Easy Chicken and Dumplings

This easy Chicken and Dumplings recipe features all-natural homemade broth and "no make" dumplings. 

It makes about 8 cups and takes around 40-minutes and you'll be amazed at how easy the "no make" dumplings are:) 

Chicken and Dumplings is a Southern classic! Creamy chicken soup with the right amount of flavor, tender bites of chicken and a doughy-dumpling!

About this recipe

This easy chicken and dumplings recipe is delicious and doesn't require rolling out dough to form dumplings! However, let me be upfront about this. If you're looking for a "biscuit" type dumpling, this is not the recipe for you. These dumplings are tender - almost like a big noodle, but a bit more doughy.

• No-Make Dumplings: No rolling-out dough- easy 'dumplings' that taste like you've been cooking all day!
• Simple, all-natural ingredients - homemade broth - low-sodium, no additives, preservatives or fillers, and no canned soups! 
• Easy to make - ready in about 50 minutes but it can be done in no time if you use a deli or rotisserie chicken and canned chicken broth
• Easy, healthy and filling-serve a bowl with a slice of cornbread and a green salad and call it dinner!

Here's what you'll need

The ingredients for this Southern classic are simple - no condensed cream of chicken soup, no cream cheese and no cream of celery soup - in fact, you probably already have the ingredients you need for this easy recipe in your kitchen.

Note: I add a little Heavy cream to the recipe at the end, but I forgot to include it in the picture. You can use a little milk if you don't have heavy cream.

You'll also want to toss in 2 tablespoons of Bouquet Garni (not shown.) If you don't have Bouquet Garni, don't worry! Substitutions are listed in the recipe card below!

How to make it

Homemade chicken and dumplings is really all about the savory chicken broth and those delicious chewy dumplings! This recipe is based on homemade chicken stock which doesn't require a lot of time or ingredients. A few fresh vegetables, seasonings and aromatics are all you need!

Rough-chop the celery, onion and carrots; slice two garlic cloves in half

Put chicken, carrots, celery, onion and seasonings in a big pot...cover with water or chicken broth. Add Bouquet Garni (use ½ teaspoon of poultry seasoning, ground sage and ground thyme if you don't have bouquet garni.)

Boil till the poultry is cooked through and reaches an internal temperature of 165ºF 

Place a large colander in a big bowl and pour in the chicken and broth. Set the chicken aside; Then, strain the liquid again by pouring it through a fine strainer.

Shred the chicken. Add the double strained broth and shredded, cooked chicken back to the big stock pot or Dutch oven.

On medium heat, add in heavy cream or milk. This is what gives this homemade chicken and dumpling recipe that creamy texture!

Bring soup to a rolling boil and add in the flour tortillas; don't stir them! Let them boil for 3-5 minutes, then gently stir

Turn off the heat on the stovetop and allow the chicken and dumplings to rest, uncovered, for about 10 minutes. Taste for seasonings and consistency. If you want a thicker consistency, add a flour slurry in one tablespoon increments. See details in the recipe notes below.

The "dumplings"

Now before you scoff at the notion of not making homemade dumplings from rolled out dough, let me offer this school of thought. Dumplings are flour and water, right? Well so are flour tortillas. 

No rolling out dough for dumplings!

That's the beauty and secret of easy chicken and dumplings...my Grandmother taught me this hack years ago and it works! Bring the soup to a rolling boil an add sliced flour tortillas, "dumplings!"

Yep! Usually 6 flour tortillas, cut into strips is enough. Allow the "dumplings" to cook at a rolling boil for about 3-5 minutes, then turn the stovetop off and let simmer for 10-15 minutes uncovered.

Recipe tips

If you elect to add milk or heavy cream, let it come to almost room temperature before adding to the broth; cold dairy curdles when added to hot liquid

A combination of white and dark meat tastes best, but you can use all white or all dark -- your call

Bring the soup back up to a rolling boil before you add the flour tortillas

Add the thickening slurry last

To thicken it: the first round of this recipe is a little thin, but keep in mind, it thickens when a) it cools a bit and b) after it's been refrigerated

If you want a thicker version right now, make a cornstarch slurry and add it to the pot:

Put ½ cup warm water + ½ cup of all purpose flour in a measuring cup; stir it together with a fork and add it to the chicken and dumplings in one tablespoon increments until the desired consistency is achieved (you can add a second slurry if you like, but keep in mind, the chicken and dumplings thicken upon cooling and refrigeration)

If you over thickened it, or need to thin it a little, add a little milk, water or chicken broth upon reheating

Always adjust your seasonings after you add a slurry. A slurry weakens the existing seasonings a little.

Storage

Store leftovers in a secure airtight container for up to three days in the refrigerator and up to a month in the freezer. You may need to add more water or broth, as it thickens upon storage.

Reheating instructions

For best results, I recommend reheating on the stovetop

• Place leftovers in a big pot and heat on medium low.
• This recipe thickens when stored in the fridge. Add water/chicken broth/milk if the consistency is too thick for you.

Slow cooker method

This delicious bowl of Southern Comfort can be made in a slow cooker.

• Add thawed uncooked chicken or rotisserie chicken, broth, vegetables, seasonings and enough water to cover the chicken by 2" inches to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours
• When ready to serve, transfer about 4-5 cups of the broth from the slow cooker to a pan on the stove
• Add in cream (optional) and combine well
• Bring the broth to a rolling boil on the stove, add sliced tortillas and allow them to cook for 3-5 minutes; DO NOT STIR
• Add the broth and "dumplings" back into the crock pot, stir and serve!

Serve a big bowl of these easy chicken and dumplings as your main course! If you want a side dish, consider a crisp green salad, green beans and new potatoes, homemade cornbread or a side of collard greens!

