Chicken With Fluffy Drop Dumplings

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Diana Rattray
Updated 09/17/20
Chicken with fluffy drop dumplings

The Spruce / Cara Cormack
  • Total: 100 mins
  • Prep: 20 mins
  • Cook: 80 mins
  • Servings: 4 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
1848 Calories
105g Fat
52g Carbs
165g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories 1848
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 105g 135%
Saturated Fat 30g 152%
Cholesterol 717mg 239%
Sodium 2193mg 95%
Total Carbohydrate 52g 19%
Dietary Fiber 6g 22%
Protein 165g
Calcium 408mg 31%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This chicken stew recipe is topped with easy fluffy drop dumplings for a hearty, satisfying comfort-food offering. The dumplings, cooked on the top of the stewed chicken, become soft and fluffy with a biscuit-like texture. Ground poultry seasoning and some chopped parsley add flavor and color to the dumplings.

Serve this easy and delicious chicken stew with a tossed salad for a satisfying dinner.

For vegans and others who don't consume eggs, an egg-free dumpling recipe with the addition of poultry seasoning and parsley is equally delicious.

Ingredients

  • For the Soup:
  • 5 pounds chicken fryer parts (bone-in breast, thighs, legs, and wings)
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 cups water
  • 1 rib celery, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped onion
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 teaspoon seasoned salt (such as Lawry's)
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 1 cup (or 4 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon shortening
  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tablespoons milk

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this dumpling dish is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Prepare the Chicken Soup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for soup
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot over medium heat.

    Melt butter
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Pat the chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.

    Pat chicken
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. Sear chicken pieces in the butter and olive oil mixture until they are just brown on all sides, about 4 to 5 minutes.

    Sear chicken
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Add the water, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, seasoned salt, and pepper. Cover and bring to a boil; then simmer for 1 to 2 hours, or until the chicken is cooked and tender.

    Add celery
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack 

  6. Remove the chicken meat from the bones, chop meat, and return to the pot.

    Remove chicken
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  7. Stir the flour in a small bowl with just enough cold water to make a smooth paste.

    Stir flour
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  8. Add the flour paste to the hot stew, stirring until thickened over medium heat.

    Add flour paste
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Make the Dumplings

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for dumplings
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  2. In a bowl, whisk together the 1 cup of flour, baking powder, poultry seasoning and salt; blend well.

    Whisk flour
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  3. Cut the shortening into the flour mixture using a fork, and add the fresh parsley.

    Cut shortening
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.

    Whisk egg
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  5. Add to the dry mixture and stir with a fork until well blended into a sticky, shaggy dough.

    Add to mixture
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

  6. Drop dumplings by teaspoonfuls onto chicken soup. Cover, and steam for 10 minutes, or until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through inside.

    Dumplings
    The Spruce / Cara Cormack

Recipe Variations

  • Add 1 teaspoon of fresh snipped chives to the dumplings along with the parsley.
  • Try 1/4 teaspoon ground garlic in the dumpling mixture for added flavor.
  • Add 1/4 cup finely minced onion to the dumpling mixture.

Recipe Tags: