This easy Southern Chicken and Dumplings recipe is loaded with tender, flat old fashioned-style dumplings, shredded chicken and a thick, hearty stew-like base. Garnish with a little cracked pepper and create the ultimate comforting dish that’s sure to warm your family’s heart and soul.
Table of Contents
Homemade chicken and dumplings are easier than you might think! They just take a little time. And this simple, old fashioned recipe I grew up with guarantees you will make THE BEST authentic chicken and dumplings around! It’s sprinkled with a little Louisiana love and has accumulated quite a number of fans over the years!
And because ‘dumplings’ rival even the best of chicken noodle soups, they are perfect for taking to someone who’s under the weather, to a neighbor who needs a little boost, or even to a potluck! They freeze well too.
Worrying about doubling this recipe? Don’t. It makes plenty.
Let’s Talk Flat Southern Dumplings
Chicken and dumpling fans are serious about the type of dumplings they think are best- small, flat strips of pasta-like dough gently dropped into boiling broth or larger, biscuit-style dumplings that sit on top of the soup and are steamed as the whole dish cooks.
This recipe sports the classic southern-style flat dumpling, made from scratch. It’s a perfect pillow of soft dough that soaks up the rich flavors of the thick chicken gravy-like base.
What To Know Before Getting Started
I’ll walk through an overview of ingredients & steps in these next sections along with helpful tips!
Look for specifics at the end of the post in the recipe card.
- self rising flour = a softer dumpling because it has baking powder in it. All purpose flour = a denser texture.
- salt
- oil (canola or vegetable)
- large egg
- water
- black pepper
- butter
- cream of chicken soup– the shortcut to your thick, rich base. You can also make your own cream of chicken soup, if you like.
- 3-4 chicken breasts– Any cut of the chicken can be used. We prefer breasts, but chicken thighs are delicious too!
NOTES: No cornstarch slurry is needed. This recipe uses flour as a thickener.
This old fashioned recipe does not include carrots, celery or other vegetables, but you could add them. I would, however, absolutely recommend trying this recipe exactly as is at least one time before making any changes.
I don’t recommend using store-bought rotisserie chicken because boiling your own chicken creates the broth used for the recipe.
You could add 16-32 ounces bone broth or chicken stock to the broth to create a richer stew base. (Make the appropriate changes to the amount of water the chicken is boiled in.)
How to Make Southern Chicken & Dumplings
Make the chicken and broth. Add water (about 12-14 cups) to a large pot, generously salt and bring to a boil. Add your chicken and let cook until fully done (It usually floats). Remove breasts to set aside and cool. Turn heat down to medium-low and keep broth at a low boil on the stove top. (Do NOT throw out the broth!)
Start the base. Add butter, cream of chicken soup and a generous amount of cracked black pepper to the broth and let melt while moving onto the next steps.
Make the dough. Stir together flour and salt in a medium bowl. Make a little well in the flour and add the oil and egg. Mix together using a fork. Dough should be loose (or shaggy) but form a ball when pressed together. Add 1-2 tablespoon water if dough is too dry.
Roll out the dumplings. Turn your dough ball out onto a well-floured surface. Tear off about ⅓ of the dough and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out to ¼ inch thickness or thinner. Cut into approximately 1 inch squares (using a butter knife or pizza cutter).
Toss the squares in the extra flour from the floured surface. This will keep them from dissolving or sticking together as they cook + thicken your boiling broth at the same time.
Add only a few dumplings at a time + flour from the floured surface to the boiling broth until all dumplings have been added. Re-flour your surface and repeat until all of the dough has been used.
Shred chicken with a fork and add.
Simmer. As dumplings begin to cook they will sink to the bottom. So stir frequently but gently. When they turn white, begin to float and no longer have a doughy taste, they are done. This usually takes about 30-45 minutes from when the last dumplings are added.
My Best Tips For Success
- Use a pot larger than you think you might need so there is plenty of room for the dumplings to move around while boiling. If they don’t have plenty of room to move, they will clump together.
- Begin making your dumplings when you put the chicken on to boil. This kind of multi tasking saves time!
- If your dumplings are gummy, taste like flour, or aren’t soft and light, then they haven’t simmered long enough. Just be patient and let them simmer a bit longer.
- Taste one after 30 minutes and regularly after that to test taste (& texture).
- Sometimes old fashioned cooking is more about patience and testing than exact times. They will get there as long as you stir and simmer!
- Remember to toss the dumplings in flour + add the flour from your floured surface every time you cut and add dumplings to the pot. This is what thickens your recipe.
Making Ahead, Storing Leftovers & Freezing
You can make this recipe the day before you intend to serve it. Simply reheat on the stove top on low heat. Stir occasionally to make sure nothing is sticking. You may need to add a some water if the gravy-like base has become too thick.
If you don’t want to make the whole dish the day before, make your chicken, shred and store the chicken and the broth separately in the fridge overnight. Heat the broth to a boil while you make your dumplings the next day.
Store any leftovers in the refrigerator in an air tight container for up to 4 days. Reheat individual servings in the microwave or all of the leftovers on the stove top over low heat (see above).
This recipe can be frozen in a zip top freezer bag or other air tight container for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, reheat in the microwave or on the stove top (see above).
