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Old-Fashioned Southern Chicken and Dumplings (Just Like Grandma Made)

Old-fashioned Southern chicken and dumplings served in a bowl with tender shredded chicken and soft homemade dumplings in a creamy broth.
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This old-fashioned Southern chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food. Tender shredded chicken simmers in a rich homemade broth while soft, homemade dumplings cook right in the pot. Made with simple pantry ingredients, this classic chicken and dumplings from scratch recipe tastes just like the one grandma used to make.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken (about 3–4 pounds) or 3–4 bone-in chicken breasts

  • 8 cups water or chicken broth

  • 1 small onion, chopped

  • 2 celery stalks, chopped

  • 2 cloves garlic, minced

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

For the Dumplings

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • ½ teaspoon baking powder

  • 2 tablespoons butter or shortening

  • ¾ cup milk or buttermilk

To Finish the Dish

  • 2 tablespoons butter

  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional, for thickening)

  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté vegetables: Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Cook onion and celery for 4–5 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds.

  2. Cook chicken: Add chicken, broth or water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer 20–25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

  3. Shred chicken: Remove chicken from the pot, shred with two forks, and set aside.

  4. Make dumplings: In a bowl mix flour, salt, and baking powder. Cut in butter until crumbly, then stir in milk to form a soft dough.

  5. Cut dumplings: Roll dough to about ⅛ inch thick and cut into small squares or strips.

  6. Cook dumplings: Bring broth to a gentle boil and drop in dumplings one at a time. Reduce heat and simmer 15–20 minutes until tender.

  7. Finish: Return shredded chicken to the pot. If desired, add a flour slurry to thicken and simmer 5–10 minutes before serving.

Notes

  • Use bone-in chicken for the best flavor. Cooking the chicken with the bones creates a richer, more flavorful broth.

  • Don’t overwork the dumpling dough. Mix just until the dough comes together so the dumplings stay soft and tender instead of tough.

  • Add dumplings one at a time. Dropping them into the simmering broth slowly helps keep them from sticking together while they cook.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://pantryandspoon.com/old-fashioned-southern-chicken-and-dumplings/