Farmhouse Chicken and Bisquick Dumplings

An easy version of the farmhouse classic, this Bisquick Dumpling recipe comes together quickly. Tender Bisquick dumplings simmer in a creamy chicken and vegetable gravy for a delicious, one-pot, comfort food dinner! The wholesome, flavorful meal is perfect for busy families -- thanks to help from a few shortcuts.

How to Make Chicken and Bisquick Dumplings | 1-Minute Video

Bisquick Dumplings

Southern food at its finest! Just about every home cook south of the Mason Dixon line probably has her own favorite version of this dish. While they're all delicious, my creamy shortcut version that takes advantage of Campbell's soup, frozen veggies, and a homemade Bisquick dumpling recipe cuts out the labor and maximizes flavor! There's no need to pull out a rolling pin, stand mixer, or make the dough from scratch!

Ingredients for Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings

This is just a quick overview of the simple ingredients that you'll need for our favorite Bisquick dumpling recipe. As always, specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.

• Bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces: any combination of breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or wings is fine – whatever you prefer. I use 2 pounds of bone-in chicken breasts and 2 pounds of bone-in chicken thighs. See my notes below if you prefer a shortcut method with store-bought rotisserie chicken!
• Salt and pepper: to enhance the other flavors in the dish.
• Flour: for dredging the chicken; helps the meat brown and also helps to thicken the broth.
• Condensed cream of celery soup and condensed cream of chicken soup: these form the creamy, flavorful base of the gravy. You can substitute with just about any flavor of condensed soup that you prefer. For instance, use two cans of cream of chicken soup, or use cream of mushroom soup instead of the cream of celery soup.
• Whole milk: to thin the gravy and to make the dumpling dough.
• Frozen peas and carrots: a great shortcut to add vegetables to the pot. You can substitute with any frozen veggie blend that you like.
• Thyme: a classic, earthy herb to season the pot. It pairs well with the chicken. Other aromatics will also work well, such as rosemary, basil, or oregano.
• Bisquick: a store-bought all-purpose baking mix that includes flour, oil, cornstarch, leavening (such as baking powder), salt, sugar and more. It's a great shortcut for homemade dumplings!

How to Make Dumplings with Bisquick

A traditional chicken and dumpling soup requires hours of cooking -- but not this easy Bisquick dumpling recipe! Instead, you can have a pot of homemade comfort food ready to enjoy in a little over an hour (or even faster if you use rotisserie chicken).

1. Season bone-in chicken pieces with salt and pepper, and then dredge in flour. Shake off any excess flour.
2. Cook the chicken in a large Dutch oven (or other heavy pot) on both sides, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F, about 25-30 minutes total. Depending on the size of your pot, you may have to brown the chicken in batches so that you don't overcrowd the pan.
3. Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick off the meat and discard the skin and bones.
4. Whisk together the soups and milk to make the gravy.
5. Stir in the cooked chicken, simmer for about 10 minutes, and then stir in the frozen peas and carrots. Cook for about 2 more minutes, and then it's time for the dumplin's!
6. Combine the Bisquick mix and milk with a spoon or fork in a small bowl to form a biscuit dough. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls into the simmering broth. Don't stir!
7. Let the dumplings cook, uncovered, for about 10 minutes.
8. Cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking for about 10 more minutes (or until the dumplings are cooked through). Then just garnish with fresh parsley and serve!

How to Know When the Dumplings are Done

If your dumplings are not cooked all of the way through, they will taste (and feel) doughy. To tell when your dumplings are done, press with your finger -- they should be firm to the touch. You can also stick a toothpick in the center of a dumpling. The dumplings are ready when the toothpick comes out clean (with no wet dough on it).