What to serve with Chicken and Dumplings
- Cheddar Jalapeño Cornbread Muffins (or)
- Shortcut Pull Apart Rolls
- Slow Cooker Black Eyed Peas and Ham
- Tomato Cucumber Salad
More Warm & Cozy Recipes You’ll Love
- Homemade Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes
- Out Of This World Cream Cheese Chicken Chili
- Creamy Chicken & Ravioli Soup
- Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Mushrooms
- Cozy French Onion Soup
Originally published March 2021
Updated photos and instructions November 2025
Easy Southern Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 1 stick butter (½ cup)
- 1 (10.5 ounce) can cream of chicken soup
- cracked or coarse ground black pepper
- 2 cup self rising flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅓ cup canola oil
- 1 large egg
- 1-2 tablespoons cold water, if needed
Instructions
- Add water (about 12-14 cups) to a large stock pot, generously salt and bring to a boil over high heat on the stove top. Add chicken breasts and allow to cook until fully done. (They usually float when done.) Remove breasts from broth/water to set aside and cool. Turn heat down to medium-low and keep broth at a low boil on the stove top.
- Add butter, cream of chicken soup and a generous amount of cracked black pepper to the boiling chicken broth and let melt while moving onto the next steps.
- In a medium bowl, stir together flour and salt. Make a little well in the flour and add the oil and egg. Mix together using a fork. Dough should be loose (or shaggy) but form a ball when pressed together. Add 1-2 tablespoon water if dough is too dry.
- Turn your dough ball out onto a well floured surface. Tear off about ⅓ of the dough and, using a floured rolling pin, roll out to ¼ inch thickness or thinner.
- Cut dough into approximately 1 inch squares (using a butter knife or pizza cutter).
- Toss the squares in the extra flour from the floured surface. This will keep the dumplings from dissolving or sticking together as they cook and thicken your boiling broth at the same time. Add them a few a time + the flour from the floured surface to the broth. Re-flour your surface and repeat until all of the dough has been used.
- Shred cooled chicken breasts and add.
- As dumplings begin to cook and soak up the broth, they will sink to the bottom. So stir frequently but gently. When dumplings turn white and begin to float, they are done. This usually takes about 20-30 minutes.
- Add more pepper as desired. Serve.
Notes
- Use a pot larger than you think you might need so there is plenty of room for the dumplings to move around while boiling. If they don’t have plenty of room to move, they will clump together.
- Begin making your dumplings when you put the chicken on to boil. This kind of multi tasking saves time!
- If your dumplings are gummy, still taste like flour, or aren’t soft and light, then they haven’t simmered long enough. Just be patient and let them simmer a bit longer.
- Taste one after 30 minutes and regularly after that to test taste (& texture).
- Sometimes old fashioned cooking is more about patience and testing than exact times. They will get there as long as you stir and simmer!
- Remember to toss the dumplings in flour + add the flour from your floured surface every time you cut and add dumplings to the pot. This is what thickens your recipe.
Nutrition
These easy Southern Chicken and Dumplings are loaded with tender, flat southern-style dumplings and shredded chicken bathed in a thick, hearty chicken stew to create the ultimate southern comfort dish! Add a little cracked pepper and you have hearty and completely satisfying recipe that sure to be a comfort favorite.
Hi! How much water do you start with?
Hi, Carina! There is no measurement, just enough water to cover the chicken, plus about 2 or 2.5 inches (so they have room to boil). That’s all!
What does “Toss the squares in the dough from the floured surface.” I am confused LOL
Excited to try this.
Hi, Cindy! It is “toss the squares in the extra flour from the floured surface.” Just scoop up the flour that is around the cut out dumplings and give the dumplings a good toss in it. Then put the dumplings and the extra flour in the stew base! Sprinkle a little more flour on your surface, cut out more dumplings and repeat! Hope this helps. We love this recipe! Enjoy!!
Sounds delicious! Does it reheat well? and can you freeze it?
Thank you
Hi, Sue! Yes, it does reheat well and is perfect for freezing. I would let it thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Reheat on the stove top. You may have to add a little broth or water when reheating; this recipe tends to thicken when chilled. Hope this helps! Enjoy!
Help I think I used too much water. It’s very watery. I didn’t count but possibly only around 20 dumplings as well. I feel like it’s too late to make more dumplings. Seems watery
Hi, Danielle! Did you boil your chicken in too much water? You can always add flour to thicken, and as you add your dumplings, you should be continually adding flour with them to thicken the stew base. If there are only 20 dumplings, they aren’t rolled out thin enough. They should be rolled out very thin. Hope this helps!
I to used to much liquid. I went half and half with chicken stock. I wanted irregular dumplings so I used a D shaped pizza cutter to cut the dough. Should have made them thinner, more like Stacey said! I used regular black pepper as I had no cracked pepper. We added a little Texas Pete too the bowl.
Made chicken and dumplings for the first time using this recipe and it was fantastic!
Hi, Jennifer! Yay! This absolutely makes my day! Thank you.
I made and IT’S AWESOME, I have Chicken quarters can I use this ? It makes the best broth
Hi, Pamela! Chicken quarters would be great for this! And thank you! I am just tickled you loved this recipe. Cheers!