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The classic Southern comfort food gets a quick-prep makeover! Shortcut easy chicken and dumplings take advantage of store-bought broth, rotisserie chicken, and frozen dumplings for a cozy, one pot meal that’s ready in minutes.
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If you’re from the South, then there’s no doubt that you’re familiar with this comfort food classic. And if you’re not? Well get ready to fall in love — especially with the shortcuts used for these easy chicken and dumplings!
Easy Chicken and Dumplings with Frozen Dumplings
Traditional chicken and dumplings is basically a rich chicken broth base with “dumplings” cooked in the pot instead of noodles. Dumplings are simply biscuit dough or pastry dough, which can be rolled out flat, dropped by the spoonful, or rolled into balls.
I’m sure that every home cook south of the Mason-Dixon line has her own favorite version, and they’re probably all delicious! Sometimes I make a pot from scratch when I have the time, sometimes I use Bisquick for the dumplings and cook them on the stove, occasionally the dish comes together in the Crock Pot with canned biscuits, and other times I take the easiest route possible — and make chicken and dumplings with frozen dumplings!
Think of this recipe as your “weeknight chicken and dumplings.” The dish is perfect for those busy evenings when you don’t have much time to spend at the stovetop. Frozen dumplings are a perfect solution, since they’re prepped and ready to use — just simmer them in the broth until tender. Delicious…and most importantly, easy!
Ingredients for Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
This is just a quick overview of the ingredients that you’ll need for a pot that tastes like grandma’s chicken and dumplings recipe. As always, specific measurements and step-by-step cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe box at the bottom of the post.
- Butter: to saute the vegetables. You can substitute with olive oil or vegetable oil, but I prefer the flavor and richness that you get from the butter.
- Onion, carrots, and celery: fresh vegetables create a flavorful base for the dish, giving it a homemade taste — even when it’s full of store-bought shortcuts!
- Chicken broth or chicken stock: the liquid base of the soup.
- Frozen flat dumplings: these are not biscuit dough or Bisquick dumplings like you’ll find in some recipes. Instead, they’re flat (like giant noodles), and are sometimes called “chicken and slicks” or “chicken and pastry.”
- Chicken: use the meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken for an easy, flavorful shortcut. If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home, see my notes below.
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper: use sparingly, since you might not need too much salt if your broth is already well salted.
How to Make Easy Chicken and Dumplings
A weeknight comfort food favorite! I’ve included the detailed instructions for making these quick and easy chicken and dumplings in the recipe card at the bottom of the post, but here’s the short version:
- Sauté the veggies in butter.
- Pour in the broth.
- Stir in the frozen dumplings, and cook until tender.
- Add the chicken, and then simmer until warmed through.
- Ladle into bowls and serve!
How to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings
This is not a creamy chicken and dumplings recipe that starts with a butter-and-flour-based roux. Instead, the chicken broth just thickens slightly as the dumplings cook in the pot and release their starches. If you’d like to make a thicker version of this dish with a creamy broth, see my notes below. You’ll just use a slurry made with heavy cream and flour.
