Chicken and Dumplings

by Dawn T in Rouxbe Recipes

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Step 1: Making the Broth

Making the Broth

Place the chicken into a suitable-sized pot and cover with cold water. Blanch the chicken by bringing it to a gentle boil. Skim off any impurities. Drain the murky water and cover again with clean, cold water. Bring to a simmer and skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.

Add the mirepoix (diced onion, carrots and celery), followed by the salt. Add the bouquet garni (bay leaves, thyme, peppercorns, garlic (cut in half crosswise) and parsley).

Simmer the broth for about 45 minutes to one hour, or until the chicken has just cooked through. Remove the legs from the broth. Once cool enough to handle, remove the chicken from the bones. Set the meat aside.

Return the bones to the pot and simmer for another 30 minutes to an hour to extract the flavor. Note: While the broth is cooking, you can prepare your mise en place for Step 2. Once done, remove and discard the solids. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth and place over an ice bath to cool.

  • 3 1/2 to 4 lb chicken legs
  • 1 onion
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 1 head of garlic
  • small bunch parsley

Step 2: Preparing the Velouté Sauce

Preparing the Velouté Sauce

First preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).

To prepare your mise en place, cut the dark green part off of the leeks. Slice in half and wash thoroughly. Slice the leeks into 1/4" pieces. Cut the carrots and celery into medium dice. Note: You should have roughly 1 to 1 1/2 cups of each. Mince the garlic.

Measure out the butter and flour. Note: The amount of flour used will produce a relatively thick sauce; however, if you want the sauce to be really thick, you can use up to 18 tbsp of flour. The roux will just be very thick.

Gather the bay leaves and thyme. Set aside.

Once the broth is cool, you can begin to make the sauce.

To make the sauce, heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium to medium-low heat. Add the butter, followed by the celery, carrots, leeks and a pinch of salt. Sweat until the leeks are translucent, about 10 minutes or so. Once softened, add the garlic and cook until fragrant.

Singer with the flour to make a roux. Stir to combine. Temper in the cold broth a bit at a time. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the bay leaves and thyme and let cook for about 10 to 15 minutes to cook off any starchy flavor. Stir often to prevent scorching. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Add the reserved chicken pieces and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes.

While the sauce is simmering, prepare the dumpling mixture (see Step 3).

  • 1 to 2 leeks
  • 2 carrots
  • 2 ribs celery
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 9 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 12 to 18 tbsp all-purpose flour (see note)
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • kosher salt (to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • 6 to 8 cups chicken broth

Step 3: Making the Dumplings

Making the Dumplings

To prepare the dumpling mixture, finely mince the green onions.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder and salt together.

In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs with a fork. Add a bit of the buttermilk and blend again before adding the rest. Once fully mixed, add the minced green onions and blend to fully combine.

Form a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients over top. Quickly but gently fold the ingredients together until the flour is just moistened. Do not overmix.

  • 1/4 cup green onions
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Step 4: Finishing the Dish

Finishing the Dish

Once the chicken has cooked for about 10 minutes, add the peas and continue to cook for about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the cream.

Using 2 spoons, drop heaping tablespoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the hot sauce. The dumplings should cover the surface of the pot.

Cover and place into the oven for about 15 minutes to poach the dumplings. Once done, the dumplings should be puffy and firm to the touch.

To serve, spoon some of the chicken into a warmed bowl and top with one or two of the delicious dumplings.

  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream

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Laverne B

Chicken and dumplings

This is a very informative video, i enjoyed it and learned a lot from it and can't wait to try it out at home! LOBush, Sacramento, CA

Renee L

Veggie Version

Any ideas on how to make a vegetarian version?

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Veggie Version

Make a veloute using veggies stock. Sweat some vegetables and then proceed with the recipe. Cheers!

Geni P

I'm gonna give it a try

Alright Dawn, this is actually one of my specialties. There are a couple of differences so I'm gonna try it your way and see how it compares. Probably won't be until Tuesday or Thursday. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Renee L

Veggie Version

Thanks Dawn, think I'm going to try to chuck some tofu in there too.

Eunice B

Baked?

Could the
is be transferred to the oven to cook the dumplings? I'd prefer a more biscuit-y result to doughy, but maybe I should be fair and steam them once.

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Baked Chicken and Dumplings

You could certainly place the pot into the oven to finish the cooking process: however, this will not necessarily result it in a more "biscuit-y result". For a more biscuit-like topping you would need to make more of a biscuit mix rather than the one in this recipe. Try doing an online search for "chicken and biscuits" and there you will find many recipes for that dish. Cheers!

