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Chef John’s Chicken and Dumplings

A classic American chicken and dumplings recipe with tender chicken, savory broth, and fluffy drop dumplings steamed right on top. Ultimate comfort food.

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 4
Course: Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Soul Food, Southern
Calories: 750
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • For the Soup:
  • 1 whole chicken 3 to 3½ pounds
  • 2½ quarts cold water
  • 1 large carrot cubed
  • 1 stalk celery chopped
  • 1 onion chopped
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour or as needed
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper or to taste
  • For the Dumplings:
  • ½ cup crème fraîche
  • ½ cup milk
  • 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups self-rising flour
  • For Garnish:
  • Fresh thyme sprigs

Method
 

  1. Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water, carrot, celery, onion, thyme sprigs, and bay leaf.
  2. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 1 hour.
  3. Remove chicken and let cool.
  4. Bring broth back to a simmer and skim off fat; reserve fat.
  5. Mix 2–3 tablespoons reserved fat with flour to form a paste. Stir into broth and simmer 15 minutes.
  6. Remove chicken meat from bones, shred, and return to pot.
  7. Season with salt, black pepper, and cayenne. Simmer 10–15 minutes.
  8. In a bowl, whisk crème fraîche, milk, thyme leaves, and eggs.
  9. Gently stir in self-rising flour (do not overmix).
  10. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto simmering soup.
  11. Cover and simmer until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through, 10–15 minutes.
  12. Garnish with thyme and serve hot.

Notes

If you don’t have self-rising flour, make your own by mixing:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon fine salt