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Easy Chicken and Dumplings

My Southern Chicken and Dumplings Recipe is the ultimate comfort food. This hearty and delicious meal is packed with seasoned chicken and a few shortcuts that will have dinner on the table in about 30 minutes.

Chicken and Dumplings shown in a white bowl with a gold spoon.

These Easy Chicken and Dumplings are warm, comforting, and a timeless classic. They are rich and savory, full of chicken and fluffy dumplings—true comfort food that’s satisfying and flavorful. This recipe promises a cozy dinner without the time-consuming fuss. Find the tips below for helpful shortcuts for a fast and delicious meal.

This Easy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is pure Southern comfort food. It’s made with chicken, broth, and canned biscuits. Like my Southern-fried Pork ChopsSouthern-style collard GreensSouthern Tomato Gravy, and Crispy Southern-fried okra, you can have dinner cooked and on the table in no time.

Begin With A Big Pot

Cooking Chicken and Dumplings tonight brought back sweet memories of my dear mother-in-law. She always had the best chicken and dumplings! She loved to cook and put love into every dish she made. Sunday meals at her home will always be remembered in my heart. She made a huge impression on my children, and today, years later, they still talk about their favorite dishes she made for them. I am very grateful for her love and her love for her meals.

Tonight, I made a big pot of chicken and dumplings and used her pot. This pot was well-loved and used for many meals in her home. She made not only chicken and dumplings but also soups, mashed potatoes, stews, collard greens, and too many other dishes to name in this pot. Her memories were sweet tonight as I prepared dinner for my family.

My Mother in Law's Well Loved Pot with text overlay.

My chicken and dumplings recipe is very easy. I used a shortcut of canned biscuits for my dumplings. You can certainly make your dumplings from scratch (see my homemade biscuit recipe), but I was in a bit of a rush to get dinner on the table at a decent hour before my family cleaned out the snack corner!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

After a long day, nothing beats a mouthwatering bowl of old-fashioned chicken and dumplings. This is a beloved dish in my home and one of our go-to recipes. It is a tried-and-true Southern chicken and dumplings recipe that my family loves.

  • It’s very easy to throw together and the ultimate comfort food.
  • It’s popular in the South and is not only served for Sunday dinner but also for weeknight meals.
  • A few shortcuts make this dish doable for those hectic nights when getting dinner on the table seems impossible.
  • This is a one-pot dish, meaning less to clean up.

Are There Shortcuts To This Recipe?

You know I am all about finding a shortcut in a recipe, and this dish is no exception. I suggest canned biscuits for the dumplings. Just pop open a can, cut biscuits into small pieces, and you’ll have your dumplings ready for the pot.
Also, grab a rotisserie chicken and pull the meat off the bone. This will save you the time of having to cook chicken and shred it.

The Best Chicken for Chicken and Dumplings?

For this recipe, I use boneless, skinless chicken breast. But you do have several choices.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are the easiest to use. If you use skin-on chicken, boil it and then remove the skin.
Chicken thighs are my favorite because they are full of flavor. But in this recipe, I use boneless chicken breasts. Don’t have chicken breasts? Thighs will work just fine.
If you have a whole chicken, use it. Boil the chicken until done, and pick all the meat off the bones. It will be delicious with a mix of white and dark meat.
Chicken Tenders are easy to use. Boil and shred or chop. There are no bones and no skin. They don’t take too much time to boil. I usually put these on to cook while pulling all of the other ingredients out of the pantry.
If you are short on time, stop by the store and grab a rotisserie chicken. Pull the meat off of the bone, shred it, and throw it into the pot.

 

The Best Dumplings For This Recipe

Using canned biscuits is smart and convenient and has its advantages. They are premade and ideal for busy weeknights. They are easy to find in most grocery stores and always turn out fluffy and tender. They are easy to work with, and you can always add more if you are feeding a hungry crowd.

There are several types of dumplings you might use for chicken and dumplings. The most popular choices are:

Canned Biscuits: Most nights, this is my go-to for dumplings. When I run short on time, canned biscuits always come to the rescue. Just pop open a can, cut biscuits into small pieces, and you have your dumplings ready for the pot.
Drop Biscuits: Drop biscuits are easy to make and will work for this recipe. This is just a flour/biscuit mixture made in a bowl. Drop dumplings by the spoonful into the hot soup. This makes an easy dumpling dough.
Frozen Dumplings: I have not tried frozen dumplings for this recipe, but there are several choices. The dumplings are ready and just waiting to be dropped into the pot.
Rolled Dumplings: This was the way my mother-in-law made her dumplings. She would mix the dough, roll it out, and cut it into pieces. Yum!

