Easy Chicken and Dumplings With Biscuits
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When considering traditional Southern cuisine, chicken and dumplings are surely among the top choices. This straightforward recipe is delightful, delectable, and bursting with an abundance of taste.
Easy chicken and dumplings, a beloved dish in the South, consists of a rich and velvety chicken stew accompanied by soft and fluffy dumplings. Similar to many comfort foods from the South, this dish originated from a need for practicality. In the past, chicken was considered a luxury and not readily accessible. When it was available, it was usually of meager proportions.
Fortunately, nowadays chicken is a fundamental element in the culinary habits of numerous individuals. Therefore, for your upcoming poultry feast, why not experiment with this homemade formula for chicken dumplings accompanied by biscuits? A beloved choice among families, this recipe may be uncomplicated, yet it is also delectable and serves as an excellent creamy dish for a warm and comforting winter meal (or as comforting as it can be in this vicinity).
If you’re in a dumpling mood, make sure you check out these other delectable dumplings from scratch recipes too: sweet potato dumplings and apple dumplings.
What You Need To Make Chicken and Dumplings
- Chicken
- One can of Pillsbury flaky layers biscuits
- Flour (self-rising or plain, doesn’t matter)
- Chicken broth
- Cream of chicken soup – here is a homemade recipe for cream of chicken soup if you prefer.
- salt and pepper
Helpful Kitchen Tools
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
Normally, I cook a whole chicken, but today I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts since that’s what I had. You can add some chicken bouillon cubes to your water instead of broth if you want.
I like to prepare chicken in different ways. Sometimes I use a slow cooker, other times I cook it in broth, and occasionally I use chicken thighs. There are even times when I just buy a cooked rotisserie chicken. It’s up to you and what you feel like doing! The important thing is to make sure your chicken is cooked, and then set it aside.
Pour your broth into a pot.
Add cream of chicken soup.
Stir and let it come to a very gentle boil while you prepare the dumplings.
To prepare the dumplings, put a little bit of flour (about a cup) in a large bowl. Add some salt and pepper – about 1/2 a teaspoon each or whatever you prefer. Stir that up a bit.
Take all of your biscuits out of the can and set them on a plate.
Now, we’re going to take each canned biscuit and tear it into three layers like this.
This is what they should look like when they are all separated into 3 layers.
Dip each layer into your flour mixture, and make sure you coat both sides until they look like this.
Pay close attention to this step. If you skip it, your dumplings might disappear in the broth. That’s exactly what happened to me the first time I tried making chicken and dumplings. I wound up with a tasty soup that had a dumpling flavor!
Now, take each layer and tear it into three pieces.
Reduce heat so that your chicken stock is just barely barely barely boiling and drop dumpling pieces in one at a time.
It is important that you DO NOT STIR. We are not going to stir these as we don’t want our dumplings cooking up. If you do stir, you will basically cause your dumplings to dissolve.
Instead of stirring, we’re going to gently press the dumplings down into the chicken stock as they cook. This will take about ten minutes. You’ll notice the dumplings starting to take shape and they’ll stop looking doughy as they firm up a bit.
Put your shredded chicken into the dumplings and give it a very gentle mix. I mostly just press it down a bit like I did with the dumplings. Just remember to be gentle.
And there you go y’all! You just make an old-fashioned chicken and dumpling recipe your family will LOVE!
How Do You Store Chicken and Dumplings?
- Store your chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to five days. They’re even better the next day as the dumplings continue to soak up the broth. You can reheat the dish either on the stove or in the microwave.
- You can also freeze leftovers in an airtight container for up to five months.
Can I Add Vegetables To Chicken and Dumplings?
If you want to add some vegetables to this recipe, you can add a can of carrot and peas to the broth when you add the chicken. Another option is to add some sauteed onion.
Can I Make Homemade Dough?
If you prefer to make homemade dumplings with homemade biscuit dough, check out my recipes here and here.
Can I Add More Seasoning?
If you’d like to add some seasoning, cook the in , , or .
Recipe FAQs
What do you serve with chicken and dumplings?
Pair this Southern main dish with other great Southern side dishes, like cornbread, fresh green beans, and fried okra. You could also just serve it with a simple side salad or some roasted brussels sprouts.
What type of chicken can you use for this recipe?
You can use either a whole chicken, boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, or even a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken.
Why is it important not to skip the step of pressing the dumplings into the broth?
Pressing the dumplings ensures that they cook properly and hold their shape. If you skip this step, the dumplings might dissolve in the broth.
How long does it take for the dumplings to cook?
It takes about ten minutes for the dumplings to cook. During this time, they will firm up and take on a proper dumpling texture.
