This shortcut Anne's chicken and dumplings recipe is a game-changer! Chicken and dumplings is the ultimate comfort food, but sometimes you want that homemade taste without all the extra steps, right? That’s where this easy recipe comes in—it delivers all the classic flavors you crave with a fraction of the effort.
This quick version takes out that tedious step of making homemade dumplings. No mixing of dough, rolling, cutting, or simmering for hours. Using frozen flat dumplings and tender rotisserie chicken, this great recipe comes together in under an hour, making it perfect for busy weeknights.
It’s one of those dishes that feels like you spent all day in the kitchen, but in reality, it’s ready before your family even asks, ‘What’s for dinner?’
My grandmother's chicken and dumplings were the best--like a giant hug in a bowl. Her recipe? The one printed on the back of Anne's frozen old-fashioned flat dumplings plus some additional veggies.
For that recipe, you take a whole chicken and boil it in enough water to cover with onion, carrots, and celery before adding the shredded meat from the cooked tender chicken along with the frozen dumplings:
Recipe from Anne's Frozen Flat Dumpling Package:
- Cook 1 whole chicken in 4 quarts of salted water until a meat thermometer registers 165°F when inserted in the thickest portion of the chicken.
- Remove the chicken from the broth (reserve the broth) and let cool slightly until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones and skin.
- Add enough water to the pot to equal 5 to 6 quarts and bring to a boil.
- Remove the dumplings from the freezer 5 minutes before cooking. Separate each layer of dumplings and add 8 to 10 dumpling strips to the boiling broth.
- Return the broth to a boil and add 8 to 10 more dumplings. Continue cooking until all the dumplings are used.
- Boil for 8 to 12 minutes or until the dumplings are tender, stirring occasionally to keep the dumplings separated.
- Stir in the cooked chicken and boil for 2 more minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand 20 to 30 minutes before serving.
While the result of this old-school version is delicious, the process is really involved. So, I wanted to create a quicker version of the classic Southern recipe using some convenience items: those same frozen dumplings my grandmother used plus cooked rotisserie chicken. It’s a lifesaver on busy days when you still want to serve something warm and hearty without spending all evening at the stove.
The result? The broth is still silky, the dumplings are just as satisfyingly chewy, and no one will ever guess you took a few smart shortcuts to make this classic comfort food dish. It’s perfect for a cozy Sunday dinner, meal prepping for the week, or even serving a crowd at a potluck. It's a win-win!
Interested in more Southern comfort food recipes like the ones I grew up eating? You'll love my Jiffy sweet potato cornbread. Be sure to check out my pimiento cheese with jalapeños too.
Another favorite Southern recipe of mine? Chocolate Coca Cola cake. But enough about that. Ready to make these easy and delicious chicken and dumplings? Let’s get cooking!
Jump to:
Ingredients
Before we get started, let's gather the ingredients we need for this easy chicken and dumplings recipe:
- rotisserie chicken
- salted butter
- all-purpose flour
- yellow onion
- carrots
- celery
- whole milk
- chicken broth
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- bay leaf
- fresh thyme
- fresh parsley
- Anne's frozen dumplings
(See recipe card for quantities.)
Instructions
Now that we've got our ingredients, it's time to get cooking!
- First, melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables.
- Next, gradually add the chicken broth and milk. Add the bay leaf and thyme and bring the soup to a simmer.
- Then, add the dumpling strips, about 2 sheets at a time. Return the soup to a simmer over medium heat and continue to add the dumplings until all are added to the soup. Simmer over low heat for 10 minutes or until the dumplings are tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs.
- Finally, stir in the shredded chicken and cook until heated through. Divide the chicken and dumplings between serving bowls and garnish with parsley, if desired.
Hint: Keep the dumplings frozen just until about 5 minutes before you add them to the stew. If you're having trouble separating the sheets of dough, you can also zap them in the microwave for 15 seconds.
Hint #2: The rotisserie chicken is much easier to shred when it's warm. I like to go ahead and prep it after coming home from the grocery store and transfer the pulled chicken to a storage container until I'm ready to make the chicken and dumplings.
Substitutions
Here are some ideas if you need to make ingredient substitutions:
- Rotisserie chicken - Instead of rotisserie chicken, you can use leftover cooked chicken or even leftover turkey from the holidays. One rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded, equals about 3 ½ cups.
- Whole milk - You can use 2% milk or half-and-half instead of whole milk. Or, for a richer option, reduce the amount of flour and add heavy cream instead.
- Chicken broth - Use chicken stock, vegetable broth, or vegetable stock instead of chicken broth.