Sheri M

How much broth?

Hi Dawn, I'm planning to make this for supper this weekend - perfect fall weather food! I'll be using broth that I've already made - what quantity of broth should I use to match the veloute? Thanks,

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: How Much Broth?

Good question Sheri, you will need just enough broth to reach your desired consistency. If you want the sauce to be really thick you will need less, if you want it a bit thinner then you will need more. Basically, you how much you need depends on the consistency you are looking for. Does that make sense? Cheers!

Judith S

Oh so good.

I made this dish last night and it was the best.. How ever, I found some errors in the directions. Like when making the sauce it told me to preheat my oven. Thank you for the best chicken and dumpling recipe ever.

Judy S.

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Oh So Good

Glad you liked the dish. It sure if perfect for this time of year.

The reason in step one it says to preheat your oven is because in step 4 the directions say to "Cover and place into the oven for about 15 minutes to poach the dumplings."

This dish can be finished on the stove top; however, we found that there was less potential of scorching the bottom of the pot if finished in the oven. Cheers!

Gavin A

gav

This was great, although I found the dumplings a little too delicate, slightly bland in flavour - any suggestions for livening them up or brining out the flavour of the onions more?

Giau T

Re: How Much Broth?

I feel lost without any suggested guideline amount of broth that should be used.

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

RE: More Flavor in Dumplings

Perhaps add more green onions and/or salt or maybe try adding some other herbs or spices. Alternatively, perhaps you may just want to use a different dumpling recipe if this one is not your thing. Cheers!

p.s. When titling your questions it is better to use a descriptive title, that way when other users are searching through the forum for help they can find potential answers/questions easier. Hope you don't mind me saying that, it just makes it easier for everyone :-)

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

RE: How Much Broth?

If you follow the recipe for the broth (Step 1) you will end up with about 6 to 8 cups of broth. The amount you end up with in the end,depends on how much water you added while it was cooking etc.

Again, it's hard to say exactly how much you will need as the final consistency is up to you. Start with about 3 to 4 cups, adding more as needed. Once you reach the desired consistency for the veloute base stop. For me, I like the sauce to be a bit thick but still a bit soupy. Others however, like their chicken and dumplings much thicker. Hope this helps. Cheers!

Lasheryl O

Wheat Free

I made this without traditional flour and used all-purpose gluten free flour instead. It was absolutely fantastic!

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: Wheat Free Dumplings

That's super, thanks for taking the time to share your results. I am sure all of the folks with gluten sensitivities will really appreciate it. Cheers!

Susan K

SusanK

Hello can't wait to try this with our friends. Can the chicken part be made a day before then reheated and finish with the dumpling before serving it? Thank you for such wonderful lessons :-)

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Prepping Chicken and Dumplings Ahead

Good question. Indeed the broth and chicken part can be done the day before. That's a great way to turn this into a quick meal the next night. Cheers!

Note: When titling your questions, it is better to use a descriptive title, that way when other users are searching through the forum for help they can find potential answers/questions easier. Hope you don't mind me saying that, it just makes it easier and more helpful for everyone :-)

Susan K

SusanK

RE :Prepping Chicken and Dumplings Ahead
Thank you for getting back to me so soon :-) and no I don't mind at all that is how to learn the right way to do something :-) Have a great day!

Merric M

How long for the chicken to cook through?

Following the recipe above, how long will it take for the chicken to cook through and be removed from the pot?

Dawn T
Rouxbe Staff

Re: How Long to Make Chicken Broth

Depending on the size of the chicken legs, the heat source and how long you decide to cook the broth after the bones have been added back, it should take anywhere from 1 1/2 to 2 hrs, or so. Cheers!

Geni P

The Jury is Still Out

I made this last Sunday and I'm feeling a bit conflicted. There were things I definitely liked better than my recipe (the broth was stellar) and things I didn't (dumplings were bland & chicken was tough). Obviously there are things I can change to improve the last two. I tried to follow the recipe as faithfully as I could but alas I didn't have everything it called for. I substituted rosemary for thyme and that was not a problem. I only had chicken thighs so that should have been OK. I usually cook the chicken much longer and I think I will return to that next time. I think the dumplings were the big disappointment. They don't absorb any liquid when they cook and it was difficult to get them to absorb the liquid afterwards. If they had it would have counteracted their bland taste. That seemed to make a big difference in how I felt about the dish overall. I'm not sure how to correct this. I think I'll try to work out a compromise between this recipe and my old one and see if I can improve my results.

