You will LOVE these Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings just the way my Texas Grandma used to cook them! A big bowl of this filling hot soup is comfort food at it’s very best!
Fall is upon us, and Old Man Winter is just around the corner. Not too sure about you, but I tend to “hunker down” during this season of the year, and yearn for fires in the fireplace, a warm home, and good old comfort food, like a big pot of my Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings! Yum!
Scroll Down For A Printable Recipe Card At The Bottom Of The Page
Why Are These Dumplings Flat Like Noodles?
I used to wonder about the use of the word “dumplings” in the name, since a lot of people make biscuit-like dumplings (and these look more like noodles), but if my beloved Southern Grandma called them “dumplings”, well then “dumplings” they will be! Even Wikipedia tells us “dumplings” can be either PUFFY (typical in the Northeast) or ROLLED FLAT(Southern style!).
My Grandma, who lived in East Texas before she passed away, used to make this wonderful chicken n’ dumpling soup for us when we would visit on family vacations. My mom also made Grandma’s recipe for our family, then I began making this same recipe for my family many, many years ago. Our grown sons love this soup, as well, and I can’t even begin to count how many times they have eaten this meal.
Our oldest son, who is now 33 years old, still requests this as part of his birthday celebration, which amazes me to this day! It is REALLY simple, absolutely delicious, comforting and filling, and is very inexpensive to make… which is probably why I’ve been making this meal for so long!
Why Is This Recipe Good On The Old Wallet?
I start with a whole chicken. That’s the main ingredient in this soup, and I only use half the meat from the chicken, so I get another entire other meal out of the rest. That, to me, is a win-win. Any time I can spend about $5 on a chicken and get two meals (plus leftovers) out of the deal is a good thing! I am sharing lots of pics for this recipe, but don’t let that scare you. This is simple, people!
So How Do I Make These Yummy Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings?
Place a whole thawed chicken (that is rinsed and cavity cleared) into a large stockpot. Cover with water. (If you want you can add 1/2 cup each of chopped onion, celery, and carrots to help flavor the broth, but it really is not necessary). Bring the water to boiling and cook the chicken for 1 hour.
When done, remove the chicken to a large bowl to cool down.
Pour the broth through a sieve to strain out any veggies, particles, etc. Pour broth back into stockpot. I discard the veggies I flavored the broth with, but if you want to leave them in, go for it!
When the chicken has cooled, remove the skin. You can usually just pull it off from the different pieces using your clean hands.
Cutting The Meat Off The Chicken
The chicken will be so tender the legs and thighs will easily tear off. I like to put a flexible cutting board on a baking sheet with edges, to help catch any liquid run-off.
Cut or pull off all the meat from the chicken, and place into a large bowl. The chicken should be cut into bite sized pieces. I usually end up with between 4-5 cups of shredded chicken.
Store Extra Chicken For Use In Another Recipe!
I like to use about 2 -2 1/2 cups of chicken for this recipe. You can use all of the chicken if you want, but I prefer to put the rest of the chicken into a freezer bag and into my freezer, so I have cooked chicken ready for another meal (like quesadillas, enchiladas, casseroles, etc.), as well!
Add The Chicken Pieces To The Broth
At this point, you will need to add 2 to 2 1/2 cups of shredded chicken back into the pot of chicken broth.
I add two large cubes of chicken bouillon to the hot broth to add additional flavor. The cubes will break down and dissolve as the southern-style chicken ‘n dumplings cook.
Make The Dumplings
Heat the broth back up on medium high heat. While it is coming to a boil, I make the dumplings. I know a lot of people make big puffy biscuit-like “dumplings”, but this is how my Grandma made Southern-style chicken n’ dumplings, and that is why they look like large noodles.
Start by blending flour, salt, and shortening together using a pastry cutter, cutting it in until the shortening is the size of small peas. Easy!
Hot water and more flour is added and mixture is firmed up into a large dough ball. Let the chicken n’ dumplings dough rest for about 10 minutes, then shape into 3 equal sized portions.
Roll And Slice The Dumplings
Roll out the dough on a flour covered surface, one dough ball at a time, until it is thinly rolled out, and about the size of a pie crust.
Use a pizza cutter (or a very sharp knife) to cut the chicken n’ dumpling dough into long strips about an inch wide. Repeat the entire rolling/cutting process with the other two dough balls, adding additional flour to cutting board before rolling each one.
Add The Dumplings To The Soup Broth
Once the broth is boiling, carefully drop the “dumplings” a few at a time into the boiling broth, continuing until all the dumplings are in the pot.
