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

ingredients for 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

chicken for 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 chicken broth into a pot

Pour your broth into a pot.

add cream of chicken soup to chicken broth

Add cream of chicken soup.

stir in cream of chicken soup and let it come to a boil

Stir and let it come to a very gentle boil while you prepare the dumplings.

put flour and salt and pepper into a bowl

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.

put biscuits onto a plate

Take all of your biscuits out of the can and set them on a plate.

tear each biscuit into 3 layers
 

Now, we’re going to take each canned biscuit and tear it into three layers like this.

3 layers of the biscuits

This is what they should look like when they are all separated into 3 layers.

dip each biscuit layer in flour mixture

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!

coat both sides until the biscuits look like this

Now, take each layer and tear it into three pieces.

drop biscuit pieces into the broth

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.

gently press dumplings down into broth

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.

add chicken into dumpling broth mixture

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.

finished chicken and dumplings

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 Southern chicken dumplings 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 chicken in fresh thyme, fresh parsley, or poultry seasoning.

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

Cheesy Chicken and Rice

Fuss Free Fried Chicken

Sticky Chicken

chicken and dumplings

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

This easy chicken and dumplings recipe, like most Southern comfort food, may have evolved out of necessity but they stuck around because they are delicious!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: chicken
Servings: 4
Calories: 464kcal

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

Calories: 464kcal
Tried this recipe?Mention @southernplate or tag #southernplate!

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513 Comments

  1. I am a Canadian RN, and spent 10 years in North Carolina enjoying Southern people and food! I actually craved Cracker Barrel’s chicken and dumplings when I was pregnant with my son, and my husband would make the 40 minute drive to get them for me…yummm.

    Well, I have tried unsuccessfully until now to duplicate their recipe. My son and I absolutely LOVE this recipe, and it is soooo easy to make. Thanks for the pics and tips. They are perfect everytime I make them. My Canadian co-workers always comment on how good they smell when I bring them for lunch,(leftovers heat up great)! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!

    Kat Brinson

  2. I am excited about making this recipe. I remember my Mom cooking it with Bisquick, but it was always hit or miss on how good the dumplings came out. I have so much rooled pie crust dough that I keep in the freezer. What’s your thought on using it instead of the biscuits. Are there any adjustments I would need to make? I wanna go downstairs and cook this right now!

  3. I just made this today, and let me tell you – IT WAS FANTASTIC!!! Absolutely delicious and exactly the way chicken and dumplings should taste. Thank you for posting this recipe!

  4. Okay, I can’t believe this was on your website the whole time, and I didn’t see it!!!! I’ve been looking for a “good” Southern chicken and dumplings for a month now and, believe it or not, I didn’t think to check here. I feel real stupid right now. (I used the word “real” there to make me sound stupid too.) Okay, I’ll be making THIS recipe in the week ahead. I’ll have to update you on the outcome.

  5. So many times, I have tried unsuccessfully to duplicate the chicken and dumplings my grandma and mom used to make from scratch. I have tried their recipe, and several other recipes I found on the internet.

    Today is Valentine’s Day. I told my husband this would be the LAST try, and I started boiling the chicken late morning, because I wanted us to have time to go out to dinner if this didn’t work. I even kept the shredded chicken separate until we did the first taste test because I didn’t want to waste another whole chicken on more failed attempts.

    Well, I am happy to report that these were really easy and SOOOOOOOO DELICIOUS!! Thank you for the recipe and the demo – I really enjoy the site!

    Annie 🙂

  6. This sounds Yummmm…
    We are on our way to the store right now to get everything!
    Can wait to try it 🙂
    thanks so much!

  7. Just discovered your website tonite and I absolutely love it – want to try everything! Born in raised in La and I love dumplings – just never learned how to make them, so I’ve always used the tortillas. But after reading this, I have a pot of yours cooking now. Also, wanted to add that after the dumplings are done cooking, turn heat off and pour about a small can of evaporated milk over the dumplings, using a fork or something to lightly poke a way for the milk to drizzle down into the dumplings – oh so yummy. Let them ‘sit’ for a few minutes and they’re great. Got this tip from a lady about 30 yrs ago – that made her dumplings from scratch. Thanks again for this great website and don’t stop…..

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