You could serve this vintage recipe with succulent chicken, fluffy ‘from-scratch’ dumplings, and very baby-rich gravy as a soul-soothing hearty comfort meal that provides real richness through its hearty flavors and textures, especially during family suppers and intimate gatherings. This dish, garnished with fresh parsley, is as tasteful as it looks, making it a clear fit for fine presentation.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
True Comfort Food: The rich, tasty broth, and soft little dumplings make this recipe a warming dish from the inside out.
Hearty and Filling: Loaded with white-meat chicken and fresh vegetables, fluffy dumplings-all one-pot meal.
Customizable: Easy herb swaps, conjuring seasonings, or adding extra veggies can work for you wonderfully well.
Family-Friendly: You can have a whole lot of fans lined up in front of this dish, perfect for family dinners and typical potluck gatherings.
Easy to Make: It might look a little impressive, but actually the steps to accomplishing the whole meal are pretty straightforward and pretty friendly.
Key Ingredients
Chicken: A mix of white and dark meat for depth of flavor. The bone-in pieces give the broth that robust, luscious taste.
Vegetables (Onion and Celery): These are the aromatics for delicious broth base, bringing sweetness and dimension to the broth.
Homemade Dumplings: The star of the dish, these are light and fluffy, made beautifully from simple ingredients like flour, baking powder, and milk.
Parsley: Adds the color and freshness of herbs to the dish, cutting the heartiness of the broth and gravy.
Complete list of ingredients with quantities and instructions is located in the recipe card below
Step-by-Step Directions
Preparing the Chicken and Broth
Combine Ingredients:
In a large pot, place 7 pounds of cut-up chicken pieces.
Add:
4 cups chicken stock
2 chopped onions
3 chopped celery stalks
2 teaspoons of salt
Simmer:
Set the pot over medium-low heat and partially cover.
Simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
This process melds the flavors of the chicken and vegetables, creating a rich broth.
Preparing the Dumplings
Mix Wet Ingredients:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together:
1 egg
1/4 cup milk
Combine Dry Ingredients:
Add to the wet mixture:
1 cup flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
Mix until just combined.
Add Butter:
Cut 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter into the flour mixture.
Mix until the texture becomes crumbly.
Add Parsley:
Stir in 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for added flavor.
Form Dumplings:
Drop 6 large spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture onto the top of the simmering chicken.
Space them evenly to allow for expansion.
Cook Dumplings:
Cover the pot and simmer for 10 minutes.
The steam will cook the dumplings, making them fluffy and tender.
Making the Gravy
Remove Chicken and Dumplings:
Carefully transfer the chicken and dumplings to a large serving bowl.
Cover and set aside to keep warm.
Strain Broth:
Strain the stock left in the pot, pressing the vegetables to extract all the flavorful liquid.
Return the strained stock to the pot.
Thicken the Broth:
In a small bowl, whisk together:
1 cup water
1/2 cup flour
Stir the slurry into the strained stock.
Boil:
Bring the stock to a boil, stirring constantly, until it thickens into a gravy (about 3-5 minutes).
Combine:
Return the chicken and dumplings to the pot.
Gently mix them into the thickened gravy so the dumplings absorb the flavor.
Serve
Garnish:
Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley.
Enjoy:
Serve hot and savor this comforting classic!
Serving Suggestions
Green Beans: Plump, brightly dressed green beans or sautéed spinach (save the color for garnishing.
Crusty Bread: Can be served along with an eyebrow-tasteze later.
Side Salad: Conversely, a simple companion salad with a dab of light vinaigrette.
Beverages: A glass of white wine, iced tea, or sparkling water provides the finishing touch.
Storage Tips
Refrigeration: Leftovers may be airtight for the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Freeze: Chickens and gravies freeze very well, but dumplings would likely alter its texture. Therefore, it is best to portion out chicken and juices from dumplings and place in freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
Reheat: Preheat in the stovetop over medium flame while adding a little bit of chicken stock or water if the gravy is too firm.
Variations
Herb Twist: Dropping herb sprays like thyme, rosemary, and dill in dumplings or gravy would veer them to another flavor profile.
Vegetables Additives: Add carrots, peas, or parsnips to the java’s veggies.
Silky Gravy: Pour a little heavy cream to beef up the richness of the gravy.
Finale in Flour: Use GF flour in place of white AP for dietary needs.
A Little Heat!: Add a fleet cayenne spice into the mix or take it through a softer route then with smoked paprika.
Conclusion
This recipe for Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings is absolutely comfort served up on a plate. If it’s not the tender chicken, the fluffy dumplings, or the savory gravy, it’s the plate that draws families together around the table. Sunday dinner, in celebration of a holiday or on a weekday evening, there probably isn’t a soul who won’t like it.
So break out your biggest pot, take in the comforting fragrances, and enjoy every bite just like your mother or grandmother made.
Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 7 pounds cut-up chicken pieces
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 onions chopped
- 3 stalks celery chopped
- 3 teaspoons salt divided
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour divided
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley divided
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot, combine chicken pieces, chicken stock, onions, celery, and 2 teaspoons of salt. Simmer over medium-low heat, partially covered, for 15-20 minutes until chicken is tender.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together egg and milk. Add 1 cup flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix until just combined. Cut in butter until crumbly, then stir in 1 tablespoon parsley. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture onto the simmering chicken, spacing evenly. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove chicken and dumplings from the pot and set aside. Strain the broth, pressing vegetables for liquid, and return to the pot. In a small bowl, whisk water and 1/2 cup flour to make a slurry. Stir slurry into broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until thickened.
- Return chicken and dumplings to the pot. Gently mix to coat with gravy. Garnish with remaining parsley and serve hot.