Add a small amount of butter, as well as salt and pepper to the soup to help season it. Taste the broth, then add additional salt and/or pepper to suit your taste. I usually add a LOT of pepper to ours.
Mix a couple spoonfuls of flour with some cold water (blend it well with a fork), and add it to the soup. This will help to thicken up the broth.
Time To Eat Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings!
Cook the Southern-style chicken n’ dumplings until broth has thickened a bit, and is very hot. When ready to serve, ladle the soup into individual serving bowls, and serve with a big piece of crusty French bread on the side. That’s it! This is so yummy… and is “comfort food” at its best! Not only that, but the leftovers are amazing!
Sure hope you will give these Southern-style chicken n’ dumplings a try. You might even enjoy a few other soups I have here on the blog, like Albondigas Soup, Chicken Wild Rice and Bacon Soup, or any of the soups you can find in the Recipe Index at the top of the page.
There’s nothing better than having a big pot of Grandma’s Southern-Style Chicken n’ Dumplings available to slurp on during the cold Fall and Winter seasons! Enjoy!
Interested In More Recipes?
Thank you for visiting this website. I appreciate you using some of your valuable time to do so. If you’re interested, I publish a newsletter 2 times per month (1st and 15th) with all the latest recipes, and other fun info. I would be honored to have you join our growing list of subscribers, so you never miss a great recipe!
There is a Newsletter subscription box on the top right side (or bottom) of each blog post, depending on the device you use, where you can easily submit your e-mail address (only) to be included in my mailing list.
You Can Also Find Me On Social Media:
Facebook page: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Pinterest: The Grateful Girl Cooks!
Instagram: jbatthegratefulgirlcooks
Recipe Source: My Grandma B.
↓↓ PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW ↓↓
- 1 whole chicken , thawed and cleaned (remove and discard giblets from cavity)
- 1/2 cup carrots , celery, and onion (OPTIONAL-to flavor the chicken broth)
- Water to completely cover chicken in a large stockpot.
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 heaping Tablespoons vegetable shortening
- 1/2 cup HOT water
- 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- Two large chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 Tablespoon butter
- 1/4 cup water mixed with 2 Tablespoons flour
- Salt and Pepper , to taste (approx. 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
- Put the chicken and the veggies (if using) in a large stockpot. Cover completely with water. Bring to a quick boil, then continue cooking chicken for one hour. When done, remove chicken to large bowl to cool. Strain broth to remove leftover veggies or other particles. Return broth to stockpot.
- Once chicken is cool, remove skin, then cut chicken into bite sized pieces. (At this point I divide the chicken pieces in half, and freeze half for use in another meal).
- Add chicken pieces (approx. 2 1/2 cups) back into chicken broth. Heat the chicken and broth back up to boiling. Add bouillon cubes, salt and pepper (to taste).
- While chicken is coming to a boil, make the dumplings. In a large bowl, using a pastry blender or two knives, cut the shortening and salt into the cup of flour, until shortening is the size of small peas. Add 1/2 cup HOT water and 1/2 cup, plus 2 Tablespoons of flour to the mixture. Stir and work the mixture until a soft dough ball forms (firm enough to roll out). Divide dough into 3 equal sized balls, then let the dough rest for 10 minutes.
- Generously flour a work surface. Roll each dough ball out (one at a time), sprinkling with flour (if necessary) to keep dough from sticking to work surface. Roll out to about the size of a large pie crust (roll out thin). Cut dough into strips about an inch wide using a pizza cutter or knife. Repeat process for remaining dough balls.
- Drop dumplings a couple at a time into hot boiling chicken/broth mixture until all have been added to pot; add butter, and continue cooking.
- Make a slurry by mixing 1/4 cup water with 2 large Tablespoons flour. Stir well to combine, then add to soup pot, and stir well. (this helps to thicken broth a bit). Cook an additional 10 minutes on high to fully cook dumplings. Taste test broth, and add additional salt and pepper, if desired. Ladle hot soup into bowls, serve, and enjoy (especially with crusty french bread on the side!)
If you are pressed for time, you can always start with store bought chicken broth (cook the chicken in water/drain, THEN use broth in pot), and can also use a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken to get the chicken from, BUT I prefer to make it the way I have posted it, as it is far less expensive... but, hey... whatever works, right?
Here’s one more to pin on your Pinterest boards!
