Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings made from scratch is pure southern comfort food and it is not at all difficult to make. Tender dumplings, lots of shredded chicken, and a super flavorful broth make this an unbelievably delicious meal.
Made From Scratch
Food always tastes better from scratch and Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is no exception. It takes a little time to make, but it is not at all difficult. It will taste just like your grandmother made. This is food that is good for the soul.
Use A Whole Chicken
This Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings recipe starts with a whole chicken simmered with carrots, onion, and celery, plus a bay leaf. The chicken is removed from the pot once cooked and the meat is shredded.
Homemade Dumplings
Homemade dumplings are super easy to make from flour, baking soda, vegetable shortening, and buttermilk. Roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thickness and pinch off pieces that are about 1 1/2 inches across. Drop the dough pieces into the simmering broth and watch them puff up into tender, doughy dumplings that are so soft and good. They are the best part for sure!
Recommended Equipment
- Dutch Oven– This Lodge Cast Iron Enamel Dutch Oven is a gorgeous color and cooks roasts, stews and soups to perfection.
- Pastry Blender– OXO Dough Blender is super sturdy and well made.
- Rolling Pin– I love a Marble Rolling Pin
Love using your slow cooker? Try this Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe.
More Southern Comfort Food
- Easy Chicken Pot Pie
- Chicken Fried Steak
- Cubed Steak with Onion Gravy
- Chicken in Jack Daniels Cream Sauce
- Sausage Gravy Shrimp and Grits
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 (3-pound) whole chicken
- 2 celery stalks,, chopped
- 2 medium carrots,, peeled and chopped
- 1/2 medium onion,, chopped
- 2 quarts water
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt,, divided
- 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Place chicken, celery, carrots, onion and 2 teaspoons of salt in a Dutch oven. Add water and bay leaf.
- Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 1 hour.
- Remove chicken from pot. Let cool 15 minutes and then remove chicken from bone, discarding the skin and shredding the chicken.
- Add pepper to pot and bring broth to a boil.
- Meanwhile combine flour, baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl.
- Use a pastry blender or your fingers to cut shortening into flour until it resmembles coarse meal.
- Add buttermilk and stir until dry ingredients are moistened.
- Turn dough out onto a floured surface and kead 4 to 5 times. Roll out to a 1/2-inch thickness.
- Pinch off dough in 1 1/2-inch pieces and add to boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in chicken.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Southern Living
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In Florida, we put veggies in the chicken while it is cooking for added flavor. Celery and onions are a must for full flavor.
Veggies other then onions do not belong in chicken and dumplings add the onion while your chicken is cooking it just adds flavor, salt & pepper too, add to the pot & then drop the dumplings in. Yum 😋
Looks great except for the carrots… my great gramma was from Alabama! I’m from Chicago… but her chicken and dumplings were just that, chicken and dumplings!!
I remember standing on a little step stool so I could help drop the rolled out homemade dough into the pot. She boiled a whole chicken than shredded the whole thing by hand, threw the shredded chicken back in the stock she just created, rolled out the homemade dough about a quarter inch thick and sliced with a knife. I was so excited to drop the 3×2 flat dough dumplings into the stock and watch them thicken and make the broth more thick!!
It was wonderful… so southern and so comforting. I will absolutely try this minus the veggies because this is the closest I see to my great gram’s.
Most Southern cooks, especially the African Americans do not put veggies in their chicken dumplings/pastry. I know, I’ve lived all over the south and been feed by some mighty good church ladies from all walks of life.
Rich must be from the north there is always veggies in southern chicken and dumplins
For what it’s worth, I don’t add vegetables to my chicken and dumplings, I add them as sides.
Thank you for the delicious recipe…
Well, my granny never had access to celery or bay leaves. The carrots and onions have no place in this dish either! My aunt would have complained about these ingredients as well. If you have chicken and dumplings, that is all you should have!
Strongly disagree. Your entitled to your opinion, but chicken and dumplings is not the same without the vegetables.
Did you mean discard the skin in step 3? It says discard the meat.
Yes, thanks for catching that Melanie!
no u don’t cover the pot
do you cover the pan with a lid? When I have made dumpling they melt into the broth, I want to try your recipe but don’t know what I do to cause it. Need help
You’re right Blake and my Mom was from Mass & she cooked it exactly the same and I have too for 47 years except now I add chopped cilantro to the dough … I think I’m going to pull the whole chicken from the freezer tonight 😉