Homestyle Chicken & Dumplings with fluffy dumplings and flavorful chicken in every creamy bite!

Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

I Learned from the Best

My mom SuSu came to town and I made her cook! Actually, I didn’t have to make her. She always insists and I never turn her down! I certainly learned from the best. She gave me my love of cooking and entertaining. And speaking of the best, her Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings are hands down the best! They’re my absolute favorite meal!

Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

Watch Me Make Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings

Homestyle Special

Growing up, my sister and I always had a special meal on our birthdays. Mine has and will always be Chicken and Dumplings! I have been eating it since as early as I can remember eating and I LOVE IT!!! Lots of fluffy dumplings and flavorful chicken in every creamy bite! It’s so comforting, filling and has amazingly delicious flavor! My family pretty much has to take the pot away from the table when I start going in for fourths!

Homestyle Chicken & Dumplings

Labor of Love

My mom’s homemade chicken and dumplings recipe is made from scratch and it takes a little bit of time, but the payoff is huge. Your family is sure to appreciate the love and attention you put into this meal as the comforting aroma of chicken & dumplings fills your home and your hungry bellies. I can’t wait to give you a glimpse of how they’re made.

Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

What Do I Need to Make Chicken and Dumplings?

  • Whole fryer chicken (4-5 pounds)
  • Water
  • Chicken broth
  • Whole milk
  • Salt and pepper
  • Self-rising flour
  • Vegetable shortening or butter
  • All-purpose flour
Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

How to Make Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings

  • Rinse and clean out chicken and place in a large pot. Add 6 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock. Sprinkle the top evenly with salt and pepper.
  • Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let cook for 1 to 1-1/2 hours until chicken is cooked all the way through and tender when poked with a fork. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove chicken from the bone, discarding bones and skin.
  • Leave the broth in the pot on medium heat and add 2 cups milk and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer. In a jar with a lid, make a roux by combining 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 2 cups water. Shake well then whisk into the liquid in the pot. This will thicken the chicken soup.
  • To make the dumplings, begin by placing the self-rising flour in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or by pulling two knives in opposite directions through the flour and shortening. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup whole milk. Stir with a spoon or mix with clean hands until well combined. Turn half of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.
  • Roll to 1/8-inch thickness with a rolling pin and cut into strips that are 1-inch wide by 3-inches long (I’ve found that using a pizza cutter works well). Put strips on a pan and repeat process with remaining dough. Drop dumplings into the simmering liquid.
  • Gently press down on dumplings with a large spoon so they are submerged in the liquid, but do not stir.
Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama
  • Cover and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in chicken. Allow to cook until thickened, about another 10-15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

More Family Comfort Food Recipes

Our family has shared so many memories over home-cooked food. Here are some of our favorite family recipes.  

  • Mom’s Special Apple Pie: Deliciously sweet apples are mounded in a flaky crust and topped with an irresistible nutty streusel. It’s homemade goodness at its very best in Mom’s Special Apple Pie!
  • Great Aunt Ina’s Apple Dumplings: Perfectly flaky pastry wraps juicy tart apples with an amazing cinnamon sugar syrup making my Great Aunt Ina’s Apple Dumplings the ultimate dessert. So comforting and delicious!
  • Angel Biscuits: One bite of these divinely delicious creations and you’ll understand why they’re called Angel Biscuits. Light, fluffy, and perfectly buttery, they truly taste heaven-sent!
  • SuSu’s Sour Cream Pound Cake: Moist and tender with a crackly crust, it pairs beautifully with seasonal fresh fruits for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s sure to become a family favorite.
Homestyle Chicken & Dumplings

I loved spending this day in the kitchen with my mom preparing her Chicken & Dumplings because it is a recipe that I will cherish and make for my family as long as I live. I’m so thrilled she agreed to show you all how they’re made! If you make this Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. ???? I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!

Thanks, Mom! You’re the best! I love you!

xoxo,

Print
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Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings by The BakerMama

Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Maegan – The BakerMama
  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 2 hours
  • Total Time: 2 hours 30 mins
  • Yield: 8
  • Category: Main

Description

Homestyle chicken & dumplings with fluffy dumplings and flavorful chicken in every creamy bite!


Ingredients

  • 1 whole fryer chicken (45 pounds)
  • 8 cups water, divided
  • 4 and 1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
  • 2 and 1/2 cups whole milk, divided
  • salt & pepper, to taste
  • 4 cups self-rising flour
  • 1 cup vegetable shortening or butter
  • 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Instructions

  1. Rinse and clean out chicken and place in a large pot. Add 6 cups water and 2 cups chicken broth. Sprinkle the top evenly with salt and pepper. Cover with a lid and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and let cook for 1 to 1.5 hours until chicken is cooked all the way through and tender when poked with a fork.
  2. Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Once cool, remove chicken from the bone, discarding bones and skin.
  3. Leave the broth in the pot on medium heat and add 2 cups milk and 2 cups chicken broth. Bring to a simmer.
  4. In a jar with a lid, make a roux by combining 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour with 2 cups water. Shake well then whisk into the liquid in the pot. This will thicken the soup.
  5. To make the dumplings, place the self-rising flour in a large bowl. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or by pulling two knives in opposite directions through the flour and shortening. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth and 1/2 cup whole milk. Stir with a spoon or mix with your hands until well combined. Turn half of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to 1/8-inch thickness and cut into strips that are 1-inch wide by 3-inches long. Put strips on a pan and repeat process with remaining dough.
  6. Drop dumplings into the simmering liquid. Gently press down on dumplings with a large spoon so they are submerged in the liquid, but do not stir. Cover and allow to cook for 10-15 minutes.
  7. Reduce heat to low and stir in chicken. Allow to cook until thickened, about another 10-15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.

 

About The BakerMama

Maegan is the author of her best-selling Beautiful Boards, Spectacular Spreads and Brilliant Bites cookbooks. She started blogging in 2012 and features hundreds of original recipes on The BakerMama. She truly enjoys sharing her easy, family-friendly recipes, creative meal ideas, food board creations, and entertaining spreads to encourage others to get in the kitchen and make something memorable for their loved ones to enjoy together. Learn More

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Comments

  1. How do you keep your dumplings from falling apart? luckily I did a test strip and was able to fix. its a great base recipe but it needs a few tweaks IMO

    1. Hi Anon! I’ve never had an issue with our dumplings falling apart as they cook. The dough is thick and if you roll it out smoothly, it should hold it’s shape as they soften and cook.

  2. The BEST Chicken and Dumplings recipe I have ever found! I have tried for years to find the best c & d recipe and it was your recipe that has finally won my family over!






    1. Hi, Mandy! Oh my goodness. That makes me to happy to hear! I hope you keep enjoying them for years to come!

  3. The BEST chicken and dumplings recipe ever! My go to when I am craving chicken and dumplings. Follow it to the letter. So, so good.






  4. The flat dumplings are what I grew up with in central Illinois. You never see them it is always drop dumplings. Your mom is my hero sounds like she cooks like me. Nothing better than chicken and dumpling made right.

  5. I have been craving this since you showed it on your IG as a Birthday tradition. I made it today and it was amazing! I love Chicken and Dumplings and I loved how this recipe turned out! Absolutely delicious!






  6. I am so excited to find this recipe! This is exactly the way I remember my mom’s chicken and dumplings. Thank you so much for sharing your mom with all of us! I am making this dish tonight for dinner.