Homestyle Chicken & Dumplings with fluffy dumplings and flavorful chicken in every creamy bite!
Originally posted on April 14, 2013
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 Chicken & Dumplings are hands down the best! They’re my absolute favorite meal!
Growing up, my sister and I always had a special meal on our birthdays. Mine has and will always be Chicken & 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 amazingly delicious! My family pretty much has to take the pot away from the table when I start going in for fourths!
My mom’s 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.
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. 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 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 and cut into strips that are 1-inch wide by 3-inches long. 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.
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!
More Family Recipes
Our family has shared so many memories over home-cooked food. Here are some of our favorite family recipes. 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! 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! Moist and tender with a crackly crust, SuSu’s Sour Cream Pound Cake pairs beautifully with seasonal fresh fruits for a simple, crowd-pleasing dessert that’s sure to become a family favorite.
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.
Thanks, Mom! You’re the best! I love you!
Enjoy!
xoxo,
Homestyle Chicken and Dumplings
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!
- 1 whole fryer chicken (4–5 pounds)
- 8 cups water, divided
- 4–1/2 cups chicken broth, divided
- 2–1/2 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
- 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 1-1/2 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 soup.
- 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. 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. Reduce heat to low and stir in chicken. Allow to cook until thickened, about another 10-15 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
