Dutch Oven Chicken & Dumplings
Tender braised chicken and aromatic vegetables in a rich herb gravy topped with light, fluffy drop buttermilk dumplings in 40 minutes.
dutch-oven Timer
Set for 30 mins @ Medium-Low Simmer (325°F / 163°C)
Ingredients
Base recipe calibrated for 6 adults.
Get to the Point Execution
Sauté 1 diced onion, 2 diced carrots, and 2 celery ribs in 2 tbsp butter in Dutch oven for 5 mins.
Add 1/3 cup flour, then whisk in 4 cups chicken broth and 1 cup milk; simmer 5 mins until thickened.
Stir in 3 cups shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken, 1 cup frozen peas, and poultry herbs.
Drop 8 spoonfuls of buttermilk biscuit dough on top, cover tightly, and simmer 15 minutes undisturbed.
Step-by-Step Guided Instructions
Melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter in a 6-quart enameled Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 diced yellow onion, 2 sliced carrots, and 2 sliced celery ribs. Sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables soften.
Cooking the mirepoix slowly in butter builds the sweet savory vegetable foundation of classic Southern chicken and dumplings.
Sprinkle 1/3 cup all-purpose flour over vegetables. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly to eliminate raw flour taste. Slowly pour in 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth and 1 cup whole milk, whisking continuously. Bring to a gentle simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.
Pour broth in slowly while whisking to create a smooth, lump-free velvety gravy.
Stir in 3 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie or poached breasts/thighs), 1 cup frozen sweet peas, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
Using pre-cooked rotisserie chicken cuts 30 minutes of prep time with zero loss in richness.
In a bowl, stir 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 3/4 cup buttermilk with a fork just until dough forms. Drop 8 large spoonfuls directly onto the simmering stew. Cover tightly with the Dutch oven lid. Cook on medium-low for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
NEVER open the lid during the 15-minute dumpling cook! Trapped steam is what causes the dumplings to puff up light and fluffy; opening the lid releases steam and makes dumplings dense and gummy.
Do not peek under the lid for the full 15 minutes after dropping the dumplings. Dumplings don't boil in the liquid — they bake in the high-temperature steam trapped by the heavy Dutch oven lid. If you lift the lid, the dumplings collapse into lead sinkers.
Kids love the soft, fluffy biscuit dumplings. Serve a dumpling in a wide shallow bowl with shredded chicken and sweet carrots.
- Steamed green beans
- Warm applesauce
- Sweet cornbread
Reheat gently in a saucepan over medium-low heat with a splash of milk for 5 minutes.