I grew up standing at my Tennessee grandma’s side watching her roll out dumplings from scratch. It was hands-down our favorite meal she made. When she went to be with Jesus, no one in our family had thought to have her write down her recipe. So when I stumbled across your recipe, I tried it and crossed my fingers. I could have cried when we first tried this. It was just like Grandma’s. And now when I make it, it’s like a walk down memory lane for our family. Thank you for taking the time to share your grandmother’s recipe… our family is grateful!
Hi, Brooke… sorry about the late reply. I have been out of the country for almost a month. So happy to hear you enjoyed the dumplings! It seems like our Grandma’s had some of the best comfort food recipes, right? Have a great day, and thank you for taking time to write.
My husband’s grandmother made chicken and dumplings this way, except that she used a can of biscuits instead of making a dough. Use cheap biscuits, roll them out flat, cut them in strips and drop in broth. Simple and amazing!
This is the kind of dumplings I grew up on being raised by my Mississippi grandmother. Thank you for this recipe.
Thank you, JB, for this great recipe. I found your site a year ago and made this recipe exactly as written; this is now my go-to recipe. These chicken and dumplings are so good – just like my Texas grandma made. Yep, I’m an old Texas gal too, now living in Far-Out West Texas.
I’ve been wanting to attempt this for years. I plan to surprise the little family I have left, with this for Thanksgiving! I remember watching my grandmother rolling out her dough and cutting into squares. Sometimes I’d help put some in. She was from Etoile, TX, if anybody knows where that is!
These are the best dumplings ever!! I did chg some things. Doubled the recipe, used butter, grated 2 lg Knorrs ck cubes into mixture. Used broth instead of hot water. Cut into squares and froze half for next time. Worked wonderfully!! As they were freezing I shook the bag couple times, to prevent sticking.
My Grandma made the best rolled dumplings ever. I have never found a recipe for em until now !!!!!! Thanks so !such for sharing.so very yummy takes me back to the piney woods
This was the dumplings cooked at church socials back in the day. I’ve multiplied the recipe by 5, and shared with family and friends. They all rave about the dumplings, said it takes them back to their Mom’s cooking. Thank you so much for taking things back to the basics. We are going to need these recipes if the economy doesn’t change. By the way, our local fast food restaurant sells a small container of dumplings for $5.00. I can make a whole pot and feed several people for that amount. Again, thank you again for sharing!
My Grandmother called this Pot Pie. She cut the dough in squares.
Thank you for this recipe
I have used this recipe forever,however I use the rolled pie dough you can buy,it’s generally by the biscuits two in a package let thaw spread it out on a floured countertop cut them in wide strips,then, you determin how long and wide you want them,I find the rolled dough holds together longer.
Can cream be added to this recipe, to make it you know, creamier?
I haven’t done this for this recipe, but if you want to try it, I would suggest adding it toward the very end, and don’t let it boil.
My in-laws made dumplings like this. The only difference was that they added milk (a quart to a half gallon) to the broth before adding the dumplings. I’m sure cream would be delicious as well.
I’m from East Texas and my grandmother made them very similar and I grew up have this Southern delicacy. I have continued the tradition for the past fifty years. I’m making a dinner for our American legion and this is one of the dishes on the menu. My question is can I make the dumplings the night before and seal for the next day. I’ve never done it before and have found while leftovers are great, it tends to be too thick.
Hi, Cassy! Wow… making dinner for the American Legion members in your town? That is awesome. I have never made the dumplings ahead of time, to be honest. If I were to try, I would probably divide the dough into a couple balls, flatten into disks, then seal them very well, and roll them the next day. I think if you rolled them into individual strips ahead of time, they might dry out too much. But… that is just a guess on my part. If you do end up making them ahead of time, I would love to know the results. Good luck on this entire endeavor. I’m sure the Legion members will appreciate all your hard work!
Hi!
I’ve been looking for a recipe like my dad made. I knew it didn’t have any baking powder or such in them as they were not puffy. I’m a NC girl. We always called them chicken and dumplings. Don’t have any shortening,so I’ll have to try butter. Thanks so much
Have a blessed day
Leigh
Here in West Virginia we call them dumplings. I grew up with a recipe similar to this one. Only exceptions were that we cut the dough into squares and add to the broth to cook before adding the chicken. I like to make mine a little thicker by adding cream of chicken soup after adding the chicken and if on hand, a little bacon fat to the broth. If you don’t want to make your own dumplings, there is a great product made by Aunt Annie’s that are also called flat dumplings. They are found here in the frozen foods section.
