Old-fashioned, rustic Chicken and Dumplings is a recipe I have been making for over 30 years. Learn how to make this classic recipe.
To Make Chicken and Dumplings you will need:
- chicken breasts, or thighs
- chicken broth
- thyme leaves
- sage leaves
- salt
- black pepper
- all-purpose flour
- baking soda
- cold butter
- buttermilk
- Dutch oven
- mixing bowl
- pastry cutter
- cutting board & knife
See how I use my food processor as a short cut to make the dumplings in the video below. You’ll also see some slight variations to this recipe.
In a Dutch oven, combine the broth, chicken, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Bring this to a boil, then turn down to medium-low heat and cover.
Simmer about 30 – 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and tender.
Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.
In the meantime, make the dumplings.
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In a bowl, mix dry ingredients.
Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork, until there are no bits larger than a pea.
Stir in the buttermilk.
Knead dough on a lightly floured surface with your hands about 12 times.
Bring the broth in the pot up to a rolling boil.
Tear off chunks of dough, about the size of a hickory nut, and carefully drop into the boiling broth.
Give the soup a stir and lower the heat to a simmer, stirring every couple minutes. Cook for about 8 minutes
Monitor the liquid at this point though, to make sure it doesn’t become too thick or stick.
Add some more water or chicken broth if necessary.
While the dumplings are cooking, tear up the chicken discarding any fat. When all the chicken is done, carefully drop it back into the pot.
Let it cook for a few more minutes to heat the chicken back up.
Dumplings cook fairly quickly, so by the time you are done tearing up the chicken, they will be cooked.
Enjoy!
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Rustic Chicken & Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs
- 1 quart chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon rubbed sage leaves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
For The Dumplings:
- 2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 Tb cold butter, cut into pieces
- 3/4 c buttermilk
Instructions
- In a Dutch oven, combine the broth, chicken, sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bring this to a boil, then turn down to medium-low heat and cover.
- Simmer about 30 – 45 minutes, or until chicken is cooked and tender.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board and allow to cool enough to handle.
- In the meantime, make the dumplings.
- In a bowl, mix dry ingredients.
- Cut in the butter with a pastry blender or fork, until there are no bits larger than a pea.
- Stir in the buttermilk.
- Knead dough on a lightly floured surface with your hands about 12 times.
- Bring the broth in the pot up to a rolling boil.
- Tear off chunks of dough, about the size of a hickory nut, and carefully drop into the boiling broth.
- Give the soup a stir and lower the heat to a simmer, stirring every couple minutes. Cook for about 8 minutes
- Monitor the liquid at this point though, to make sure it doesn’t become too thick or stick.
- Add some more water or chicken broth if necessary.
- While the dumplings are cooking, tear up the chicken discarding any fat. When all the chicken is done, carefully drop it back into the pot.
- Let it cook for a few more minutes to heat the chicken back up.
- Dumplings cook fairly quickly, so by the time you are done tearing up the chicken, they will be cooked.
- Enjoy!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
If nutritional values are provided for this recipe, they are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands of ingredients you use. The values do not include optional ingredients or when ingredients are added to taste or for serving. If nutritional values are very important to you, I suggest using your favorite nutritional calculating tool with the brands you use.
This recipe was originally published in 2013, updated in 2021.
Thank you so much for this recipe.
A fav around here
Constance – that looks great! Thanks.
This looks like the recipe my grandma made when I was a kid. I've always wanted to try it. Thanks for the inspiration!
I bet this would be good with pearl onions, chopped up carrots and frozen peas
Yep, this can be \”doctored up\” all sorts of ways!