When I first made this Chicken and Dumplings with creamy broth and homemade rolled dumplings, the entire kitchen filled with that cozy, Sunday-supper smell that stops you in your tracks. I remember stirring the pot and thinking, “This feels like home.” Even though I used a rotisserie chicken to save time, the aroma that drifted through the house made it seem like I had been simmering a whole chicken all day. What I love most is how this recipe blends old-fashioned comfort with modern convenience—the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
You’ll love this recipe because it gives you all the nostalgic comfort of classic Southern chicken and dumplings without spending hours boiling a whole bird. The creamy broth, the tender hand-rolled dumplings, and the rich flavor from shredded rotisserie chicken make it incredibly satisfying. And because I’ve made it countless times, I’ve got tricks to help you avoid the usual dumpling pitfalls so yours turn out just as soft and silky as mine.
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, divided
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 celery stalks, diced
- 2 carrots, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour (for the roux)
Dumplings:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup milk (plus more if needed)
After I tested this recipe several times, I found that using a mix of whole milk and heavy cream makes the broth far richer than using milk alone. I’ve also learned not to swap chicken broth for water; the flavor simply won’t be the same. As for the dumplings, keeping the butter cold before mixing is essential—warm butter makes the dough tough. If your dough feels sticky, don’t panic; just dust lightly with flour and keep rolling until it’s smooth and workable.
Equipment Needed
- Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
- Rolling pin
- Cutting board
- Sharp knife or pizza cutter
- Ladle
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
When I first made this dish, I tried using a thin aluminum pot, and I regretted it immediately—the broth scorched on the bottom before the dumplings were even halfway cooked. A heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven truly makes a difference in even heat distribution. A rolling pin is essential for the dumplings, although I’ve used a wine bottle in a pinch when mine couldn’t be found. A pizza cutter makes cutting those dumpling strips quick and clean, but a sharp knife works just as well if that’s what you have on hand.
Step-by-Step Instructions
When I start this recipe, the first thing I do is sauté the onions, celery, and carrots in half of the butter until they soften and begin to smell fragrant—there’s something about that buttery aroma that always makes me feel like I’m building the foundation of a truly comforting meal. Once the vegetables are tender, I sprinkle in the flour and whisk for a minute or two to make a quick roux. This is what eventually gives the broth its velvety, creamy texture, so don’t rush this step. The flour needs to cook slightly to avoid any raw taste.
Next, I slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking constantly to smooth out the roux. As the mixture warms, I stir in the milk, heavy cream, garlic, poultry seasoning, thyme, salt, and pepper. I let the pot come to a gentle simmer—not a rapid boil, because boiling too hard can make the dairy separate and give you a grainy texture. Once it’s simmering, the broth starts thickening beautifully, and that’s when I add the shredded rotisserie chicken. The smell at this point already feels like full-on comfort food mode.
While the broth simmers, I make the dumplings. I whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then cut in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. I pour in the milk and gently stir until it forms a soft dough. The key here is not to overmix; overworking the dough makes tough dumplings. I turn the dough out onto a floured surface, knead it gently a few times, then roll it out to about ⅛ inch thick. Using a pizza cutter, I slice the dough into long strips. The thinner you roll it, the more tender your dumplings will be.(See the next page below to continue…)