My Cozy Kitchen Secret
My easy chicken and dumplings recipe is my favorite thing to make. It fills the whole house with a warm, happy smell. I learned it from my own grandma, you know. It’s the best kind of old fashioned chicken and dumplings. It’s pure comfort food. On a chilly day, it just makes everything feel right. This matters because good food is like a hug from the inside. What’s your favorite smell from your grandma’s kitchen? I’d love to hear about it.The Heart of the Soup
Let’s start with the broth. You simmer the chicken with herbs for a long time. This makes a rich, homemade chicken soup base. It’s the soul of the whole dish. *Fun fact: a bay leaf adds a special, subtle flavor you can’t get from anything else.* Don’t skip it! Once, I forgot the bay leaf. The soup just wasn’t the same. I still laugh at that mistake. For another easy soup recipe, try this cozy chicken dumplings soup.Making Fluffy Dumplings
Now, the homemade dumplings! This part is fun. You mix flour, baking powder, milk, and oil. The key is to mix it lightly with a fork. Stop as soon as it comes together. Over-mixing makes tough dumplings. We want soft, fluffy dumplings that soak up the soup. This matters because texture is everything in comfort food recipes. Do you like your dumplings more doughy or more soupy? Tell me!The Magic Finish
You drop the dough right into the simmering soup. Work fast so they cook evenly. Then you cover the pot and let the magic happen. In just ten minutes, they puff up. Peek inside one to check if it’s cooked. Doesn’t that smell amazing? You’ll have the best chicken and dumplings ready to eat. If you love hands-off cooking, my crock pot chicken and dumplings is wonderful too.Your Bowl of Comfort
Ladle it into a big bowl. You get tender chicken, savory broth, and those perfect dumplings. Every spoonful is pure warmth. It’s the ultimate comfort food. This meal brings people together. That’s why it matters. Sharing food is sharing love. I hope this becomes your go-to easy chicken and dumplings recipe. For a different twist, this creamy turkey soup with dumplings is lovely. What’s your number one comfort food? Let me know in the comments!Ingredients:
| Ingredient | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken broth | 1 quart | Or use homemade broth |
| Water | 1 quart | |
| Poultry Seasoning OR Italian Seasoning | 1 tablespoon | Or a combo of Dried Herbs |
| Bay Leaf | 1 | |
| Boneless, skinless chicken breast | 1 to 1 1/2 pounds | |
| Salt and pepper | To taste | Add last after cooking |
| All-purpose flour | 2 cups | For dumplings |
| Baking powder | 3 teaspoons | For dumplings |
| Milk | 3/4 cup | For dumplings |
| Vegetable oil | 1/3 cup | For dumplings |
| Salt and pepper | For dumplings |
Instructions
Step 1: Pour broth and water into a big pot. Add your herbs and chicken. Let it cook low and slow for about an hour. The smell will fill your whole kitchen. It’s the start of the best homemade chicken soup you’ll ever taste.
Step 2: Take the chicken out to cool. Skim any foam off the broth. Shred the chicken into big, hearty pieces. (Big pieces stay juicier than tiny shreds!). Add the meat back to the pot for your chicken and dumplings base.
Step 3: Now for the fun part—making homemade dumplings! Mix flour and baking powder. Stir in milk and oil just until it comes together. Over-mixing makes tough dumplings, so be gentle. Can you guess the secret to fluffy dumplings? Share below!
Step 4: Drop golf-ball-sized dough bits into the simmering soup. Work fast! Don’t stack them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then cover the pot. Let them steam for 10-12 minutes. This creates the most comforting easy soup recipe.
Step 5: Check if a dumpling is cooked through. It should be soft and soupy outside. If needed, cook two more minutes. Then, ladle your old fashioned chicken and dumplings into bowls. Doesn’t that smell amazing? This truly is one of the best chicken and dumplings for a cozy night.
Creative Twists
Herb Garden Dumplings: Add a spoonful of fresh chopped parsley or dill to your dumpling dough.
Veggie Boost: Toss a handful of frozen peas or diced carrots into the soup with the chicken.
Biscuit Topper: Use canned biscuit dough, cut into pieces, for super easy dumplings.
Which one would you try first? Comment below!
Serving & Pairing Ideas
Serve this easy chicken and dumplings recipe in a deep bowl. A simple green salad on the side is perfect. For a real treat, have a crusty piece of buttered bread for dipping. These comfort food recipes always make me smile. Which would you choose tonight?
Making It Last: Storing Your Chicken and Dumplings
This easy chicken and dumplings recipe makes a big pot. You will have leftovers. Let the soup cool completely first. Then store it in the fridge for up to three days. The dumplings will soak up broth. They become very soft, like a cozy blanket.