My grandmother did not read or write and all her recipes were handed down by word of mouth. I can remember standing in the kitchen and watching her roll out the dough. She is cut it in long strips; but then she would pick up a strip and break off different sizes to drop in the pot. This was some of the best eating this NC girl ever had. Looking forward to making some for myself!
Great memories, right? I hope you enjoy the recipe, Susan! Have a great day.
I read all the comments, hoping to find out where in East Texas your Grandma lived. Do you mind saying? We’re in Nacogdoches, The Oldest Town in Texas. My Grandma Annie lived in Roganville, between Jasper and Kirbyville.
Both of my grandmas lived in East Texas. One in Atlanta, the other in Bloomburg.
Finally a recipe similar to the one I make. I use melted shortening instead of hot water, some of the broth and cut my dumplings in small rectangles. I’m from East Texas as well.
This recipe is very close to my dads and his chicken and dumplings were the best. He too used broth from the cooked chicken liquid. He didn’t use shortening. Just salt, flour and chicken broth. He rolled them out not to thin and cut them wider,actually a triangle. Dad called them a tough dumplin. But boy they were so good. He passed away last Monday, March 20th. 92 years young. I’ll surely miss him. Thank you!!!
I had a dear friend who was from Nacogdoches. I didn’t know it is the oldest town!
Thank you for sharing a wonderful chicken n dumplins recipe. I was looking for a classic recipe, nothing can compare. As the weather starts to turn cold, this recipe will be made.
Thank you from Arkansas.
Glissons” – Chicken & Sliders
The sliders, also called “glissons”, refer to the homemade noodles that swim in chicken broth.
The dish was popular during the Great Depression. My mother, like so many others, came from a home with many siblings. Families learned to make due with what was on hand.
My grandma called them “sliders” too!
We have slider recipe also from my great grandmother. The word in French is glissière
These ARE dumplings. Those recipes that call for leavening in their dough are making BISCUITS, NOT dumplings, no matter what THEY call them. Dumplings are flat, NOT risen, like large pasta. So many lazy folks tear off pieces of canned biscuit dough and drop it in the broth and think they are making dumplings. WRONG! Those are just wet biscuits—delicious, yes, but NOT DUMPLINGS!
Your receipt sounds great, that is basically what I do with a few changes, I use a fresh chicken, and boil the same take out take off skin, and hold the chicken until I make and cook the dumplings.
I use a boiling cup of broth, this eliminates, the bouillon cubes, I also, use one fresh egg beat up and put into the broth. Everything else is the same, except, I do not put the chicken back in the dumplings until the dumplings have boiled and cooked for about 20 mins on med. high., this keeps the chicken pieces whole when serving.
I have been wanting to make chicken and dumplings like my mom and grandma. This recipe sounds pretty close but mom always used broth in the flour. I always made them like this but after I was diagnosed with Celiac disease I stopped making them. Now I want to try again with my better gf flour blends.
My mom always used a certain kind of chicken and for the life of me I can’t remember..something about a fatter chicken?
Thanks for posting
Stewing chicken. Your local butcher shop should have them. Stewing chickens have more yellow fat.
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
made my first EVER mess of good dumplin’s with this recipe. They were so good I’m gonna make ’em again. Thank you
I grew up in central Ohio in the 1950s. My Mom and Grandma made this same thing but we called it “pot pie” or “popeye”. I’ve since learned that the Pennsylvania Dutch call it “bot boi”, which is probably where the name we used derives from. In any case, as far as I’m concerned, this IS the ultimate comfort food. Brings back great memories of cold winter evenings in my Mom’s kitchen, heated by the wood-fired cook stove.
OMG!! My gramma used to call it Popeye too!! I’ve never heard anyone ever say this. This made my day. My family comes from Ohio, that is where I was born.
Just like my grandma from Oklahoma used to make! She died before I ever got her recipe, so thank you!!!
I can not wait to try these!! I’ve looked for years to try and find a recipe that looked like my grandmother’s (also TX) and I’ve only ever seen puffy biscuit like dumplings. Definitely not the same. I’ve tried so many recipes and have been disappointed every time. Kicking myself for not asking her (or paying attention) before she went to heaven. Thank you for sharing this. It’s on my meal plan for this weekend. If I can wait that long.
My mom does a “easy@ version; chicken breasts cubed, egg yoke noodles, cream of chicken soup or if she wants biscuits instead of noodles she uses biscuits cut in 1/4’s. It’s good and fast. I orefer making it with the whole chicken, etc like the original recipe but it’s good either way. My family in the NW uses veggies and it basically becomes chicken noodle soup instead of chicken and dumplings.
