buttermilk
- fresh parsley – chopped (for serving)
Instructions
1. Combine the whole chicken, water, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt in a large pot. Bring just to a simmer over medium-high heat, then reduce to low, skim foam, and cook gently until the chicken is tender and the thighs read 175°F, 45–60 minutes.
2. Transfer the chicken to a tray to cool, 10 minutes. Strain the broth into a bowl or measuring jug; you should have about 8 cups—add water to reach 8 cups if needed.
3. When cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones and shred the chicken into bite-size pieces, 5–10 minutes.
4. In a Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat until foamy, 30–60 seconds. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook, stirring, until softened and translucent, 6–8 minutes.
5. Sprinkle 0.25 cup all-purpose flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until the flour turns pale blond and smells nutty, about 2 minutes.
6. Gradually whisk in the 8 cups reserved broth until smooth. Add the dried thyme, ground black pepper, and 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until lightly thickened, 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the shredded chicken and return to a bare simmer over medium-low heat, 5 minutes. Adjust heat to maintain gentle bubbling.
8. Make the dumpling batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Add the buttermilk and 4 tablespoons melted, cooled unsalted butter; stir just until a thick, sticky batter forms. Let rest 5 minutes.
9. With the stew at a gentle simmer (not boiling hard), drop heaping tablespoonfuls of batter onto the surface, spacing them slightly; you should get 18–24 dumplings. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat without lifting the lid for 15 minutes.
10. Uncover and check doneness: a skewer inserted into a dumpling should come out clean and the centers should look set; if needed, simmer uncovered 3–5 minutes more to finish. Taste the broth and dumplings and add the remaining 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt if needed. Let rest off heat 5 minutes to settle.
11. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley (for serving). Serve hot.
Chicken and dumplings is a deeply comforting one-pot stew built on tender poached chicken, a savory, lightly thickened broth, and pillowy dumplings that steam right on top. The broth is aromatic with onion, celery, and carrot, and gently seasoned so the flavor of the chicken leads. Drop dumplings, leavened with baking powder and enriched with buttermilk and butter, cook up soft and fluffy, thickening the stew as they simmer.
Rooted in American home cooking, the dish is especially associated with the American South and the rural heartland, where frugality and flavor meet. It draws on European dumpling traditions adapted to local ingredients and tastes, becoming a staple of farmhouse kitchens and church suppers. Over time, regional styles emerged—some favoring flat rolled “slick” dumplings, others preferring biscuit-like drops—but the stew-and-dumpling pairing remains a beloved symbol of warmth and hospitality.