Homestead Chicken and Dumplings

🕒 Prep: 30 min
🔥 Cook: 2 hours
🍽 Serves: 6
★★★★★
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Homestead Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, perfect for warming up on chilly evenings. This hearty dish features tender chicken and light, fluffy dumplings simmered in a flavorful broth. It's a classic recipe that brings the taste of home to your table.

Ingredients for Homestead Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken: A whole chicken provides rich flavor and tender meat for the dish. Cooking with bones enhances the broth's depth.

Onion, Carrots, and Celery: These aromatic vegetables form the classic base for many comforting dishes, adding sweetness and earthiness.

Bay Leaves and Thyme: Both add subtle herbal notes that complement the chicken and vegetables beautifully.

Flour and Baking Powder: These are the foundation of the dumplings, giving them structure and fluffiness.

Butter and Milk: These ingredients enrich the dumplings, making them tender and flavorful.

Tips & Tricks

  • If you're short on time, use pre-cooked rotisserie chicken and skip the boiling step.
  • For more flavor, add a splash of white wine to the broth as it simmers.
  • Ensure your dumplings don't clump together by gently stirring after adding them to the broth.

Serving Suggestions

This dish is best served hot in deep bowls to capture all the broth and dumplings. Pair it with a simple side salad or crusty bread to complete the meal. A light, crisp white wine or homemade lemonade makes a refreshing accompaniment.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe in advance?
Yes, you can prepare the soup a day ahead and reheat it gently on the stove before adding the dumplings.
How do I store leftovers?
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.
Can I freeze this dish?
While the broth and chicken freeze well, the texture of the dumplings may change. If planning to freeze, consider making fresh dumplings when you reheat the meal.

Homestead Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Walkthrough

Start by placing your chicken in a large pot with about 2 quarts of water. Bring this to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat and toss in the onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Let it all simmer together for about an hour, or until the chicken is nice and tender.

After the chicken is done, carefully remove it from the pot. Let it cool just enough to handle, then shred the meat, discarding the skin and bones. Meanwhile, strain the broth to remove the veggies and herbs, then return it to the pot and bring it back to a gentle simmer.

Now, let's make the dumplings. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the milk until you have a dough. Roll this dough out on a floured surface to about 1/4 inch thickness and cut it into strips.

Drop the strips into the simmering broth. Let them cook for about 15 minutes; they should become fluffy and soak up the broth's goodness. Finally, add the shredded chicken back into the pot to heat through. Before serving, sprinkle some chopped parsley on top for a fresh finish.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

  • Rich, savory broth that satisfies the soul.
  • Perfectly tender chicken, cooked to perfection.
  • Fluffy dumplings that soak up all the delicious flavors.
  • Simple ingredients that are easy to find.
  • Great for feeding a family or meal prepping for the week.

Ingredients

3 lbs whole chicken
2 quarts water
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup milk
1 large onion, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 bay leaves
1 tsp dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped parsley

Step-by-step Instructions

1. In a large pot, combine chicken and water; bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Reduce heat; add onion, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 1 hour until chicken is tender.
3. Remove chicken, let cool slightly, then shred meat, discarding skin and bones.
4. Strain broth, return to pot, and bring to a gentle simmer.
5. In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk until dough forms.
6. Roll dough on floured surface to 1/4 inch thickness and cut into strips.
7. Drop strips into simmering broth, cook for 15 minutes until dumplings are fluffy.
8. Return shredded chicken to pot, heat through, and garnish with parsley before serving.

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