Chicken and Dumplings Recipe • 5★

Updated January 15, 2018

Con Poulos for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.

Heartier than chicken soup, this classic comfort dish is decidedly more stewlike, thanks to a golden-brown roux, a densely flavored chicken broth, and, of course, the dumplings. Think of them as a biscuit meeting a matzo ball: fluffy little clouds made from a quick mixture of flour, baking powder, buttermilk, butter and an egg for springiness. They’re cooked right on top of the chicken stew, partly poaching and partly steaming.

SaveLog in or sign up to save this recipe.

GiveSubscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyoneAs a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.SubscribeLog In

Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

Share this recipeCopy linkEmailPinterestFacebookXWhatsAppReddit

Print this recipeInclude recipe photoPrint RecipeLog in or sign up to print this recipe.

2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, diced

4 stalks celery, chopped

6 medium carrots (about 1 ½ pounds), peeled and sliced ¼-inch thick

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, plus more as needed

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 large leeks, white and light green parts thinly sliced

FOR THE DUMPLINGS AND ASSEMBLY

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

½ cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, finely chopped (optional)

¼ cup chives, finely chopped (optional)

Step 1Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear chicken, skin-side down, until deeply golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until it is browned on the other side, another 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate, and pour off all fat into a measuring cup. (You should have about 5 tablespoons, depending on the fattiness of the chicken.)

Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches if needed, sear chicken, skin-side down, until deeply golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Flip chicken and continue to cook until it is browned on the other side, another 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer chicken to a large plate, and pour off all fat into a measuring cup. (You should have about 5 tablespoons, depending on the fattiness of the chicken.)

Step 2Leaving all the browned bits in the pot, return 2 tablespoons of fat to the pot. Add onions, celery and half the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat, stirring to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes or so. Return chicken to the pot along with thyme and 8 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is completely tender and liquid has reduced by about ¼, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Leaving all the browned bits in the pot, return 2 tablespoons of fat to the pot. Add onions, celery and half the carrots. Season with salt and pepper and cook on medium heat, stirring to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pot. Cook until vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes or so. Return chicken to the pot along with thyme and 8 cups of water. Simmer, uncovered, until chicken is completely tender and liquid has reduced by about ¼, about 30 to 40 minutes.

Step 3Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool. Strain the stock (you should have about 5 cups; if you have less, you can add water to make up the difference) and wipe out the pot.

Transfer chicken to a plate or cutting board to cool. Strain the stock (you should have about 5 cups; if you have less, you can add water to make up the difference) and wipe out the pot.

Step 4Heat remaining 3 tablespoons chicken fat along with 1 tablespoon butter (if you don’t have enough chicken fat, use enough butter to equal 4 tablespoons of fat) over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly until it’s all a pale golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons chicken fat along with 1 tablespoon butter (if you don’t have enough chicken fat, use enough butter to equal 4 tablespoons of fat) over medium heat. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly until it’s all a pale golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Step 5Slowly whisk in reserved chicken stock until no lumps remain (it will thicken considerably at first) and bring to a boil. Add leeks and remaining carrots, season with salt and pepper and lower the heat to simmer.

Slowly whisk in reserved chicken stock until no lumps remain (it will thicken considerably at first) and bring to a boil. Add leeks and remaining carrots, season with salt and pepper and lower the heat to simmer.

Step 6Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Shred the meat and add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nicely thickened and carrots and leeks are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove and discard the skin and bones from the chicken. Shred the meat and add to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nicely thickened and carrots and leeks are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.

Step 7Make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg and add to dry ingredients, followed by melted butter. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir just to combine. (Do not overmix.)

Make the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk and egg and add to dry ingredients, followed by melted butter. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, stir just to combine. (Do not overmix.)

Step 8Using a spoon, drop generous quarter-size dollops of the dumpling dough into the pot (they should just sit right on top; they will not sink), spacing them apart as much as possible (it’s O.K. if they touch). Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until the dumplings are puffed and totally cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. (Test a dumpling by cutting it in half; it should look slightly biscuity, but with no raw bits of dough. If it needs more time, continue to cook.)

Using a spoon, drop generous quarter-size dollops of the dumpling dough into the pot (they should just sit right on top; they will not sink), spacing them apart as much as possible (it’s O.K. if they touch). Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook, undisturbed, until the dumplings are puffed and totally cooked through, 18 to 22 minutes. (Test a dumpling by cutting it in half; it should look slightly biscuity, but with no raw bits of dough. If it needs more time, continue to cook.)

Step 9Remove lid and divide among bowls; sprinkle with parsley and chives, if using.

Remove lid and divide among bowls; sprinkle with parsley and chives, if using.

I’m a bit confused. Do you throw away the onions, celery & carrots you’ve strained out of the broth in Step 2? I get that they might be there just to flavor the broth, but tossing them seems a bit of a waste.

Chicken n' dumplings was a much loved dish made by my much loved - great cook grandfather in the day of my childhood in my family's Anglo household. My Sicilian husband who grew up with his Italian speaking grandmother heading the kitchen has never appreciated dumplings. Until now. These dumplings are so good even he likes them. And for those who may be dumpling virgins, you need to have and keep the broth at simmer when adding and cooking the dumpling dough.

This was not my mother’s dumplings! Rather than water I did use boxed chicken broth. Having made my own broths for years, even with the comments from others, 40 minutes of cooking the chicken did not seem enough time to get a rich broth. Beginning with the boxed broth the flavor was sublime. The other thing I did was rather than sprinkle the parsley at the end I added it to the dumpling dough. Loved the look and flavor of the dumplings!

Did it per the recipe, no additional chicken stock or anything and it was delicious.

I didn't bother chopping the carrots to 1/4 inch thick for the stock...

Only change I made was herbs in the dumplings, a personal favourite growing up when my mum made them. I wish that was an instruction in the recipe, put in the food styling photo though which I did find a little confusing. Maybe a note somewhere?

Made this according to the directions first and it was great, but here’s my notes to self after making this multiple times.

- Add 2 extra cups of water as I prefer the broth to be a bit thinner, and if there are leftovers it seems the dumplings continue to suck up the liquid which makes the dish much too dry for reheating the next day - Add two heaping tbsp of chicken bouillon for added flavor - Use two tsp dried thyme vs fresh - Retain most of the veggies after straining and add back into the soup - don’t skip the parsley and chives

To anyone looking to make this, I never strained the broth. I cooked the chicken, sauteed the veggies, added water straight to them, put the chicken back in, shredded it, then added the dumplin dough. All to the same pot, never taking it off the heat. And I added a little bit of jarred roux to it (pre dumplin) and a can of cream of chicken (i just had one i needed to use) and it was perfect! This is a great recipe, but it can be refined for ease.

Source: https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1019108-chicken-and-dumplings