Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Last Updated on April 29, 2026 by Kiersten James
Easy homemade chicken and dumplings made on the stovetop with a creamy broth, tender chicken, and soft, fluffy dumplings from scratch.
I make this when I need a real dinner, and I don’t have time to mess around with a bunch of different steps.
It’s all done in one pot, the raw chicken cooks right in the broth, and the dumplings go on top to finish while everything simmers.
This is very similar to my stovetop chicken pot pie with square noodles. It’s the same kind of thick, creamy base, just with dumplings instead of noodles.
If you’ve made one, the other will come together easily.
Why You’ll Love This
- Truly one pot, start to finish
- Uses simple pantry ingredients
- Thick, creamy broth
- Dumplings come out soft, not dense or doughy
- Feeds a full family without stretching your budget
Ingredients You’ll Be Using:
Olive oil + butter: Both are used together to build the base. The oil helps everything cook evenly, and the butter adds flavor.
Celery, carrots, onion, garlic: These are what give the pot real down-home flavor. No good meal is made without them.
Flour: Thickens the base and turns the broth into a creamy consistency, rather than leaving it thin like soup.
Water + Better Than Bouillon paste: Using Better Than Bouillon gives you a strong, rich chicken base and lets you control how concentrated it is.
Herbs de Provence: Adds a balanced, savory flavor without needing to measure out multiple individual herbs.
Chicken breast: Cooks right in the pot, is removed, and is chopped before going back in.
Evaporated milk: A secret weapon that makes the broth creamy without making it heavy.
Frozen peas: Adds a little sweetness, color, and rounds everything out.
For the Dumplings:
Flour + baking powder + salt: Gives the dumplings structure and helps them stay soft instead of dense.
Milk + sour cream: Keeps the texture tender and moist.
Melted butter: Adds flavor so the dumplings don’t taste bland.
Tips for the Best Chicken & Dumplings Ever
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings From Scratch
Ingredients:
- 2 large boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 celery ribs, diced
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic in the jar)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon paste, chicken flavor
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
For the Dumplings:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions:
1. Build the base
In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add celery, carrots, and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the butter and flour. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to form a thick base.
2. Add broth and seasoning
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
Add the bouillon paste, herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook the chicken
Add the raw chicken directly into the pot. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Remove to a cutting board, and chop into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle.
4. Make the dumplings
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the milk, sour cream, and melted butter. Stir just until combined, don’t overmix.
5. Make it creamy
Stir the evaporated milk and frozen peas into the pot. Let everything come back to a low simmer.
6. Drop the dumplings
Spoon small scoops of dough right on top of the simmering soup. I use a toddler spoon.
They’ll expand as they cook (at least double in size), so try not to overcrowd too much.
7. Cover and cook
Cover the pot and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Don’t lift the lid – they need that steam to cook.
Check one dumpling. If it’s still doughy inside, give it five more minutes.
8. Finish + Serve
Gently stir to break the dumplings up, taste, and adjust salt if needed.
Serve hot with fresh parsley for garnish and thick slices of crusty Dutch oven bread.
Storage
Store leftover chicken and dumplings in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat on the stove with a few tablespoons of water added, or in the microwave on reduced power.
More One Pot Dinner Recipes
Stovetop Chicken Pot Pie with Square Noodles
Skillet Ground Beef Stroganoff
NY Style Spaghetti Sauce (Sunday Gravy)
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
Easy homemade chicken and dumplings made on the stovetop with a creamy broth, tender chicken, and soft fluffy dumplings from scratch.
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless chicken breasts
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 celery ribs, diced
- 3 large carrots, diced
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 heaping teaspoon minced garlic in the jar)
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups warm water
- 1 1/2 tablespoons Better Than Bouillon paste, chicken flavor
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Herbs de Provence
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 12-ounce can of evaporated milk
- 1 1/2 cups frozen peas
- Freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
For the Dumplings:
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
1. Build the base
In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Once hot, add celery, carrots, and onion. Cook for about 3 minutes until slightly softened.
Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.
Add the butter and flour. Stir constantly for about 1 minute to form a thick base.
2. Add broth and seasoning
Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
Add the bouillon paste, herbs de Provence, salt, and pepper. Bring everything to a gentle simmer.
3. Cook the chicken
Add the raw chicken directly into the pot. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until fully cooked.
Remove to a cutting board, and chop into bite-sized pieces when cool enough to handle.
4. Make the dumplings
In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Add the milk, sour cream, and melted butter. Stir just until combined, don’t overmix.
5. Make it creamy
Stir the evaporated milk and frozen peas into the pot. Let everything come back to a low simmer.
6. Drop the dumplings
Spoon small scoops of dough right on top of the simmering soup. I use a toddler spoon.
They’ll expand as they cook (at least double in size), so try not to overcrowd too much.
7. Cover and cook
Cover the pot and simmer on low for about 10 minutes. Don’t lift the lid - they need that steam to cook.
Check one dumpling. If it’s still doughy inside, give it five more minutes.
8. Finish + Serve
Gently stir to break the dumplings up, taste, and adjust salt if needed.
Serve hot with fresh parsley for garnish and thick slices of crusty Dutch oven bread.
Storage:
Store leftover chicken and dumplings in an air-tight container for up to 4 days.
Reheat on the stove with a few tablespoons of water added, or in the microwave on reduced power.
