This EASY Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a comforting, creamy chicken soup with simple homemade dumplings that make it irresistible! It’s hearty, loaded with vegetables, and is the perfect meal to make on a chilly day.

Looking for more soup recipes? Try Cioppino, Beef Noodle Soup, Broccoli Cheese Soup, or Pozole Verde!

A close-up image of a bowl of Chicken and Dumpling Soup, sprinkled with parsley.

Why I love this recipe:

  • Comforting – One of my favorite soups to enjoy on a chilly day, homemade Chicken and Dumplings soup hits the spot every single time!
  • Crowd Pleaser – Every age family member loves this meal. It’s full of flavor, loaded with fresh veggies and homemade dumplings and lower in sodium than store-bought. The taste can’t be beat.

How to make Chicken and Dumplings:

Sauté Veggies: Heat a large pot with oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrots and onion and sauté for 3 minutes then add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Dump in butter and flour and whisk well for 1 minute.

A stainless steel pot with veggies being sautéed, then butter and flour added.

Pour in Broth and Seasonings: Stir in chicken broth and bouillon, scraping up anything on the bottom. Add thyme, sage, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Add chicken and bring to a boil. Cover with a lid and simmer for 10 minutes, until chicken is cooked. Remove chicken and let rest for 5 minutes before chopping or shredding. Return chicken to the pot and add evaporated milk and peas.

Two images showing raw chicken in a broth, then the cooked chicken stirred into the soup.

Make Dumplings for Soup: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add milk, sour cream and melted butter. Stir until combined, but don’t over mix.

Two images showing a glass bowl with flour, baking powder, salt, milk, melted butter, and sour cream. Then the mixture mixed together.

Add Dumplings: Bring soup to a simmer and then use a small spoon to drop teaspoon-sized amounts of dough all over the top of the simmering soup (the dumplings will double in size as they cook).

Chicken soup broth, with dough being added to the soup.

Simmer: Cover the pot and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes. Remove lid, gently stir to break dumplings apart, and scoop out a dumpling to check for doneness. If still doughy, cover and cook for a few more minutes, until tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.

A big pot with easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup.

Serve: Ladle warm chicken dumpling soup into bowls or bread bowls, with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley on top.

Two bowls of homemade Chicken and Dumplings, ready to eat.

Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:

To Make Ahead: Make this easy chicken and dumplings 1-3 days ahead of time, excluding the dumplings. When ready to eat, rewarm on the stove, bring to a simmer and add dumplings.

To Freeze: Leftover soup may be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw chicken and dumpling soup overnight in the fridge before rewarming on the stove.

Recipe Variations:

  • Chicken: I recommend thighs, because they have more fat and won’t dry out or overcook as easily, but breast meat will also work. To use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken (or turkey), simply skip the step of cooking the chicken, and stir in cooked chicken just before cooking the dumplings.
  • Bouillon: I use chicken better than bouillon base because the flavor is bolder, but 4 regular chicken bouillon cubes may be used.
  • Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings: Prepare steps 1 and 2 in a skillet. Add everything to slow cooker, and add chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or High for 2-3 hours. Make dumplings and spoon them over the top of the hot soup, as directed in this recipe. Press them under the liquid a little before applying the lid. Slow cook on HIGH for 45 minutes. Break dumplings apart if needed and test for doneness.

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Recipe

A close-up picture of Chicken and Dumpling Soup, sprinkled with parsley.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 40 minutes
Total 55 minutes
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Ingredients
 
 

For the Dumplings:

Instructions
 

  • Sauté Veggies: Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add oil. Once hot, add celery, carrots and onion and sauté for 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Add butter and flour and whisk well for 1 minute.
  • Add Broth and Seasonings: Gradually stir in the chicken broth and bouillon, scraping up anything stuck to the bottom of the pot. Add thyme, sage, rosemary, salt and pepper.
  • Add chicken and bring mixture to a boil. Cover the pot with a lid, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board and rest for 5 minutes before chopping or shredding into small pieces. Return chicken to the pot and add evaporated milk and peas.
  • Make Dumplings: Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Make a well in the center and add milk, sour cream and melted butter. Stir until combined, but don’t over mix.
  • Add Dumplings: Bring soup to a simmer and then use a small spoon to drop teaspoon-sized amounts of dough all over the top of the simmering soup (the dumplings will double in size as they cook).
  • Cover the pot and simmer on low for 12-15 minutes. Remove lid, gently stir to break dumplings apart, and scoop out a dumpling to check for doneness. If still doughy, cover and cook for a few more minutes, until tender. Taste and adjust seasonings if desired.
  • Serve warm, with a sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley on top.

Notes

Pro Tip: Choose a wide pot to cook the soup, over a narrow/tall pot, so there is more surface area to add the dumplings in a single layer. 
Chicken: I recommend thighs, because they have more fat and won’t dry out or overcook as easily. But breast meat will also work. To use rotisserie or leftover cooked chicken (or turkey LINK), simply skip the step of cooking the chicken, and stir in cooked chicken just before cooking the dumplings.
Bouillon: I use chicken better than bouillon base because the flavor is bolder, but 4 regular chicken bouillon cubes may be used.
Make Ahead Instructions: Make the soup 1-3 days ahead of time, excluding the dumplings. When ready to eat, rewarm on the stove, bring to a simmer and add dumplings. 
Freezing Instructions: Leftover soup may be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before rewarming on the stove.
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings: Prepare steps 1 and 2 in a skillet. Add everything to slow cooker, and add chicken. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or High for 2-3 hours. Make dumplings and spoon them over the top of the hot soup, as directed in this recipe. Press them under the liquid a little before applying the lid. Slow cook on HIGH for 45 minutes. Break dumplings apart if needed and test for doneness.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 635kcalCarbohydrates: 50gProtein: 39gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 14gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 3460mgPotassium: 943mgFiber: 3gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 5190IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 383mgIron: 4mg

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Lauren Allen

Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.

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  1. 4 stars
    I needed to use much more liquid (2-3 more cups of broth) than called for to get the soupiness level I wanted. . And four bullion cubes made it way too salty. I would add one next time and then add more as needed. I also added two more cups of water to neutralize the salt. After all the tweaks it came out deliciously

  2. 5 stars
    Came out AMAZING! My son doesn’t really like food like this or soup for that matter (he’s 12), but he kept asking when it was going to be done and LOVED this! Thank you for the recipe!

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