Southern-Style Chicken and Dumplings
Fluffy dumplings floating in a rich, homemade chicken broth—this dish is a staple in Southern country kitchens. Each spoonful is packed with creamy goodness, tender chicken, and melt-in-your-mouth dumplings. One bite and you’ll see why this is the ultimate Southern comfort food.
Ingredients
- Ingredients:
- For the Chicken and Broth
- 1 whole chicken about 4 lbs, cut into pieces
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 onion chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 carrots diced
- 2 celery stalks diced
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
- For the Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons butter cubed
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- To Finish
- ½ cup heavy cream optional for creamier broth
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
Instructions:
- Prepare the Chicken and Broth:
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, add the chicken pieces, broth, water, onion, garlic, carrots, celery, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer for about 45 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
- Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside to cool. Discard bay leaf.
- Shred the Chicken:
- Once cool enough to handle, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and shred the meat. Set aside.
Make the Dumplings:
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter using a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Stir in the buttermilk until just combined. Do not overmix.
Cook the Dumplings:
- Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the broth, making sure not to overcrowd the pot.
- Cover and let the dumplings cook for about 15 minutes, until they are fluffy and cooked through.
- Finish the Dish:
- Stir in the shredded chicken and heavy cream (if using). Let simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.
- Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 6
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