Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe: Comfort Food That Hugs Back

Craving some cozy comfort but dreading any recipe that involves chef hats or fancy terminology? Oh, buddy—grab a spoon. You’re about to outshine every Southern grandma (don’t tell her). Chicken and dumplings is basically an edible “everything’s going to be okay,” and guess what? You don’t need a culinary degree—or any patience, really—to pull it off. If you can roll dough and stir a pot, you’re set. One bowl, endless kudos, and maybe a little flour on your shirt.

Why This Recipe is Awesome

• It’s classic comfort, minus the stress. You’re not messing with complicated techniques here. The toughest part is waiting for the dumplings to cook—more time to sneak bites of chicken, IMO.​
• The whole thing uses stuff you probably already have. No weird ingredients, no “special trips,” no accidental online orders for thirty pounds of gourmet flour.
• These dumplings are foolproof. Truly. If you’ve ever baked a hockey puck where a biscuit should be, you’re about to redeem yourself.
• It feeds a crowd (or just one very hungry person). Leftovers, when they happen, are a bonus you’ll actually look forward to.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• About 3 cups cooked chicken (rotisserie, leftover, whatever you have—don’t stress)
• 6-8 cups chicken broth (boxed, homemade, or cobbled together)
• 2 cups flour (all-purpose—keep it classic)
• 2 tbsp butter (living your best buttery life)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder (not soda, unless you like chaos)
• Salt, to taste (shake it like you mean it)
• About 1 cup milk (maybe a smidge less—it’s a flexible operation)

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Mix your dough: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry blender until it’s crumbly. Stir in the milk with a fork—mix gently until you get a clumpy ball of dough. If it looks weird, you’re on track.
2. Prep your rolling station: Flour your counter like you’re dusting for fingerprints. You’ll need a rolling pin and something to cut with (pizza cutters = top tier).
3. Roll and cut: Roll the dough thin. Use your cutter to make squares around 2”x2”. Precision is optional; raggedy squares welcome.
4. Flour and layer: Use a floured spatula to stack the dumplings on a plate. Sprinkle flour between layers so they don’t become one big dumpling blob.
5. Get your broth boiling: Heat the broth to a lively boil. Drop dumplings in one by one, stirring so they don’t glue themselves together. Channel your inner soup conductor.
6. Let it cook: Simmer for 15-20 minutes until the dumplings are cooked through—not doughy, but pillowy and soft. (Taste test recommended.)
7. Add chicken: Chuck the chicken in and give it all a good stir. Cook until everything’s heated through and looks irresistible.
8. Serve: Ladle into big bowls and enjoy. Bonus points for sweet tea on the side.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Using baking soda instead of baking powder: You’ll create salt bombs. Not recommended.
• Not flouring your workspace enough. Sticky dough = scenes of mild chaos.
• Skipping the stirring. Clumpy dumplings make for awkward dinner conversation. Stir your pot!
• Forgetting to taste for salt. Undersalted chicken and dumplings is a crime against carbs.
• Overcooking dumplings until they’re dense bricks. You want fluffy, not tire tread.

Alternatives & Substitutions

• Out of cooked chicken? Use rotisserie or leftover turkey. Nobody will know.
• Broth not homemade? Store-bought is totally fine. Toss in bouillon cubes for extra oomph.
• Dairy-free? Swap milk for plant milk (go for unsweetened, obviously) or even water in a pinch.
• Don’t want to roll dough? Use store-bought biscuit dough, torn up, or even flour tortillas cut in strips. FYI: some will say this is cheating. Ignore them.
• Gluten-free? Mix works—just follow your package’s instructions and watch your dough’s texture.

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)

Do I really need baking powder?
Yes. Without it, your dumplings will be sad and flat. Don’t skip this.

Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Technically yes, but why hurt your own taste buds like that?

What if my dumplings fall apart?
Chill! You probably cut them too thin or didn’t flour them enough. Tastes great anyway.

Can I freeze dumplings?
Yep! Freeze them before cooking, layered between wax paper and dusted in flour. Then just drop ’em in broth later.

My dough is sticky. Add more flour, right?
Yep—just sprinkle a little at a time until it’s manageable. You don’t want soup glue.

Is this the same as chicken and noodle soup?
Not even close. Dumplings > noodles. End of debate.

How do I cook the chicken for this?
Anything goes: oven, slow cooker, or even just cube rotisserie chicken. Whatever makes it easy.

Final Thoughts

Ready to make the kind of dish that feels like a big Southern hug? Chicken and dumplings is hearty, homey, and exactly what you need when life gets chaotic (or chilly, or you just want carbs with a side of nostalgia). Go forth, roll some dough, and make those “oohs” and “aahs” happen at the table. You’ve earned your comfort food badge—flaunt it! Now go impress someone—or yourself—with your new culinary skills. You’ve earned it!​