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Comparing Recipes/Results

This is the beauty of cooking. Once you understand the basics, you are free to make your own changes/adjustments to any recipe you come across...and it is great that you are doing just that. Sorry that you found the dumplings bland. If you have suggestions for improvements, we (and other students) would love to hear them, so feel free to share the changes/tweaks you made and prefer. Cheers!

Susan K

To cover or not to cover?

I am attempting to make the chicken and dumplings but, it does not say anthing about covering askew (sp). What are your thoughts on it. Thank you so much :-)

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: To cover or not to cover

Not sure what step your question is referring to. The last step does indicate to cover the pot after the dumpling batter has been added. The trapped steam will help to cook the dumplings. Cheers!

Susan K

Cover or not to cover

Thank you for getting back to me. I ment the cooking the broth I looked again at the broth lesson and made it without covering it. Thanks again :-)

Jillian R

Buttermilk

In England we don't have buttermilk, so really don't know what it is. Is there something else I can use, great recipe for using up extra stock from the chicken pot pie recipe! Look forward to trying it, cheers Jill

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Buttermilk Substitutions

Anytime you are looking for information on ingredients, etc., you can search Rouxbe in the search bar at the top right of any page. There are several discussions on buttermilk in the forum that you may want to check out. Here is a link to another great reference site for food substitutions that you also may want to bookmark. Cheers!

Susan K

Chicken and Dumplings

Hello agian, had friends over for lunch today and everyone raved about the Chicken and Dumplings :-) It was delicious! I made part of the recipe yesterday then finish with the peas, cream and dumplings today. It made it very easy to finish for company, no stress lol thank you again for this great meal and teaching me all the steps to make it :-) What will I fix next ???

Lisa M

Can you freeze the leftovers?

Hello,

First, I want to say that your site is fantastic! Been a subscriber for only a month, but I learned so much! From knife maintenance to making stock & broth (and knowing the difference) to making the "mother sauces", RouxBe has helped me become a better cook!

Which brings me to this: I made my first RouxBe dish, the chicken & dumplings, which turned out very well. The only complaint is that it's too much for my husband and me—can I freeze the leftovers?

Thanks!

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Freezing Leftovers

Hmmm, I have never had the problem of leftovers with this dish :-) We usually finish it over the next couple of days. I would assume that the chicken part of the dish would freeze fairly well, but not too sure about the dumplings. As with most things that are frozen, I don't think this dish would be too bad but, of course, not as good as when first made.

Thaw it in the refrigerator before slowly heating over medium/medium-low heat along with a touch of water. Add a touch more water or stock if the sauce seems too thick. Let us know how you like it. Cheers!

Lisa M

RE: Freezing Leftovers

Thank you for your quick response.

Leftovers may not be a problem after all—hubby went for seconds and taking some for lunch at work; I have as well. This delicious dish will last until I get a chance to go to the grocers later this week.

Again, this is a fantastic site! Thank you so much!

Rod R

Buttermilk Substitutions

I made this yesterday with a Buttermilk substitution, 1 tablespoon white vinegar into a cup of 2% milk, it worked Great! Simply Delicious.
As with most Rouxbe recipes, There were no leftovers.

Thanks!

Edward J

Garlic

hi
The text recipe calls for 1head of garlic. Is this correct? Seems like a lot of garlic for a broth.

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: Garlic

For this dish, we did use 1 small head but feel free to adjust the amount to suit your tastes. The type of mirepoix you use in a broth is up to you. Cheers!

Jim C

A lot of work, well worth it!

I spent the better part of the afternoon preparing this dish. If I may say so myself, it was delicious. I'm particularly happy that it had the same consistency and appearance compared with the dish in the video. But knowing myself, it was probably beginner's luck.

This recipe is a great integration of so many skills covered in the lessons.

Some modifications I plan to use in the future to save time would be to cook this only after I have leftover chicken (roasted most likely) and some already prepared stock. I also intend to cut this recipe in half. We're only two people and there is a lot left over. Not that I mind! I'm going now to the chicken pot pie recipe and see if I can experiment with that using some of these leftovers.

Thank you for adding this to my winter comfort food repertoire.

Kimberley S
Rouxbe Staff

RE: A lot of work, well worth it!

Excellent job on tackling the dish from beginning to end. Now that you know, you are exactly right when you say that you can use leftover roast chicken and an already-made stock. This will make the dish that much quicker to prepare (while still using excellent ingredients). Great job on linking the techniques together. Cheers!

Lucia P

Excellent dish!

I needed a "kitchen therapy day" so I made this dish for dinner tonight. Had the kids and grandkids over and it was a rousing success. I followed the instructions to the T and the aroma that permeated my house was exquisite! Thank you for making me a success in my kitchen.

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