Description
A hearty and comforting Southern classic, this Easy Southern Chicken and Dumplings recipe features tender chicken breasts simmered in a flavorful broth with soft, fluffy homemade dumplings. The rich combination of creamy chicken soup and buttery dumplings creates a satisfying one-pot meal perfect for family dinners or cozy days.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Water (about 12-14 cups)
- Cracked or coarse ground black pepper, to taste
Dumplings
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
Other
- 1 stick butter (1/2 cup)
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
Instructions
- Prepare the broth and chicken: Add about 12-14 cups of water to a large stock pot, generously salt the water, and bring it to a boil over high heat on the stovetop. Add the chicken breasts and cook until fully done; the chicken will usually float to the surface when cooked. Remove the breasts and set aside to cool. Lower the heat to medium-low to keep the broth simmering gently.
- Add butter, soup, and pepper: To the simmering broth, add the stick of butter, the cream of chicken soup, and a generous amount of cracked black pepper. Stir and allow the butter to melt completely while preparing the dumplings.
- Make the dumpling dough: In a medium bowl, combine the self-rising flour and salt. Create a well in the center and add the canola oil and egg. Using a fork, mix together until the dough is loose but forms a ball when pressed. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of cold water if the dough is too dry or crumbly.
- Roll out the dough: Place the dough ball onto a well-floured surface. Tear off about one-third of the dough, then roll it out with a floured rolling pin to approximately 1/4 inch thickness or thinner.
- Cut the dumplings: Using a butter knife or pizza cutter, cut the rolled dough into roughly 1-inch squares.
- Coat and add dumplings to broth: Toss the dough squares in the extra flour from the floured surface to prevent sticking or dissolving. Add the floured dumplings a few at a time to the simmering broth, along with any extra flour, then repeat with the remaining dough, reflouring the surface as needed.
- Shred chicken and add back: Once the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, shred them and add the shredded chicken back into the broth with the dumplings.
- Cook dumplings: As the dumplings cook and absorb the broth, they will sink then slowly float back up. Stir the pot frequently but gently to prevent sticking. Dumplings are done when they turn white and float, typically within 20-30 minutes.
- Season and serve: Adjust seasoning with additional cracked black pepper as desired. Serve warm and enjoy a classic Southern comfort meal.
Notes
- Self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt, so extra salt in the dumplings is minimal.
- Keeping dumplings floured before adding to the broth prevents them from clumping or dissolving.
- For richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth instead of water if available.
- Monitor the broth to keep it at a low boil to prevent dumplings from breaking apart.
- You can substitute canola oil with vegetable oil or melted butter in the dough for slight flavor variations.
