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How to Make Momma's Best Chicken and Dumplings - A Step-by-Step Guide

If there's one thing that can instantly transport you back to your childhood, it's the comforting and soul-warming taste of Momma's Best Chicken and Dumplings. This classic dish is a staple in Southern comfort food, and for good reason. The tender chicken, savory broth, and fluffy dumplings all come together in a bowl of pure nostalgia and love.

Every family has their own version of this beloved recipe, and for many, it's a closely guarded secret passed down through generations. But th...

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Ingredients

  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 ribs celery, quartered
  • 1 large carrot, quartered
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon mashed garlic
  • 2 large bay leaves
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ⅛ teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 2 pounds bone-in chicken breasts
  • water to cover
  • 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (such as White Lily®)
  • 2 cups self-rising flour (such as White Lily®)
  • ¼ cup cold shortening
  • ¼ cup chicken broth, slightly chilled

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 28 mins
  • Additional Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs 33 mins
  • Servings: 8
  • Yield: 8 servings

  • Gather all ingredients.
  • Melt butter in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add celery, carrot, onion, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning; cook and stir until flavors combine, about 5 minutes.
  • Push vegetable mixture to the sides and add chicken; cook until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.
  • Pour enough water over the chicken to cover by 3 inches; bring to a boil. Stir, scraping the browned bits off of the bottom of the pot. Reduce heat; simmer until chicken is tender, about 1 hour.
  • Transfer chicken and carrots to a serving plate with a large slotted spoon; let cool.
  • Ladle 1/4 cup cooking liquid into a bowl; cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Mix in 2 tablespoons flour. Stir back into the pot.
  • Place 2 cups flour in a large bowl; cut in shortening with 2 knives until mixture forms pea-sized bits. Mix in chilled chicken broth until dough is combined.
  • Turn dough out onto a floured work surface. Knead 5 to 6 times; pat down to 1-inch thickness. Sprinkle lightly with flour; roll out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Cut dough into squares with a sharp knife.
  • Drop squares, in batches, into simmering cooking liquid, moving squares to the side with each addition. Partially cover pot; simmer until dumplings are firm, about 12 minutes. Separate any dumplings that stick together. Remove from heat; keep covered.
  • Bone chicken; cut into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot. Chop carrot; return to the pot. Cool chicken and dumplings, about 30 minutes, before serving.
  • Enjoy!

    • Nutrition

    405 cal.

    • Total Fat: 19g
    • Saturated Fat: 7g
    • Cholesterol: 83mg
    • Sodium: 718mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 28g
    • Dietary Fiber: 2g
    • Total Sugars: 1g
    • Protein: 28g
    • Vitamin C: 2mg
    • Calcium: 144mg
    • Iron: 3mg
    • Potassium: 328mg

    Categories

    Chicken recipes
    Dumpling recipes
    Soup recipes
    Comfort food recipes