Flat Dumplings: These are usually found in the freezer section of your local grocery store. I have used them, but my family prefers the canned biscuits.

Of course, the choice is yours to make, depending on your tastes and time. During the week, I mostly use canned biscuits. This recipe uses canned biscuits and is quite delicious.

What Makes This Soup Creamy?

Cream of Chicken soup makes this pot of Chicken and Dumplings delicious. The soup adds additional flavor and creaminess. If you don’t have any cream of chicken soup in your pantry, I have used cream of mushroom. It works fine, every time!

Ingredients Needed For Southern Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

See the printable recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and amounts.

Most of the ingredients are kitchen staples you likely already have on hand.

Ingredients needed for chicken and dumplings recipe with text overlay.

Chicken – Boneless skinless chicken breasts, chicken thighs, chicken tenders, or even a whole chicken will work for this recipe. The chicken should be fully cooked and chopped.
Chicken Broth – Save the liquid from boiling your chicken and add this to the bought chicken broth. Homemade chicken stock will work if you have this on hand. This provides a savory foundation for the flavors in this dish.
Cream of Chicken Soup – A thick and creamy soup that adds a rich flavor and velvety texture to the chicken and dumplings.
Biscuits – Canned biscuits are a shortcut for this recipe. They are convenient and help this dish to come together fast. No one will ever know they are not homemade dumplings.
Butter – Butter adds richness and flavor.
Water & Flour – Combine flour and cold water to thicken the soup. You can substitute cornstarch for flour if you like. Make a cornstarch slurry, and they will both do the same job.
Salt and Black Pepper – Seasonings I use for this dish. 

Why This Dish Is Great For Weeknight Meals

Weeknights can be hectic, so adding this dish to your weeknight rotation is a fantastic way to enjoy Southern comfort food without all of the time and hassle.  Its simplicity makes this a winning choice for those nights when you need an easy and satisfying meal. This dish can be prepared quickly, allowing you to have a home-cooked meal for your family. You can prepare the chicken in advance, making this dish even faster. I have also picked up a rotisserie chicken on the way home and used this instead of rushing home to cook chicken for this dish.

Recipe Tips and Variations For The Best Chicken and Dumplings

Feel free to adjust and modify this dish for your personal preference. Here are a few suggestions to help make this dish fabulous.

Recipe Tips:

  • Cook and chop the chicken in advance to speed this dish along.
  • Regular biscuits or Grand biscuits will work for this recipe. You will need to cut the larger biscuits into more pieces so they will cook evenly.
  • Don’t overcrowd the pan with dumplings. Give them space to cook evenly.

Recipe Variations:

  • Add some cooked vegetables to the dish, such as celery, peas, and carrots.
  • Add some heavy cream for extra richness.
  • Add some spices to the dish, such as cayenne or red pepper flakes.

How to Make Easy Chicken and Dumplings

For complete and step-by-step instructions, please see the printable recipe card below.

  1. Cook chicken and dice into small pieces.
Cooked and chopped chicken in a bowl.

Pour broth into a large soup pot. Add chicken. Bring to a boil.

Add soup. Stir until thoroughly mixed.

Cut biscuits into small pieces. They will expand when they cook.

Biscuits cut into small pieces for dumplings.

Drop biscuit pieces, one at a time, in boiling broth.

At this point, I usually reduce the heat so my dumplings won’t stick.

Cook for about 15 minutes or until dumplings are done.

Drop 2 tablespoons of butter on top and let melt. Stir gently.

Make a slurry of 1/4 cup water and 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix well and slowly pour into the pot and gently stir. This will thicken the broth. Cook 10 minutes longer—salt and pepper to taste.

Cooked Chicken and Dumplings in a white bowl with a spoon.

What To Serve With Southern-Style Chicken and Dumplings

Garlic Bread

Honey Butter Skillet Corn

Southern Collard Greens

How To Store Chicken and Dumplings

Allow the chicken and dumplings to cool to room temperature, place them in an airtight container, and refrigerate. They will last for 2-3 days refrigerated. Heat in a microwave-safe dish until hot.

FAQs

What Are Chicken and Dumplings?

Chicken and Dumplings is a classic and comforting Southern dish with chunks of chicken, fluffy dumplings, and simmered in a thick gravy.

Can I Use Homemade Chicken Broth?

Absolutely, homemade chicken broth can add flavor to this dish. Store-bought is a convenient option.