Related recipes

• Real Broccoli Cheese Soup
• Homemade Vegetable Soup
• Creamy White Bean Soup
• New Mexico Green Chili Chicken Soup
• Maple Pecan Carrot Souffle

♥ If you make this recipe, please leave a comment and rating below! Thank you!

📋 Recipe

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Homemade chicken and dumplings with tender "no-make" dumplings and chicken!

5 from 11 votes

Print Rate

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 35 minutes

Off heat resting time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Total Yield: 8 cups

Author: Anecia Hero

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Equipment

• colander
• Fine mesh strainer

Ingredients 

½x1x2x3x

• 1½ lb. chicken , white or dark, boneless
• ½ large sweet yellow onion ,cut in half
• 2 carrots , peeled and cut into 2" inch pieces
• 2 stalks celery , cut into 2" inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons Bouquet Garni (see recipe notes for substitution)
• 2 cloves garlic , sliced in half
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt
• water or chicken broth (see recipe notes) (enough to cover chicken; this will be different for everyone)
• ¼ cup heavy cream or milk; room temperature
• 6 flour tortillas cut into strips
• ½ cup flour, all-purpose (for slurry)
• ½ cup water (for slurry)
• salt to taste

Instructions 

Prep

• Remove milk or heavy cream from fridge
  ¼ cup heavy cream, 6 flour tortillas
• Cut 6 flour tortillas into strips; set aside
• Rough chop onion, celery and carrots; slice garlic cloves in half; set aside
  ½ large sweet yellow onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery, 2 cloves garlic

Cook the Chicken and Broth

• Add thawed raw chicken, onion, celery, garlic, carrots, Bouquet Garni, salt and pepper to a large stockpot; add enough water or broth to cover the ingredients; cook on medium high until chicken is no longer pink and reaches 165°F

  If you're using a deli/rotisserie chicken and/or canned broth, SEE RECIPE NOTES BELOW
  1½ lb. chicken, 2 tablespoons Bouquet Garni, 2 teaspoons black pepper, 2 teaspoons salt, water or chicken broth (see recipe notes)
• Strain chicken and broth: Place colander in large bowl and pour stock pot ingredients into it; set chicken aside; save vegetables for something else or discard
• Strain the reserved broth again through a fine strainer; return the liquid to the pot

Make the Chicken and Dumplings

• Shred chicken and add to stockpot with broth
• Add milk or heavy cream to semi-warm chicken and broth; combine well
  ¼ cup heavy cream
• Bring creamy broth to a rolling boil and add flour tortilla strips; allow to boil for 3-5 minutes: DO NOT STIR (see recipe notes: dumplings)
  6 flour tortillas
• Turn off the heat and let rest on the stove for 10 minutes
• At this point, taste and adjust seasonings; if you want it thicker, add the thickening slurry: In a one-cup measuring cup, add flour and warm water; stir together with a fork and add to the chicken and dumplings in one-tablespoon increments; turn the heat up to medium or medium-high and gently stir it until it thickens to you liking. (See Recipe Notes)
  ½ cup flour, all-purpose (for slurry), ½ cup water (for slurry), salt to taste

Notes

No Bouquet Garni?

If you don't have any Bouquet Garni spice, do this: use ½ teaspoon each: poultry seasoning, ground sage and ground thyme.

Using Canned Broth and/or Rotisserie Chicken

If you don't want to take the time to make homemade chicken broth, you can substitute with canned.

• If you elect to use canned broth, you can either bake the poultry in the oven, boil it on the stove top in canned chicken broth or use a deli or rotisserie chicken
• Add thawed raw or cooked chicken, onion, celery, carrots, garlic and Bouquet Garni to stock pot; pour in enough broth to cover chicken; boil till chicken is done; strain broth and resume recipe; if you use a deli chicken, no need to "boil" it, just let the cooked chicken simmer in the broth about 10-15 minutes to develop more flavor

How much water or chicken broth?

This depends upon how much chicken you're cooking and how big your pot is. You want enough liquid to cover the chicken by 1"inch

Dumplings

• Bring soup to a rolling boil; place tortillas in a single lay on top of the soup
• Boil for 3-5 minutes; do not stir yet!
• When you see the dumplings begin to puff up, you can stir gently

To thicken it:

The first round of this recipe is a little thin, but keep in mind, it thickens when a) it cools a bit and b) after it's been refrigerated

• If you want a thicker version right now, make a thickening slurry and add it after the soup has sat off-heat on the stove for awhile
• How to make a slurry: Combine ½ cup flour + ½ cup warm water; combine well with a fork and add to warm chicken and dumplings
• After you add the slurry, taste again; you may need to adjust your seasonings a little
• If you find you've thickened it too much, add in a little water, chicken broth or milk and re-adjust seasonings again

A note about the thickening slurry:

The amount of slurry you add depends upon the amount of liquid (chicken broth) in your pot. To avoid over thickening, add the slurry in one tablespoon increments until it gets to the desired thickness. If you add the entire slurry and still want it thicker, make another cup of slurry and add it in one tablespoon increments. Taste again afterwards and adjust seasonings to your liking. Anytime you add a slurry to a recipe, the seasonings weaken.

Slow cooker instructions

This delicious bowl of Southern Comfort can be made in a slow cooker.

• Add thawed raw chicken, broth, vegetables and seasonings to the slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours
• When ready to serve, transfer about 4-5 cups of the broth from the slow cooker to a pan on the stove
• Add milk or cream
• Bring the broth to boil on the stove, add sliced tortillas and allow them to cook for 4-6 minutes
• Add the broth and "dumplings" back into the crock pot, stir and serve!
• Add thickening slurry and allow to cook until it's thickened to your liking

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1cupCalories: 283kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 18gFat: 16gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 234mgPotassium: 301mgFiber: 1gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2712IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 2mg

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