- Frozen flat dumplings - A canned biscuit topping or frozen buttermilk biscuit topping is delicious in place of the frozen flat dumplings. Add them to the top of the hot broth, cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the biscuits are cooked through. In a pinch, flour tortillas, cut into strips also work.
- Fresh thyme - If you don't have fresh thyme, you can use 1 teaspoon of dried thyme instead. Poultry seasoning is another great option.
Variations
There are so many ways to change up this easy recipe. Check out these variations:
- Spicy - Like a little heat in your dinner? Add some cayenne pepper to the stew as it cooks.
- Cajun Chicken and Dumplings - Omit the carrots and add some green bell pepper instead. Brown some andouille sausage along with the vegetables. Add some Cajun seasoning to the mixture.
- Cheesy Garlic Chicken and Dumplings - Stir in some minced garlic and grated Parmesan cheese.
Equipment
Here's the equipment you'll need for this old-fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe:
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- Dutch oven or large stock pot
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
You can freeze leftovers, but just know that the dumplings will thicken the mixture significantly. Once you reheat, add extra broth to thin things out.
Make-Ahead Tip: If you want to prep this meal ahead of time, you can make the soup base (without the dumplings) and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When you're ready to serve, reheat the soup and add the dumplings. Cook according to the instructions.
Tasty Tip
The chicken and dumplings will thicken up the longer they sit. If they get too thick, you can always add more broth.
Frequently asked questions
Chicken and dumplings are believed to have been created in the South. Because of the use of humble ingredients, it was a comforting staple dish during hard economic times.
Chicken and dumplings are supposed to be thick, creamy, and comforting.
There are several factors that can lead to the dumplings falling apart. First is the dough--was it too thick? That's why I like to use the frozen dumplings--it takes the guess work out of the equation.
Other possibilities are boiling the broth too vigorously, overcooking the dumplings, or stirring the mixture too much as it cooks. The key to this dish is to let it simmer gently.
Pasta dough and flat dumpling dough is similar, but the only difference is that dumpling dough doesn't have egg in it--it's typically just flour and water.
Nope! I let them hang out for just about 5 minutes before adding them to the soup mixture.
Yes! You can prepare the soup base in advance and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. When ready to serve, reheat the soup and then add the dumplings. It'll help them maintain their texture.
To prevent the dumplings from clumping, stir them gently after adding them to the broth and ensure they are fully submerged in the hot broth. Adding them gradually helps, too.
Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a little broth or milk to thin out the mixture as needed. Stir gently to prevent breaking up the dumplings.
Related
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with these old fashioned chicken and dumplings:
🍽Get the recipe
Southern Chicken and Dumplings with Anne's Dumplings
Equipment
- chef's knife
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- Dutch oven
Ingredients
- ¼ cup salted butter
- 1 yellow onion, chopped
- 2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 1 stalk celery, sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 large sprigs fresh thyme
- ½ (24-ounce) package Anne's old-fashioned flat dumplings (about 8 sheets)
- 1 rotisserie chicken, skinned and shredded (about 3 ½ cups)
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Season with the salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes or until the onions are tender. Add the flour and stir to coat the vegetables evenly.
- Gradually add the chicken broth and the milk, stirring to combine. Add the bay leaf and thyme sprigs. Bring the soup to a simmer.
- Remove the dumplings from the freezer while bringing the soup to a simmer (you'll only need half the package of dumplings). Carefully tear the dumplings along the perforations. Add 8 to 10 dumplings to the simmering soup.
- Return to a boil over medium heat. Add 8 to 10 more dumplings. Continue the process of letting the soup come to a boil and adding the dumplings until all the dumplings are added. Cook for 10 more minutes or until tender. Remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs from the soup.
- Stir the chicken into the simmering soup and cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste if necessary.
- To serve, divide the soup and dumplings evenly between serving bowls. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
Recipe guidelines and test kitchen tips
When developing and testing recipes, here are some key things that I do for more success in the kitchen:
- Be sure to use dry measuring cups for things like flour, sugar, and mayonnaise and a liquid measuring cup for things like water, milk, and broth.
- When measuring dry ingredients like flour and powdered sugar that can pack down, spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup and level with a knife as opposed to scooping the measuring cup into the ingredient.
- I test and develop recipes using a standard electric oven and standard gas stovetop. Be aware that if you use an electric stovetop or convection oven, your bake times will be different.
- When recipes call for kosher salt, I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt.
Food safety
Finally, don't forget to keep these food safety tips in mind when making this recipe.
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods.
- Never leave cooking food unattended.
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove.
- Be sure to let the chicken and dumplings come to room temperature before transferring leftovers to the refrigerator or freezer.
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food that previously touched raw meat.
- Wash your hands after touching raw meat.
Leave a Reply