Stew

Southern Chicken and Flat Dumplings

Tender pulled chicken and hand-rolled buttermilk dumplings in a rich homemade chicken broth that thickens naturally into a velvety gravy.

Chicken And DumplingsChicken StewAmericanSouthern

Jump to Recipe

Southern chicken and flat rolled dumplings in rich velvety homemade chicken broth — Tender pulled chicken and hand-rolled flat dumplings in a rich homemade broth.

Prep: 40 minutes
Cook: 2 hours 20 minutes
Total: 3 hours 20 minutes
Yield: About 12 cups
Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients

Chicken and Broth

1 whole chicken (4 to 5 pounds, giblets removed)
10 cups cold water (Plus more if needed to mostly cover the chicken)
1 large yellow onion (Quartered, skin removed)
3 celery stalks (Cut into large pieces)
2 large carrots (Scrubbed and cut into large pieces)
5 cloves garlic (Lightly crushed)
2 bay leaves
6 fresh thyme sprigs
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoons kosher salt

Flat Dumplings

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (Plus additional flour for rolling and separating the dumplings)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (Very cold and cut into small cubes)
3/4 cup buttermilk (Cold, plus 1 to 2 tablespoons more only if needed)

Finished Chicken and Dumplings

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion (Finely diced)
2 celery stalks (Finely diced)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (Plus more to taste)
8 cups reserved homemade chicken broth (From the chicken above; add a small amount of unsalted stock if the homemade broth yields less than 8 cups)
reserved shredded chicken (All usable meat from the cooked chicken, approximately 5 to 6 cups)
1/2 cup heavy cream (Optional, for a richer finish)
2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley (Finely chopped)
kosher salt (To taste after the dumplings have cooked)

Instructions

Cook the Chicken

Place the whole chicken breast-side up in a large stockpot. Add the water, quartered onion, celery pieces, carrots, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns and kosher salt. Add only enough additional water to mostly cover the chicken.

Bring the pot slowly to a bare simmer over medium heat. Skim away foam that rises to the surface, then reduce the heat to low. Do not boil vigorously, which makes the chicken tough and the broth cloudy.

Partially cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, until the thickest part of the breast reaches at least 160°F and the thighs reach approximately 175°F. The temperature will continue rising slightly after removal.

Transfer the chicken carefully to a rimmed tray and let it cool until it can be handled. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin and shred the meat into generous bite-size pieces. Cover and refrigerate the meat while finishing the broth.

Strengthen and Strain the Broth

Return the chicken bones, joints and any accumulated tray juices to the stockpot. Simmer uncovered over low heat for another 40–45 minutes.

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl, pressing lightly on the solids. Discard the bones and vegetables. Skim away excess surface fat, reserving a small amount if desired for flavor.

Measure 8 cups broth for the finished dish. If there is more, reserve it for adjusting consistency; if there is less, supplement with unsalted chicken stock. Taste but do not fully season yet because the dumplings will contain salt and concentrate the broth.

Make the Flat Dumplings

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, kosher salt and black pepper. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the largest pieces are about the size of peas.

Pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk and stir gently with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. If dry flour remains, add additional buttermilk 1 tablespoon at a time. Do not knead aggressively or make the dough wet.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself 3–4 times just until cohesive. Shape it into a rectangle, cover and let it rest for 20 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Roll each half on a well-floured surface to approximately 1/8 inch thick. Cut into strips about 1 inch wide and 3 inches long. Dust the pieces lightly with flour and arrange them in loose layers on a floured sheet pan so they do not stick together.

Build the Finished Broth

Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot over medium heat. Add the finely diced onion and celery and cook for 6–8 minutes, stirring frequently, until very tender without significant browning.

Add the poultry seasoning and black pepper and cook for 30 seconds. Pour in the 8 cups reserved chicken broth and bring it to a steady but gentle simmer.

Cook the Dumplings and Finish

Add the dumplings to the gently simmering broth one piece at a time, scattering them across the surface and stirring very gently between additions so they do not clump. Shake off heavy excess flour, but a light flour coating is desirable because it helps thicken the broth.

Once all dumplings are added, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer uncovered for 12–15 minutes, stirring carefully from the bottom every few minutes, until the dumplings are tender and cooked through. They should be soft and noodle-like, not fluffy like biscuits.

Fold in the reserved shredded chicken and simmer for 4–5 minutes, just until the chicken is thoroughly hot. Avoid prolonged boiling, which can make the breast meat dry and break the dumplings.

If using the heavy cream, reduce the heat to low and stir it in. Warm gently for 2 minutes without boiling.

Taste only after the dumplings have cooked and released their seasoned flour. Adjust with kosher salt and black pepper. Stir in the parsley.

Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and dumplings rest for 10 minutes before serving. The broth will continue thickening as it stands and should finish velvety and spoonable rather than stiff like gravy.

Equipment

Large stockpot (At least 8 quarts for cooking the whole chicken)
Large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot (At least 6 quarts for the finished dish)
Fine-mesh strainer (For straining the homemade broth)
Rimmed tray or sheet pan (For cooling the chicken and holding cut dumplings)
Large mixing bowl (For the dumpling dough)
Rolling pin
Pastry cutter or two forks (For cutting butter into the flour)
Chef's knife and cutting board (A pizza cutter also works well for cutting dumpling strips)
Instant-read thermometer (For checking the chicken)
Slotted spoon or spider (For handling the chicken)
Measuring cups and spoons

Cook's Note

This is Southern-style chicken and dumplings with thin, hand-rolled dumplings rather than fluffy drop biscuits. The dumplings cook directly in the broth and release a controlled amount of flour, naturally transforming the homemade chicken broth into a velvety, gravy-like liquid without canned soup or cornstarch.

The whole chicken is removed as soon as its meat is cooked, protecting the breast from drying out. Returning the bones to the pot afterward extracts additional gelatin and chicken flavor without overcooking the reserved meat.

Notes

The vegetables used to flavor the initial broth are strained out. Finely diced fresh onion and celery are then sautéed for the finished dish, keeping the bowl focused on chicken, dumplings and broth rather than turning it into vegetable soup.

The optional cream makes the dish richer but is not required. Make the first batch without it or taste the broth before adding it; a well-made chicken broth and properly cooked dumplings may already provide sufficient richness.

The dumpling dough should be handled minimally. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the dumplings chewy instead of tender.

Substitutions

Bone-in chicken thighs and split chicken breasts may replace the whole chicken. Remove each piece as it reaches temperature, then return the bones to the broth.

Whole milk mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon juice may replace buttermilk. Let it stand for 5 minutes before using.

Chicken fat skimmed from the broth may replace some or all of the butter used to sauté the finished onion and celery.

Fresh sage may replace poultry seasoning. Use 1 teaspoon finely chopped sage with 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme.

Store-bought unsalted chicken stock may be used when time is limited, but simmer it with the chicken bones and aromatics for at least 45 minutes to improve its body and flavor.

Variations

Peppered Chicken and Dumplings:
Increase the black pepper in the finished broth to 2 teaspoons and add cracked pepper at the table.

Herbed Flat Dumplings:
Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley and 1 teaspoon fresh thyme to the dumpling flour.

Extra-Rich Chicken and Dumplings:
Use the optional heavy cream and stir 2 tablespoons cold butter into the broth immediately before serving.

Chicken and Vegetable Dumplings:
Add 2 cups diced carrots during the final 10 minutes of broth preparation and 1 cup frozen peas with the shredded chicken. This produces a more vegetable-forward variation than the classic version.

Storage

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate in shallow airtight containers within two hours. Use within three days. The dumplings will continue absorbing broth and become softer during storage.

For make-ahead preparation, cook and shred the chicken and make the broth up to two days in advance. Refrigerate them separately and make the dumplings immediately before the final cooking.

Freezing the completed dish is not recommended because the dumplings may become soft and break apart. The broth and shredded chicken may be frozen separately for up to three months.

Reheating

Reheat gently in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring carefully from the bottom. Add reserved broth or unsalted chicken stock a few tablespoons at a time because the dumplings thicken the liquid during refrigeration.

Heat to 165°F without prolonged boiling. Vigorous stirring and boiling can tear the softened dumplings and dry the chicken.

Troubleshooting

The dumplings are tough:
The dough was overmixed, rolled too thick or cooked at a hard boil. Mix only until cohesive, roll to 1/8 inch and maintain a gentle simmer.

The dumplings dissolved or broke apart:
The dough was too wet, rolled too thin or stirred aggressively. Add buttermilk cautiously and handle the dumplings gently once they enter the broth.

The broth is too thin:
Let the dish rest for 10 minutes first. If still thin, simmer gently for several additional minutes. Do not add cornstarch before the dumplings have released their flour.

The broth is too thick:
Add warm reserved broth or unsalted chicken stock 1/4 cup at a time.

The broth is cloudy:
The chicken stock boiled too aggressively. A cloudy broth still tastes good and is not noticeable once the dumplings thicken it.

The chicken is dry:
It was cooked too long in the broth or boiled after shredding. Remove it when it reaches temperature and return it only for the final few minutes.

The dish tastes flat:
Homemade stock often needs more salt than expected. Season only after the dumplings cook, then adjust with kosher salt, black pepper or a small pinch of poultry seasoning.