What to Serve with this Bisquick Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

This one pot meal is basically a satisfying, hearty option all on its own -- so you really don't need any additional sides. If you'd like to add some extra options to your table, try one of these:

• Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits or Drop Biscuits
• Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Skillet Cornbread or Honey Cornbread
• Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
• 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
• Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
• A loaf of crusty Dutch Oven Bread
• Southern-Style Green Beans
• A crisp green salad dressed in Pepper Jelly Vinaigrette or a Wedge Salad with Buttermilk Ranch
• House Salad with Candied Pecans, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, or a Classic Caesar Salad
• Sauteed Asparagus
• Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots
• Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
• Southern Collard Greens
• Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
• Sauteed Zucchini
• Southern Succotash
• Roasted Cabbage or Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion

Storage

Leftover chicken and dumplings will keep in an airtight container or freezer bag in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat the mixture in a saucepan or Dutch oven over low heat, just until warmed through. You can also microwave individual bowls for about 1 minute.

Can you freeze Bisquick drop dumplings?

I do not recommend freezing this recipe, as creamy sauces tend to "break" or separate when thawed, resulting in an undesirable texture.

Bisquick Dumpling Recipe - Frequently Asked Questions

• Why are my Bisquick dumplings hard? You probably cooked them too long. Just keep an eye on them and remove them from the heat once they are cooked through, but still soft (about 20 minutes).
• Why are my dumplings doughy or gummy? You probably didn't cook them long enough. To tell when your dumplings are done, press with your finger -- they should be firm to the touch. You can also stick a toothpick in the center of a dumpling. The dumplings are ready when the toothpick comes out clean (with no wet dough on it).
• Can you make Bisquick dumplings without milk? Yes, you can make Bisquick dumplings with water or almond milk. While it won't drastically change the taste of the dumplings, they may just be a bit drier and less fluffy. In other words, use the full-fat milk for the best texture.
• Why do my Bisquick dumplings dissolve? Once you drop the biscuit dough into the pot, be sure that you do not stir the dumplings and do not let the simmer go too fast. If you bring the broth to a rolling boil or fast simmer, the dumplings may dissolve or fall apart.
• How many calories in Bisquick dumplings? Using 1 cup of Bisquick and ⅓ cup whole milk yields approximately 8 dumplings. Each individual dumpling includes about 62 calories.

Dumpling Recipe Variations

• For gluten-free Bisquick dumplings, follow the same recipe but use a box of Gluten-Free Bisquick.
• For Heart Smart Bisquick dumplings, use a box of Heart Smart Bisquick and otherwise follow the same recipe.
• Make it even faster! If you don't want to cook your own chicken, skip that step and just use about 3 ½ cups of shredded rotisserie chicken. It will save you at least 20-30 minutes.
• Cooking just for two? Cut all of the ingredients in half. The rest of the instructions remain the same.
• Add fresh herbs or cheese to the dumpling dough for extra flavor. Good options include grated cheddar cheese, chopped fresh parsley, thyme, or rosemary.
• Add garlic powder or a couple cloves garlic to the stew or to the dumplings for even more flavor. Sautéed onion or mushrooms would also be delicious if you have a little bit more time.
• Any combination of condensed soups will work in this recipe. For instance, swap out the cream of celery soup for cream of mushroom soup, or use two cans of cream of chicken soup.

Tips for the Best Bisquick Dumpling Recipe

• How to keep Bisquick dumplings from falling apart: Once you drop the biscuit dough into the pot, be sure that you do not stir the dumplings and do not let the simmer go too fast. If you bring the broth to a rolling boil or fast simmer, the dumplings may dissolve or fall apart.
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (rather than boneless, skinless meat) for the best flavor and texture.
• Whole milk (rather than a lower-fat alternative) provides the best flavor and rich, creamy mouthfeel for the gravy, as well as for the dumplings.
• Garnish with a fresh herb, such as parsley, or even a dash of paprika for added flavor and color. Sliced green onion (scallions) is also a nice finishing touch.
• If the chicken and dumplings are too thick for your liking, you can thin the gravy with a little bit of chicken broth.

