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Last Updated on September 23, 2025 by Melanie
Chicken and Buttermilk Dumplings – Perfect. Rich and creamy meal with chicken and vegetables topped with homemade dumplings made with fresh buttermilk. Comfort food in a bowl.
Comfort food. That’s what today’s post is all about. I tell you. It’s that time of year where all I’m craving is soups, stews and chili. Anything to keep me and the family warm on the inside. But I’m not complaining at all. Even though winter is no fun in some ways.
In other ways I’m learning to enjoy it for the season that it is. A period of the year to slow down. To organize, refocus priorities, eat better and spend less. There I just said a lot of amazing things. So how could I dare ever say that I don’t like January? I’m getting excited just as write those words. These are all great parts of my life. And aren’t we suppposed to look for the best in everything? I found it in you January. I finally found it!
And the soup, stew and chili? Well they’re just the icing on an already decadent cake! Are you grabbing a soup to enjoy with me? I hope you do. This stuff is too good to pass up.
I’ve been working on trying several chicken and dumpling recipes over the last few months. Because I really did want to bring you the best. The last one I tried was great but this one blew it out of the water. And because we loved it so much I was pretty sure you would too.
Til we meet and eat again,
FOLLOW ALONG: Gather for Bread
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Chicken and Buttermilk Dumplings
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 -8 servings 1x
Description
Chicken and Buttermilk Dumplings – Perfect. Rich and creamy meal with chicken and vegetables topped with homemade dumplings made with fresh buttermilk. Comfort food in a bowl.
Ingredients
- 1 roasting chicken (about 5 pounds, cut up into pieces)
- 10 cups water
- 1 large onion (chopped)
- 4 medium carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 3 celery stalks (chopped)
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
- 1/2 cup half-and-half cream
FOR DUMPLINGS:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup butter (melted)
Instructions
- Rinse chicken. Place in a stockpot or Dutch oven. Add water, onion, chopped carrots, celery, garlic cloves and salt.
- Bring to a boil. Skim foam from top of broth if necessary. Reduce the heat. Cover and simmer for 1-1/2 hours or until chicken is tender.
- Remove chicken from broth. When it’s cool enough to handle, debone pull apart into bite sized pieces. Strain the broth, reserving broth and vegetables. Set aside.
- In the same pot, melt butter. Stir in flour, paprika and pepper until smooth. Gradually stir in 6 cups reserved broth (save remaining broth for another use). Bring this to a boil. Boil and stir for 2 minutes. Turn the heat down to medium-low and stir in the half and half, reserved vegetables and chicken. Cover and turn heat back up. Allow it to come to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer.
- For dumplings
- Combine flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in a bowl. Combine eggs, buttermilk and butter in a separate bowl. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients to form a stiff batter.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls onto simmering soup mixture. Cover and simmer 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a dumpling comes out clean (do not uncover while simmering). Serve immediately.
Notes
You can also cook the chicken as a whole. It will take longer. Just check temperature to be assured that it’s cooked the whole way through.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Category: Dinner
Recipe adapted just slightly from Taste of Home
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I can never say no to chicken and dumplings! I love how creamy these look. It is the perfect meal for a cold winter day!
They’re irresistible to me too!Thanks Ashley.
Ooh this looks so comforting – AND so flavorful! I’ve never made my own dumplings so thanks so much for this recipe, Melanie! Happy Monday!
My favorite soup comfort food! Mmmm! My grandma made this every year at our cabin. Brings me great memories : )
Oh my gosh, this is just pure comfort food, Melanie! I can remember my mom making us kids chicken and dumplings in the dead of winter—totally a favorite. 🙂 I can’t wait to try your gorgeous version!
This was amazing. The dumplings were light and delicious. New favorite!
I made this recipe for my then fiancé (now husband) despite him not being a big fan of chicken and dumplings and, he loved it! Only thing I did different was that I b0iled the chicken with some complete seasoning and some bay leaves. Then before adding the dumplings I added some Knorr chicken bullion and white pepper. These small changes made it all so flavorful.
Thanks for leaving your feedback Irma! So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I omitt these eggs