What happens if you don’t handle the chicken and dumplings mixture gently when combining them?
If you’re too rough, the dumplings and chicken can break apart. It’s important to be gentle to keep the dish in good shape.
Can you use chicken bouillon cubes instead of broth?
Yes, you can use chicken bouillon cubes in place of broth if you prefer.
What can happen if you use doughy dumplings?
Doughy dumplings may not cook through properly and can result in an unpleasant texture in the final dish.
Can you make this recipe ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the chicken and dumplings ahead of time. Just be sure to reheat it gently when you’re ready to serve.
You might also enjoy these other chicken recipes:
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 3 or 4 chicken breasts
- 32 oz chicken broth feel free to use water with bouillon cubes added
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can Pilsbury layers biscuits 10 individual
- salt and pepper to taste
- flour
Instructions
- Cook chicken breasts in approx. 4 c. of water until fork-tender, about 45 minutes.3 or 4 chicken breasts
- Place broth in a medium to large-sized pot. Stir cream of chicken soup into gently boiling broth. Add salt and pepper to taste.32 oz chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup, salt and pepper to taste
- Pull biscuits apart into three layers. Dip each layer into the flour and then tear each layer into three pieces and drop into gently boiling broth mixture.1 can Pilsbury layers biscuits, flour
- Do not stir biscuits a lot or they will cook up. Only gently push dumplings down into broth as they float to the top. Cook for about ten minutes after the last dumplings are added.
- Tear up the chicken and add it to the broth mixture. Turn to low until ready to serve.
Nutrition
I have been reading your blog and making lots of your recipes for years. For some reason, beginning today (9 Oct 13), your tutorial pictures aren’t coming thru (white box with red x in upper left corner). Am I doing something wrong; is it my computer or did the computer “demons” decide I was having too much fun?
I am having the same problem. Hope it gets corrected soon cause the pictures make it so much easier to follow.
I have to click on the x to see the pictures, but would love to see them all at once.
Hello Christy, As you know I am a faithful follower of your blog, I love it! loved the menu ideas to help with a budget. I do have a question though. I have always made my dumplings the old fashioned way where you make them from scratch and roll them out, I have never taken the time to figure out the cost of doing it that way, which way do you think is cheapest the biscuits or the old fashioned way? I know most people probably have the ingredients on hand for the old way. Keep the recipes coming and the stories are wonderful! They feel like sitting and chatting with an old friend and catching up on all that’s been going on.
Hey Marsha! I have never costed it out myself but I am pretty confident that your mother’s way of doing it would be the least expensive. I make mine this way because it is how my mother did it and what my family prefers. But you know what I always say “How YOUR Mama did it is the right way!”.
I’m so glad you’re here 🙂
I’m in the navy and only get to come home maybe once a year. My mother makes me chicken n’ dumplings every time I do. Well that’s just not enough, so I made this with my girlfriend. Delicious! I told my mom how good it was and she was disappointed saying “Now I’ll never get to see you”.
ok, i forgot to add i followed step by step,but i used pillsbury frozen biscuits. they worked great!
awesome!!! I followed step by step!! better than grandmas. Shhhh!!
Are you kidding me??? Although I’m sure making it with canned biscuts is good but this is not what I call Chicken and Dumplings. All you need is 2 cups of all-purpose flour, pinch of salt, some pepper and some ice cold water. Just add enough water till dough forms then add about a tbs at a time to the simmering broth done in about 5-10 minutes. Easy and only few ingredients instead of what you find listed on the side of can. Also feel free to add herbs too.
I think you’re thinking of the northern dumplings. This is southern style where the dumplings are a pastry noodle. Try it- so yummy
I TOTALLY agree. This ROCKS girl PERIOD
My father-in-law made the dumplings his mother taught him and her mother taught her and so on. They were from Austin, Texas. He would make a biscuit recipe and then roll it out and cut it in strips and put it on top of the chicken. I think he made the chicken with carrots and onions, like a stew, but no cream of chicken soup. I’m gluten free, so I am going to make it this weekend like he did, but make my biscuits gluten free. Thanks for the inspiration, Southern Plate!
I love this recipe for chicken and dumplings. I don’t always have canned biscuits on hand and there is only me & my husband and they go bad on me. I follow your recipe, except I use Mary B’s frozen buttermilk biscuits instead of the canned biscuits. If I forget to take them out when I take the chicken out to thaw, I just zap them in the microwave and hit defrost. I only do this for very short times and check because you do not want to cook them. Now when I am craving my chicken and dumplings I do not have to make a special trip to the store and can use as many biscuits as I need and we will not have left overs for a week. 🙂