I remember my first big batch. I put the hot pot right in the fridge. My whole fridge warmed up. Now I let it sit on the counter first. This keeps everything else cold and safe. You can also freeze this homemade chicken soup for a month.
Reheat it gently on the stove. Add a splash of broth or water. This brings back the soupy texture. Batch cooking matters. It means a warm, homemade meal is always ready. It is a hug for a busy day. Have you ever tried storing it this way? Share below!
Simple Fixes for Common Dumpling Troubles
Sometimes our comfort food recipes need a little help. First, heavy dumplings. This happens from over-mixing. Mix the dough just until it comes together. Lumps are okay. I once mixed mine into a smooth ball. They cooked into little rocks.
Second, dumplings falling apart. Your soup must be at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil is too rough. It will tear your fluffy dumplings apart. Third, bland flavor. Do not forget to season the dumpling dough itself. A little salt and pepper in the mix matters.
Fixing these small issues builds cooking confidence. It turns worry into a wonderful meal. You will make the best chicken and dumplings every time. *Fun fact: A simmer has small bubbles. A boil has big, bursting bubbles.* Which of these problems have you run into before?
Your Quick Questions, Answered
How to make soft fluffy dumplings?
The secret is gentle handling. Use a fork to mix your wet and dry ingredients. Stop as soon as the dough forms. Overworking the flour makes tough dumplings. This easy soup recipe needs a light touch for perfect homemade dumplings every single time.
Why are my dumplings heavy and dense?
This is almost always from over-mixing. You do not need a smooth dough. Stir just until you see no dry flour. Lumpy batter is good. Think of making muffins. A light mix makes your chicken and dumplings light and airy.
Why are my dumplings not light and fluffy?
Check your baking powder. It must be fresh. Old baking powder loses its power. It cannot make the bubbles that lift the dough. Your homemade dumplings need that lift to become fluffy pillows in your soup.
What is the secret to fluffy dumplings?
Do not peek. Once you drop the dough in the pot, cover it. Keep the lid on for the full cook time. Lifting the lid lets out the steam. That steam is what cooks and fluffs up your dumplings. It is the key to old fashioned chicken and dumplings.
How do you get fluffy dumplings?
Make sure your soup is simmering before adding dough. The heat must be ready. A hot broth starts cooking them immediately. This sets the outside so they stay fluffy. Try this crock pot method for an all-day simmer.
What’s the secret to light and airy dumplings?
Handle the dough as little as possible. Use a fork to pull off pieces. Do not roll them in your hands. Just drop the rough pieces into the broth. This gentle method is how to make dumplings that melt in your mouth. Which tip will you try first?
From My Kitchen to Yours
I hope you love this easy chicken and dumplings recipe. It is one of my favorite comfort food recipes. There is nothing like a bowl of homemade chicken soup with fluffy dumplings. It fills your home with a wonderful smell.
I would love to hear about your cooking adventure. Tell me how it went for your family. Your story might help another cook find their way. Have you tried this recipe? Let me know in the comments below. I read every one.
Happy cooking!
—Elowen Thorn
Comforting Chicken with Fluffy Dumplings
Description
Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
For the Homemade Dumplings:
Instructions
- Pour the broth and water in a 7 quart or larger dutch oven set over medium heat.
- Add the Italian Seasonings, the bay leaf, and the chicken breasts.
- Cook covered over medium heat until cooked through and tender, about 60-90 minutes.
- Remove the meat from the pan, set aside to cool.
- Skim any foam from the broth, if you lose seasonings you can add fresh.
- When the meat is cool to touch roughly shred it, you don’t want a lot of little shreddy pieces but bigger pieces work great.
- Add the chicken back to the pot, bring the soup to a simmer.
- Taste for salt and pepper and add as needed.
- Make the dumplings by mixing the flour with the baking powder in a mixing bowl.
- Then mix the milk and oil together.
- Pour over the flour mixture and use a fork to lightly mix it in.
- Once the dough comes together stop mixing, over-mixing causes hard lumpy dumplings, you want soft and pillowy.
- Use the fork to pull off a golf ball size piece of dough, drop it in the simmering soup.
- Work quickly to make 12 dumplings, dropping them in the soup next to each other, not on top of each other.
- Once they’re in the soup sprinkle with the salt and pepper.
- Reduce heat to just keep it simmering cover the pan.
- Leave covered and cook for 10-12 minutes in the bubbling soup.
- When it’s been 10 minutes pull a dumpling out, and use a fork to pull it open, it should be cooked in the middle but soft and soupy on the outside.
- If they need more time cook two more minutes.
- Serve hot.
Notes
- Nutrition information is an estimate for one serving.