Easy Weeknight Chicken and Dumplings

inAmerican Recipes, Chicken & Poultry Recipes, Dinner Recipes, Recipes, Soup & Stew Recipes, Southern/Creole Recipes
  • YIELDS | 4 SERVINGS
  • PREP TIME | 15 MINS
  • COOK TIME | 30 MINS PLUS 10 MINS RESTING

This dish comes together in a snap thanks to using skinless and boneless chicken breasts instead of a whole chicken. Bonus: it can be made gluten and dairy free. The broth is savory and loaded with vegetables, and the dumplings are light and fluffy, and the chicken cooks up perfect every time!

Ingredients

Soup

  • 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Kosher salt and pepper
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour
  • 1 tablespoon butter or vegan butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced, about 1 cup
  • 2 parsnips, diced, about 1 cup
  • 1 medium carrot, diced, about 1/2 cup
  • 1 stalk celery, diced about 1/2 cup
  • 8 cups chicken broth

Dumplings

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose or gluten-free flour
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 heaping tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1/2 cup club soda
  • 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, optional
  • Black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Sprinkle chicken pieces with salt and pepper, then dredge both sides in flour.
  2. Melt butter and add olive oil to a large pot or Dutch oven with lid, over medium-high heat. Add chicken and brown, about 4 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
  3. To the same pot, add diced onion, parsnip, carrots, celery. Turn the heat down to medium-low, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  4. When the vegetables are tender, add in the chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste, stir to incorporate then add the browned chicken. Cover pot, be sure to leave the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
  5. While chicken simmers, make the dumpling dough. Mix the dry ingredients, the thyme and paprika together, and then add the half-and-half and club soda, stirring to combine, until it resembles cookie dough. Do not over-mix the dough. Set aside.
  6. Remove chicken from pot and onto a cutting board. Cut chicken into smaller pieces and put it back into the pot. Increase the heat to medium-high and bring the soup to a boil.
  7. Drop tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering pot. Add minced parsley if using. Cover pot, leaving the lid slightly ajar to allow steam to escape. Simmer for 15 minutes.
  8. Allow the chicken and dumplings to sit, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.