Chicken and Dumplings Stew (Printable Version)

Classic stew with tender chicken, creamy broth, and pillowy dumplings for a warm, comforting meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken Stew

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into large chunks
02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - 1 large onion, diced
05 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
06 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
07 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
09 - 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
10 - 1 cup whole milk or heavy cream
11 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
12 - 1 bay leaf
13 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
14 - 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
15 - 1 cup frozen peas
16 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped, plus additional for garnish

→ Dumplings

17 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
18 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
19 - 1 teaspoon salt
20 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
21 - 3/4 cup whole milk

# Directions:

01 - In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, heat butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery. Cook for 5 minutes until softened.
02 - Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
03 - Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently to eliminate raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually pour in chicken broth, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.
05 - Add chicken pieces, dried thyme, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until chicken is tender and fully cooked.
06 - Remove bay leaf. Stir in milk or cream, frozen peas, and chopped parsley. Allow to simmer uncovered while preparing dumplings.
07 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined without overmixing.
08 - Drop spoonfuls (approximately 2 tablespoons each) of dough onto simmering stew, spacing evenly. Cover pot tightly and simmer on low without lifting lid for 15 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
09 - Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dumplings are impossibly tender because you let them steam undisturbed—no peeking, no lifting the lid.
  • Chicken thighs stay juicy and flavorful where breasts can turn dry if you're not careful.
  • The whole thing comes together in just over an hour, perfect for weeknight dinners when you want something that feels like you've been cooking all day.
02 -
  • Do not overmix the dumpling dough—if you stir too much, they'll be dense and gluey instead of light and fluffy.
  • Keep that lid on during the final 15 minutes; lifting it even once can turn your dumplings into hockey pucks.
  • The broth should be just barely simmering when you add the dumplings, not boiling hard—too much heat will break them apart.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts—they stay juicy and flavorful no matter how long you simmer.
  • Make the dumpling dough right before you need it; letting it sit too long makes them dense and heavy.
  • Keep a small ladle at the table so people can serve themselves exactly the way they like it—some want more broth, some want more dumplings.
Go Back