Some recipes just remind you of traditional homestyle cooking. For me, chicken and dumplings is one of them. With juicy pieces of chicken, fresh vegetables and little clouds of dumpling dough, every spoonful of this soup takes me back to visits at my grandma’s house.

This classic version is, without a doubt, the best chicken and dumplings recipe. It’s chock-full of everything you want (and need) in a delicious homemade soup recipe and is made the old-fashioned way: low and slow. Busy weeknight? Opt for this quick  chicken and dumplings made with frozen biscuits. This recipe is for those slow, chilly weekends when you want something simmering away on the stovetop while you curl up in a blanket with your favorite book or movie.

What are chicken and dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings is a comforting chicken soup topped with uncooked dumplings that puff up as they cook in the simmering liquid. Depending on where you live, the chicken and dumpling soup base might be thin and brothy or have a thick, creamy consistency like gravy. The soup almost always contains chicken and vegetables, but the dumplings vary from fluffy, drop-style dumplings to thin, noodle-like or biscuity dumplings.

What are the different types of dumplings?

There are three main types of dumplings used in chicken and dumplings recipes:

• Drop-style dumplings: These dumplings are made with a leavening agent like baking powder to help the dough puff up into soft, pillowy bites. The dough is scooped directly from the bowl and dropped onto the surface of the hot soup, where it steams to a somewhat spongey texture. This is the type of dumpling we use in this recipe.
• Rolled dumplings: These dumplings are made with lard or shortening. The dough is rolled out and cut into strips or irregular pieces (as seen in Dolly Parton’s chicken and dumplings). They simmer in the soup, giving them a slight chew and the appearance of thick-cut noodles.
• Biscuit-style dumplings: These dumplings are made with biscuit dough (like 2-ingredient biscuits or store-bought biscuits). The dough is rolled and cut into large or small biscuits, which steam like drop biscuits when placed onto the soup’s surface. Biscuit dumplings have more structure than drop dumplings, so they’re firmer and less airy.

Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients

• Chicken: The best chicken and dumpling soup is made with whole chicken for a nice mix of white and dark meat. You can substitute bone-in chicken pieces, but we don’t recommend boneless chicken. The bones add a ton of flavor and ensure the chicken stays ultra-moist and juicy.
• Flour: Dredging the chicken in flour helps it brown as it sears in the pan. Flour also thickens the soup while it simmers.
• Chicken stock and heavy cream: This combination forms the flavorful base of chicken dumpling soup. The chicken stock is savory, and the cream adds richness and body. You can use your favorite store-bought brand of chicken stock or homemade chicken stock—your choice.
• White wine: Wine adds depth to the soup. Choose a crisp white wine with nice acidity, like a pinot grigio or sauvignon blanc. To omit the wine, swap in apple cider instead (as we do in this apple cider chicken ‘n’ dumplings recipe).
• Aromatics and seasonings: This easy chicken and dumpling soup uses a traditional mirepoix of carrots, celery and onions, plus a little garlic. Bay leaves and whole peppercorns season the broth, and fresh herbs like parsley and thyme finish the dish with a punch of color and freshness. Finally, sugar counters the acidity of the wine and balances the soup’s savory flavors.
• Homemade drop dumplings: Like most recipes with drop dumplings, our dumpling dough consists of flour, baking powder, salt, melted butter and milk. The dough comes together in about a minute with very little mixing.

Taste of Home