A cozy, savory chicken stew with tender shredded chicken, soft vegetables and pillowy biscuit-style dumplings that soak up the herb-scented, silky broth. Serve hot for a classic family-style comfort meal.
A One‑Pot Dinner That Feels Like Home
Golden, herb-scented broth and pillowy biscuit dumplings make this chicken stew a cozy, crowd-pleasing supper you’ll want on repeat.
Think of this as all the best parts of chicken and dumplings without fussy timing: boneless thighs seared until golden for deep, savory flavor, soft carrots and celery, and a silky broth that tastes like Sunday at the table. The dumplings are biscuit-style—light, baking‑powder leavened pillows that steam on top of the pot and soak up that herb-scented liquid until irresistible.
A little technique goes a long way: browning the thighs builds a toasty base, then a quick roux of butter and flour thickens the pan juices into a velvety sauce when you whisk in stock and milk. Toss in whole thyme sprigs and a bay leaf while it simmers so the broth carries layers of herbal warmth; add frozen peas at the finish for a bright pop of color and sweetness.
This is very forgiving: you can brown the chicken and chop the veg ahead of time, or shred the cooked meat and refrigerate it for a speedy weeknight reheat. Keep the dumplings for last—drop them onto a gentle simmer and cover so they steam to fluffy perfection. Use low‑sodium stock to control seasoning and tuck a few extra thyme leaves on top when you serve.
Serve hot from the pot with crusty bread or a simple green salad. It’s an easy, satisfying centerpiece for family dinners, potlucks, or any evening when you want something that tastes like comfort in a bowl.
Ingredients
How to Make Golden Chicken and Dumplings
- Prep the vegetables: peel and slice carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, thinly slice celery, dice the onion, and mince the garlic; strip thyme leaves from stems and set aside whole sprigs for the stock.
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp butter; when foaming, brown the thighs 3–4 minutes per side until golden, working in batches if needed, then transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to the pot, then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 4–5 minutes); add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and 1 cup of the milk, scraping up any browned bits. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, bring to a simmer, then return the browned chicken to the pot and reduce heat to low; cover and simmer gently 18–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- While the stew simmers, remove the chicken to a cutting board, discard any excess liquid if desired, shred the meat off the bones (or shred outright if boneless) and set aside; remove and discard thyme sprigs and the bay leaf from the pot.
- Make the dumpling dough: in a medium bowl combine the remaining 1 1/6 cups (about 1.17 cups) flour, baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cut in 1 tbsp cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in 1/4 cup milk (add up to 1–2 tbsp more if needed) until a sticky, slightly shaggy dough forms — do not overmix.
- Stir the shredded chicken back into the simmering broth, then drop dumplings by rounded tablespoons (about 2 tbsp each) onto the surface so they sit in a single layer. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low simmer 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
- Five minutes before the dumplings finish, stir in the frozen peas to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1 tsp salt if needed. Serve hot, ladling broth, vegetables and dumplings into bowls; garnish with extra thyme leaves or cracked black pepper if desired.
Recipe Card
Golden Chicken and Dumplings
A cozy, savory chicken stew with tender shredded chicken, soft vegetables and pillowy biscuit-style dumplings that soak up the herb-scented, silky broth. Serve hot for a classic family-style comfort meal.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 50 min
- Servings
- 4
Ingredients
Instructions
- Prep the vegetables: peel and slice carrots into 1/4-inch rounds, thinly slice celery, dice the onion, and mince the garlic; strip thyme leaves from stems and set aside whole sprigs for the stock.
- Season the chicken thighs on both sides with 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Heat a 4- to 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp butter; when foaming, brown the thighs 3–4 minutes per side until golden, working in batches if needed, then transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the remaining 2 tbsp butter to the pot, then add the onion, carrots and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened (about 4–5 minutes); add the garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle 1/3 cup of the flour over the vegetables and cook, stirring, 1–2 minutes to form a roux. Gradually whisk in the chicken stock and 1 cup of the milk, scraping up any browned bits. Add the thyme sprigs and bay leaf, bring to a simmer, then return the browned chicken to the pot and reduce heat to low; cover and simmer gently 18–20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
- While the stew simmers, remove the chicken to a cutting board, discard any excess liquid if desired, shred the meat off the bones (or shred outright if boneless) and set aside; remove and discard thyme sprigs and the bay leaf from the pot.
- Make the dumpling dough: in a medium bowl combine the remaining 1 1/6 cups (about 1.17 cups) flour, baking powder, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Cut in 1 tbsp cold butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then stir in 1/4 cup milk (add up to 1–2 tbsp more if needed) until a sticky, slightly shaggy dough forms — do not overmix.
- Stir the shredded chicken back into the simmering broth, then drop dumplings by rounded tablespoons (about 2 tbsp each) onto the surface so they sit in a single layer. Cover the pot tightly and cook over low simmer 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
- Five minutes before the dumplings finish, stir in the frozen peas to heat through. Taste and adjust seasoning with the remaining 1 tsp salt if needed. Serve hot, ladling broth, vegetables and dumplings into bowls; garnish with extra thyme leaves or cracked black pepper if desired.
Nutrition
- Carbohydrates
- 45
- Saturated Fat
- 12
- Sodium
- 1350
- Fiber
- 4.5
- Unsaturated Fat
- 19
- Protein
- 41
- Fat
- 31
- Cholesterol
- 180
- Trans Fat
- 0.1
- Calories
- 670
- Sugar
- 9