How Can I Thicken Chicken and Dumplings?

Mixing flour and water, or cornstarch and water, pouring it into the pot, and stirring gently will thicken the dish.

Are you craving more comfort food? Be sure to check out Creamy Chicken Casserole. Creamy shredded chicken baked with a Ritz Cracker topping. A delicious meal that is true comfort food and easy to prepare for any night of the week.

Pan Cooked Sticky Chicken is finger-licking good. It is sticky and sweet and so pleasing to your taste buds.

Wanting some soup? Check out my Taco Soup recipe for another weeknight soup idea. It will certainly take the chill out of your bones. Cream Cheese Chicken Chili is another easy meal made in the crock pot.

More Chicken Dishes

Chicken and Waffles

Buffalo Chicken Tenders

Chicken Pot Pie

Oven Baked Chicken Tenders

Million Dollar Chicken Casserole

Chicken and Dumplings in a white bowl with text overlay.

Easy Chicken and Dumplings

Gina Abernathy
This Easy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is pure southern comfort food. Made with chicken, broth, and canned biscuits. You can have dinner cooked and on the table in 30 minutes.
5 from 11 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 704 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked & diced
  • 48 ounces chicken broth
  • 2 10.5 ounce cans cream of chicken soup
  • 2 cans biscuits
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Cook chicken and dice into small pieces.
  • Pour broth in a large soup pot. Add chicken. Bring to a boil.
  • Add soup and stir until completely mixed.
  • Cut biscuits into small pieces. They will expand while they cook.
  • Drop biscuit pieces, one at a time, in boiling broth. At this point, I usually reduce the heat so my dumplings won’t stick.
  • Cook about 15 minutes or until dumplings are done.
  • Drop 2 Tablespoons of butter on top of dumplings in pot and let melt. Stir gently.
  • Make a slurry of flour and water. Mix well until no lumps are visible. Slowly pour in pot and gently stir. This will thicken the broth. Cook 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition

Calories: 704kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 27gFat: 32gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 2412mgPotassium: 668mgFiber: 2gSugar: 6gVitamin A: 147IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 90mgIron: 6mg
Keyword easy, chicken, biscuits, dumplings
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42 Comments

    1. Hey Sadie,
      I just used the regular cans of biscuits for my dumplings. Grands will work fine, you might just have larger dumplings. Try cutting them a little smaller if they seem too large. Enjoy!

  1. Thank you for this recipe!! I was in the mood for chicken and dumplings but didn’t have 4 hours to cook them in the crockpot like I normally do. I used rotisserie chicken and added some basic chicken spice to the beginning step and it came out delicious. I will definitely make again!

      1. Do you add the cream of chicken to the chicken broth before dropping in the biscuits ,when is the cream of chicken added?

  2. 5 stars
    I love this recipe for easy chicken and dumplings you share! It sounds easy and so delicious! I live in Europe and here we do not have such canned biscuits as far as I know. But maybe I could try to make them myself.:) Thanks for this fantastic recipe!

  3. 5 stars
    I have always loved to eat chicken and dumplings but have never known how to make it. I love that you make yours in a pot that belonged to a dear family member. Thanks for this easy recipe!

  4. 5 stars
    This is one of my families favorite dinner recipes. It’s so simple and delicious. Adding to my monthly rotation.

  5. I usually make the chicken and dumplings the old way—slow cooking a whole chicken several hours in a big pot on the stove with broth and then cooling the chicken and stripping it off the bone. Then reheating the broth, adding the shredded chicken back to the pot and dropping in frozen dumplings that I have thawed. This was so much easier and look forward to eating it later.

  6. 5 stars
    Wow this was awesome! Fixed chicken and dumplings last night for my wife. She was so happy with it. We are having leftovers from it tonight. Thank you so very much!

  7. Do you leave cooked chicken in the pot boiling? I am afraid it will dry out the chicken since it is already cooked. Thanks!

    1. Hi Kristie!
      Yes, you add your cooked chicken to the pot with the broth and bring to a boil. This is a quick recipe and I have never had an issue with dry chicken. It’s creamy and so good! Enjoy!

  8. I’m trying the canned biscuits for tonight, can’t wait! For future reference, I wanted to know if I could use dough in the can like the crescent dough sheets? Thank you for your time!

    1. Hi Secilia! I have not tried the crescent dough sheets, but I have tried the flat dumplings from the freezer dept. at the grocery store. Honestly, my family prefers the canned biscuits over any other dumpling. Let me know if you try them. I would love to know the outcome. Enjoy!

5 from 11 votes

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