More Classic Southern Chicken Recipes to Try

• Chicken and Pastry
• Cheesy Chicken and Broccoli Casserole with Rice
• Chicken Bog
• Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Fried Chicken Cutlets and Country Gravy
• Easy Chicken Noodle Soup
• Classic Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Print Pin

5 from 4 votes

Farmhouse Chicken and Bisquick Dumplings

An easy version of the farmhouse classic, these Bisquick Dumplings in a creamy chicken and vegetable gravy are total comfort food!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Southern

Keyword bisquick dumpling recipe, bisquick dumplings, chicken and bisquick dumpling recipe, chicken and dumplings, dumpling recipe

Prep Time 40 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

0 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 4 - 6 people

Calories 273.5kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Equipment

• Dutch oven

Ingredients

FOR THE CHICKEN:

• 3-4 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (any combination of breasts, thighs, drumsticks, or wings is fine – whatever you prefer; I use 2 lbs. of bone-in chicken breast and 2 lbs. of bone-in chicken thighs) *see my note below for a rotisserie chicken shortcut
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• All-purpose flour (about ½ cup for dredging)
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup, NOT diluted
• 1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup, NOT diluted
• 1 ½ cups whole milk
• 1 cup frozen peas and carrots (not thawed)
• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:

• 1 cup Bisquick baking mix
• ⅓ cup whole milk
• Optional garnish: 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

PREPARE THE CHICKEN AND GRAVY:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Place the chicken in the pot, skin-side down, and cook for 7-8 minutes. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking for about 20 more minutes, or until chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F Smaller chicken pieces may be done sooner, while larger breasts may require extra time. Remove chicken to a cutting board.
• When the chicken is cool enough to handle, pick the meat off of the bones (discard the skin and bones).
• Wipe out the pot that you used for the chicken and then whisk together the soups and milk. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and whisk to a smooth consistency. Stir in the chicken, reduce heat to medium, and simmer for about 10 minutes. Stir in the peas and carrots and cook for 2 minutes to heat through. Add thyme and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

PREPARE THE DUMPLINGS:

• In a medium bowl, stir together baking mix and milk. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls into the simmering broth; do NOT stir the dumplings and do not let your simmer go too fast (or the dumplings will fall apart). Cook the dumplings, uncovered, over medium-low heat for 10 minutes. Then cover the pot with a lid and continue cooking the dumplings for about 10 more minutes (or until firm to the touch and cooked through). Stay at a gentle simmer – do not let the pot come to a full boil.
• Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley and serve!

Video

Notes

*For a shortcut, you can skip a step and avoid cooking your own chicken. Instead, use about 3 ½ cups of cooked, shredded meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.

• How to keep Bisquick dumplings from falling apart: Once you drop the biscuit dough into the pot, be sure that you do not stir the dumplings and do not let the simmer go too fast. If you bring the broth to a rolling boil or fast simmer, the dumplings may dissolve or fall apart.
• If your dumplings are not cooked all of the way through, they will taste (and feel) doughy. To tell when your dumplings are done, press with your finger -- they should be firm to the touch. You can also stick a toothpick in the center of a dumpling. The dumplings are ready when the toothpick comes out clean (with no wet dough on it).
• Use bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces (rather than boneless, skinless meat) for the best flavor and texture.
• Whole milk (rather than a lower-fat alternative) provides the best flavor and rich, creamy mouthfeel for the gravy, as well as for the dumplings.

Recipe adapted from Paula Deen.

Nutrition

Serving: 1/6 of the recipe | Calories: 273.5kcal | Carbohydrates: 28.8g | Protein: 23.8g | Fat: 6.7g | Saturated Fat: 2.6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 60.9mg | Sodium: 786.4mg | Potassium: 534.6mg | Fiber: 1.2g | Sugar: 6.5g

This recipe was originally published in September, 2019. The photos were updated in January, 2022.