Chicken and Dumplings with Fresh Herbs stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
Herb-Scented One‑Pot Dumplings (A Plant‑Forward Twist)
A cozy, weeknight-friendly take on chicken and dumplings that swaps in extra‑firm tofu and fresh herbs for an umami-rich, make‑ahead dinner.
Think of this as all the cozy comforts of chicken and dumplings—rich broth, pillowy dumplings, bright herb finish—reimagined with extra‑firm tofu and market vegetables. Pressing and browning the tofu gives it a satisfyingly meaty bite while cremini mushrooms and a simple mirepoix build deep, savory flavor so the whole pot never feels like a compromise.
The magic is contrast: a low‑sodium vegetable broth simmered with thyme and bay leaf becomes the fragrant stage for chive‑studded dumplings that steam into soft, slightly chewy pillows. The dumpling dough is quick—cold butter worked into flour, a beaten egg and milk—and drops into simmering broth to finish; each bite gives a buttery, herbaceous lift against earthy mushrooms and browned tofu cubes.
Practical bits that make this a keeper: press the tofu for 10–15 minutes, then brown it in a single layer so it holds texture instead of falling apart. Sauté the onions, carrots and celery until they’re just tender before adding mushrooms and garlic so the broth stays clear and flavorful. You can make the dough ahead or press the tofu the day before to shave off evening time.
Serve it straight from the pot with a scattering of parsley and extra thyme. It’s perfect for a comforting weeknight, but elegant enough for company—pair with a simple green salad or roasted greens. Leftovers reheat beautifully, the dumplings keeping their shape while soaking up even more herby broth.
Ingredients
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings with Fresh Herbs
- Press the tofu: wrap block in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, weight it with a heavy pan for 10–15 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Make the dumpling dough: in a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt (from the measured amount) and black pepper; cut in cold butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly, stir in chives, beaten egg and milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; set aside.
- Pan-fry the tofu: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high, add tofu cubes in a single layer, season lightly with salt and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total; transfer tofu to a plate.
- Sauté the aromatics and vegetables: add remaining 2 tbsp oil to the pot, reduce heat to medium, add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery and cook 5 minutes until starting to soften; add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic and cook 3–4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
- Build the broth: stir in soy sauce, the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, thyme and bay leaves, then pour in vegetable broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Return tofu and simmer: add browned tofu back to the pot, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt/pepper if needed; reduce heat to maintain a low simmer.
- Cook the dumplings: using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop heaping tablespoon-sized dumplings onto the surface of the simmering stew (you should get about 12–16 dumplings). Cover pot tightly and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid; dumplings should puff and feel set when done.
- Finish and serve: remove bay leaves, stir in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning, and ladle stew into bowls topped with dumplings. Garnish with extra chives or parsley and serve hot.
Recipe Card
Chicken and Dumplings with Fresh Herbs
Chicken and Dumplings with Fresh Herbs stays juicy with savory glaze or seasoning—an easy anchor for dinner with simple sides.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Press the tofu: wrap block in a clean kitchen towel or paper towels, weight it with a heavy pan for 10–15 minutes, then cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
- Make the dumpling dough: in a bowl whisk flour, baking powder, 1/2 tsp kosher salt (from the measured amount) and black pepper; cut in cold butter with a fork until mixture is crumbly, stir in chives, beaten egg and milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; set aside.
- Pan-fry the tofu: heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high, add tofu cubes in a single layer, season lightly with salt and brown on all sides, about 6–8 minutes total; transfer tofu to a plate.
- Sauté the aromatics and vegetables: add remaining 2 tbsp oil to the pot, reduce heat to medium, add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery and cook 5 minutes until starting to soften; add sliced mushrooms and minced garlic and cook 3–4 minutes until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown.
- Build the broth: stir in soy sauce, the remaining 1/2 tsp kosher salt, thyme and bay leaves, then pour in vegetable broth and 1/2 cup water; bring to a gentle simmer and cook 8–10 minutes until vegetables are tender.
- Return tofu and simmer: add browned tofu back to the pot, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt/pepper if needed; reduce heat to maintain a low simmer.
- Cook the dumplings: using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop heaping tablespoon-sized dumplings onto the surface of the simmering stew (you should get about 12–16 dumplings). Cover pot tightly and simmer gently for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid; dumplings should puff and feel set when done.
- Finish and serve: remove bay leaves, stir in chopped parsley, adjust seasoning, and ladle stew into bowls topped with dumplings. Garnish with extra chives or parsley and serve hot.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 60
- Saturated Fat
- 7
- Sodium
- 700
- Fiber
- 5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 20
- Protein
- 20
- Fat
- 26
- Cholesterol
- 76
- Trans Fat
- 0
- Calories
- 585
- Sugar
- 6