Serving Suggestions
It’s nice to add a couple of sides with a bowl of chicken and dumplings, so here are some easy options that go well with the dish:
- House Salad with Candied Pecans, Green Salad with Red Wine Vinaigrette, a Classic Caesar Salad, Mixed Greens with Dijon Vinaigrette, or a Wedge Salad
- Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits, 3-Ingredient Buttermilk Biscuits, 4-Ingredient Butter Swim Biscuits, 7UP Biscuits, Sweet Potato Biscuits, Cheese Biscuits, Pumpkin Spice Biscuits, Cheddar Biscuits with Bacon and Chives, or Drop Biscuits
- Cast Iron Cornbread, Fluffy Bakery-Style Corn Muffins, Southern Cornbread, Jiffy Cornbread with Creamed Corn, Sweet Cornbread, Pumpkin Cornbread, Cake Mix Cornbread, Skillet Cornbread, Corn Sticks, or Honey Cornbread
- Pumpkin Bread or Pumpkin Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Sour Cream Muffins
- Cranberry Orange Bread or One-Bowl Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Cheddar Chive Beer Bread (No Yeast, No Knead) or Honey Beer Bread
- Homemade Crescent Rolls or Soft Dinner Rolls
- A loaf of crusty Dutch Oven Bread, No-Knead Cranberry Walnut Bread, or French Baguette
- Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw
- Arkansas Green Beans with Bacon or Southern-Style Green Beans
- Broccoli Cauliflower Salad
- Fried Apples or Baked Apple Slices
- Southern Succotash
- Southern Collard Greens
- Fried Okra or Okra and Tomatoes
- Broccoli and Cheese
- Fried Cabbage with Apples and Onion, Braised Red Cabbage, or Roasted Cabbage
Preparation and Storage
Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge 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.
To freeze the chicken and dumplings, allow the soup to cool completely. Package in an airtight container or large Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. It’s important to note, however, the dumplings may have a mushier texture when thawed.
Recipe Variations
- If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home for this recipe, you’ll need to start with about 2 lbs. of raw boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. Boil the chicken in the broth until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Then remove the meat to a cutting board to chop or shred with two forks.
- For a thicker, creamy broth, whisk together ½ cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the mixture into the broth just before adding the dumplings.
- Make homemade flat dumplings using this recipe.
- Omit the vegetables and just make your chicken and dumplings in the broth.
- Add garlic to the vegetable mixture, include a couple of bay leaves in the pot, or stir in frozen peas towards the very end.
Tips for the Best Easy Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
- Use a homemade broth or high-quality store-bought broth for this recipe, since it lends so much flavor to the soup. Pick a low-sodium or unsalted variety if you’re watching your salt intake. You can always add a little bit more salt to taste, as needed.
- Stir the pot gently as you’re adding the dumplings to the broth, and continue to stir occasionally as the dumplings simmer. This will prevent them from sticking to each other.
- The total amount of salt necessary will vary depending on your personal taste preference and on the broth that you use. Taste and season as you go!
- Garnish each bowl with fresh parsley or thyme for a bright, colorful touch.
More Chicken and Dumplings Recipes to Try
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumpling Soup
2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Farmhouse Chicken and Bisquick Dumplings
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
4 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Southern Chicken and Pastry
1 hour hr 15 minutes mins
Easy Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon salted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 8 cups (64 ounces) chicken broth or chicken stock
- 12 ounces frozen flat dumplings (such as Anne’s brand)
- 4 cups cooked, shredded rotisserie chicken
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste
- Optional garnish: chopped fresh herbs (such as parsley, sage, thyme, or rosemary)
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery; cook until the vegetables are starting to soften, about 5-7 minutes.
- Add the broth; bring to a boil.
- Once the broth boils, reduce the heat so that the liquid is simmering.
- Gradually add the frozen dumplings, a few at a time, carefully separating them as necessary. Cook according to package directions until the dumplings are tender (usually about 8-10 minutes). Stir occasionally so that the dumplings don’t stick together.
- Once the dumplings are tender, stir in the chicken and cook just until warmed through, about 5 more minutes.
- Remove from the heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if desired.
- Ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh herbs.
Notes
- If you prefer to cook your own chicken at home for this recipe, you’ll need to start with about 2 lbs. of raw boneless, skinless chicken thighs or boneless skinless chicken breasts. Boil the chicken in the broth until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Then remove the meat to a cutting board to chop or shred with two forks.
- For a thicker, creamy broth, whisk together ½ cup of heavy cream and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour in a small bowl until smooth. Stir the mixture into the broth just before adding the dumplings.
- Make homemade flat dumplings using this recipe.
- Omit the vegetables and just make your chicken and dumplings in the broth.
- Add garlic to the vegetable mixture, include a couple of bay leaves in the pot, or stir in frozen peas towards the very end.
