Description
This classic Chicken and Dumplings recipe features tender chicken thighs simmered in a flavorful herb-infused gravy, topped with fluffy homemade dumplings. The dumplings are dropped directly into the simmering gravy, creating a comforting one-pot meal perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken and Gravy:
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried sage
- ¼ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
For the Dumplings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon garlic powder
- â…› teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Brown Chicken: Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs and brown on each side until golden. The chicken does not need to be fully cooked at this stage. Transfer the browned chicken to a clean bowl.
- Sauté Vegetables: In the same skillet, add diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté over medium heat until the onions become soft, stirring occasionally to release browned bits from the bottom. Add diced carrot and celery and continue to cook for about five more minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Make Roux: Add butter and flour to the skillet with vegetables, stirring continually until the butter melts and forms a paste with the flour that evenly coats the vegetables. Cook this mixture for approximately two minutes to remove the raw flour taste.
- Make Gravy: Stir in dried parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and whole milk. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture reaches a gentle simmer and thickens into a rich gravy.
- Add Chicken: Dice the browned chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces and return them to the skillet. Cover with a lid and allow the chicken to simmer in the gravy over medium heat as you prepare the dumplings.
- Make Dumplings: In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, dried parsley, sugar, salt, garlic powder, and black pepper. Pour in milk and melted butter and gently stir until a soft, scoopable batter forms. Take care not to overmix to keep dumplings tender.
- Add Dumplings: Remove the lid from the skillet. Using a spoon, drop the dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering gravy in approximately 2 tablespoon-sized dollops, yielding about 12 dumplings total.
- Cook Dumplings: Ensure the gravy stays at a gentle simmer, then cover the skillet with the lid. Let the dumplings cook for about 15 minutes without lifting the lid, allowing them to puff up, double in size, and cook through. Serve the chicken and dumplings hot and enjoy!
Notes
- Do not overcook the chicken when browning initially; it will finish cooking later in the gravy.
- Keep the heat at a gentle simmer when cooking dumplings to avoid them breaking apart.
- For extra flavor, you can use homemade chicken broth if available.
- Dumplings should be soft and fluffy; avoid overmixing the batter to prevent tough dumplings.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
