Imagine a steaming bowl filled with tender chunks of chicken swimming in rich, savory broth, topped with fluffy, herb-flecked dumplings that are crusty on top and tender as clouds underneath. This Chicken and Herb Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, the kind of dish that warms you from the inside out on cold days and feels like a hug from grandma. Unlike stews that can be heavy, this version has light, pillowy dumplings that soak up the flavorful broth while maintaining their delicate texture. Fresh herbs throughout—in both the broth and the dumplings—add brightness and aromatic complexity that elevates this from simple comfort food to something truly special. Whether you’re fighting off a cold, need serious comfort after a long day, want to feed a crowd with minimal effort, or simply crave the nostalgic flavors of home cooking, this chicken and dumplings delivers satisfaction in every spoonful. It’s the kind of recipe you’ll make again and again, adjusting to your taste and eventually passing down through generations.
Serving Quantity: 6 servings
Cooking Time: 1 hour (plus 20 minutes prep time)
Nutrition Information (per serving):
- Calories: 445
- Protein: 32g
- Fat: 16g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 3g
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 920mg
1. Gather Your Ingredients
For the chicken stew:
- Two pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
- Three tablespoons unsalted butter
- Two tablespoons olive oil
- One large yellow onion, diced
- Three medium carrots, peeled and sliced into half-inch rounds
- Three celery stalks, sliced
- Four garlic cloves, minced
- One-third cup all-purpose flour
- Six cups chicken broth (homemade or low-sodium)
- One cup whole milk or heavy cream
- Two bay leaves
- One teaspoon dried thyme
- One teaspoon dried rosemary
- One teaspoon salt
- Half teaspoon black pepper
- One cup frozen peas
For the herb dumplings:
- Two cups all-purpose flour
- One tablespoon baking powder
- One teaspoon salt
- Half teaspoon black pepper
- Quarter cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
- Two tablespoons fresh chives, finely chopped
- One tablespoon fresh dill, finely chopped (or one teaspoon dried)
- Four tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
- Three-quarters cup whole milk
- One large egg
For finishing:
- Fresh parsley, chopped
- Fresh black pepper
- Crusty bread for serving
2. Prepare the Chicken
Pat the chicken thighs completely dry with paper towels. Chicken thighs are preferred over breasts for this recipe because they stay much more tender and flavorful during the longer cooking time and don’t dry out. Cut the thighs into bite-sized pieces, about 1 to 1.5 inches. Try to keep the pieces relatively uniform in size so they cook evenly. Season the chicken pieces generously with salt and pepper on all sides. Let the seasoned chicken sit at room temperature while you prepare the other ingredients. This brief rest allows the salt to penetrate the meat for better flavor throughout.
3. Brown the Chicken
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven (at least 6 quarts), heat two tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add half of the chicken pieces in a single layer, being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Let the chicken cook undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Flip and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes until browned on the second side. The chicken doesn’t need to be fully cooked at this point—you’re just building flavor through browning. Transfer the browned chicken to a plate. Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces. Browning creates fond on the bottom of the pot, which adds tremendous depth to the broth.
4. Sauté the Vegetables
Reduce the heat to medium and add three tablespoons of butter to the pot. Once melted, add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and the onion is translucent. The vegetables should be tender but not mushy. Add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly, until fragrant. Use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot—this is liquid gold for flavor. These aromatics form the flavor base of your stew.
5. Make the Roux
Sprinkle the one-third cup of flour over the vegetables. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes, coating all the vegetables in the flour and cooking out the raw flour taste. This creates a roux that will thicken your stew and give it body. The mixture should look slightly dry and pasty at this point. Continue cooking and stirring for another minute until the flour just barely begins to turn a light golden color. Be careful not to let it brown too much or burn, as you want a light-colored gravy, not a dark one.
6. Add Liquids and Simmer
Slowly pour in the chicken broth, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. The flour-coated vegetables will want to clump, so vigorous whisking is important. Add the broth gradually at first, whisking until smooth, then you can add the rest more quickly. Add the milk or heavy cream, bay leaves, dried thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Return the browned chicken and any accumulated juices to the pot. Stir everything together and bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. The chicken should be fully cooked and tender, and the broth should have thickened slightly.
7. Make the Dumpling Dough
While the stew simmers, make the dumpling dough. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Add the chopped fresh parsley, chives, and dill. Toss to distribute the herbs evenly throughout the flour mixture. Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. In a small bowl, whisk together the milk and egg. Pour the milk-egg mixture into the flour mixture. Stir gently with a fork just until the dough comes together. Don’t overmix or the dumplings will be tough. The dough should be slightly sticky and shaggy, not smooth.
8. Add the Dumplings
Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas. Make sure the stew is at a gentle simmer—not a rolling boil. Using two spoons or a small ice cream scoop, drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering stew. Each dumpling should be about 2 tablespoons of dough, and you should get 10 to 12 dumplings. Space them slightly apart as they’ll expand during cooking. Don’t worry about making them perfectly round—rustic, irregular shapes are part of their charm.
9. Cook the Dumplings
Once all the dumplings are added, immediately cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. This is crucial—the lid traps steam that cooks the tops of the dumplings. Reduce the heat to medium-low so the stew maintains a gentle simmer. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Resist the temptation to peek as releasing the steam will affect how the dumplings cook. After 15 minutes, check one dumpling by inserting a toothpick into the center. It should come out clean with no wet dough clinging to it. If they’re not quite done, re-cover and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. The dumplings should be fluffy, tender, and cooked through.
10. Rest and Serve
Remove the pot from the heat and let it rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. This allows the stew to thicken slightly and makes serving easier. The dumplings will absorb some of the broth and firm up just a bit. Ladle generous portions of the chicken stew into wide, shallow bowls, making sure each serving gets plenty of chicken, vegetables, broth, and 1 to 2 dumplings. Sprinkle fresh chopped parsley over each serving for color and brightness. Add a few grinds of fresh black pepper. Serve immediately while hot, with crusty bread on the side for soaking up the delicious broth. This dish is a complete meal in itself but pairs wonderfully with a simple green salad.
Tips for Perfect Results
- Use chicken thighs, not breasts. Thighs stay moist and tender during the longer cooking time while breasts tend to dry out and become stringy.
- Don’t skip browning the chicken. This step adds tremendous depth of flavor to the entire dish through the caramelized fond.
- Keep the butter cold when making dumplings. Cold butter creates steam pockets as it melts during cooking, resulting in fluffier, more tender dumplings.
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough. Mix just until combined. Overworked dough develops too much gluten, resulting in tough, dense dumplings.
- Make sure the stew is at a gentle simmer before adding dumplings. Too vigorous a boil will break them apart; too gentle and they won’t cook properly.
- Don’t lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking. The trapped steam is what cooks the tops of the dumplings and makes them fluffy.
- Fresh herbs make a huge difference in dumpling flavor. Dried herbs can be substituted but won’t provide the same bright, aromatic quality.
- The stew should be fairly thick before adding dumplings. If it’s too thin, simmer it uncovered for 10 minutes to reduce before adding the dumplings.
- For a richer flavor, use half chicken broth and half turkey or beef broth. The mixed broths create more complex, layered flavor.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumplings will absorb liquid and become softer as they sit, almost like noodles, which many people actually prefer. Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, adding a splash of broth if needed to thin the stew. This dish doesn’t freeze well as the dumplings become waterlogged and mushy upon thawing, but the stew base (without dumplings) freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Make fresh dumplings when reheating frozen stew for best results.