I was taught by my OK granny to make noodles with eggs, water, and self-rising flour. I put my chicken in the crockpot, debone, then boil the skin and bones for extra broth. Bouillon cubes for extra flavor. Roll out and cut with pizza cutter, knife, or scissors. I have used this recipe for almost 60 years, and always have people want my recipe.
I’ve been looking for a chicken and dumpling recipe for years. My mother and grandmother were from south Texas. They used eggs in their dumplings but all the recipes I’ve seen only use 1 egg. My mom would use about 6 eggs and her dumplings would go into the boiling broth a couple at a time, take them out a place in a large bowl until all have had the short bath. Then she would put them back in the boiling broth to finish cooking. I think the purpose was to keep them from falling apart. Does anyone out there have a recipe that uses eggs.
How long do you usually cook the dumplings after putting them in the broth? Also, do you keep the heat on high the whole time? At what point do you put the mixture in at the end?
This recipe is AMAZING! I used chicken thighs instead of the whole chicken, and just fewer dumplings as it could not fit in the pot. I received thumbs up from my kids. Thank you for sharing the recipe 🙂
I love making chicken and dumplings here in New Hampshire! The only thing I do that is different is add homemade broth instead of hot water to the flour. It gives the dumplings/noodles a little extra flavor.
NC southern girl here! In our family this was known as chicken pastry and the drop biscuit or cornmeal type was considered dumplins. I used to help my Granny make this all the time when I was growing up. I always loved helping her in the kitchen. Your version is very much like hers. Definitely brings back some fond memories every time I make it.
These look and sound so much like my East Texas great grandmother’s I’m thinking we might be related! I have been looking for an authentic “from scratch” recipe and definitely think I’ve found it. Can’t wait to make these! We eat ours with cornbread. Thank you from the bottom of my Piney Woods heart ❤️
Hope you enjoy them, Carol! I just made a big pot of them two nights ago for us, and for our oldest son who is staying with us (he evacuated to our home during our horrible Oregon fires). It’s his favorite soup, and he totally loved that meal! By the way… I grew up eating them with cornbread, as well!
We all must be related. This is how my mom from east Texas made her chicken and dumplings too. I use to watch her but she never wrote the recipe down. Thanks for giving it back to me. Susan.
My husbands mom was from arkansas. He always tried to explain to me how her dumplings and mine are not the same.now i get it. Thank you.
How big is a serving size?
We do this as well. WHen I bake a ham I always save the juice and add it to the pot. Thinned out to deal with the salt. We them make the noodles like this and thicken it. Just before we cut it off we add some frozen corn. It is an old old time country recipe called Corny pot pie. The Carolina girl coming out in me.Drell
These turned out fantastic. The only change was instead of Knorr cubes I used the home style chicken stock concentrate.
I think adding the butter cinched it!!!
Hi, Cyndee! Glad you enjoyed the chicken n’ dumplings. Have a great day, and thank you for writing.
How long do you cook the dumbpling or how do you know when there done?
I mad these for supper and bout broke my arm patting myself on the back !! So so good.I think I’ll use the dumplin recipe for blackberry dumplins
Good morning, Janet! Hope your arm is feeling okay (ha ha). Guess those dumplins’ were a winner! And oh boy… do blackberry dumplins’ sound wonderful! Take care, thanks for writing, and have a GREAT day.
I grew up around the Amish and they call these rolled dumplings “bot boi” or “pot pie.” My grandmother’s & mother’s dumplings were different that either the fluffy or rolled ones. They used water, egg, salt & flour. Stirred them together til stiff. Then dropped them into boiling broth. Cooked them uncovered for about 12-15 min til they were cooked through. These were very heavy and almost noodle like texture.
Hi, Shari… thanks for taking time to write! Loved the little bit of “history” with yet another way to cook dumplings! I think it is fascinating to hear all these heritage stories! Take care, and have a great day.
My grandma made them this way too. She learned that from her Croatian mother!
This is close to how I make my dumplings, but I add some graduated chicken boullin, fresh chives, granulated garlic and onion, salt and pepper to my flour before mixing up my dumplings. They are amazing!
Thanks for the great tip, Kb! Take care, and have a great day.
I’m 60 and I still ask for this dinner on my birthday. Using my grandmother’s recipe, which is almost identical to yours, it is my favorite meal. We cut the dough into squares. My daughter makes it for me now. Thank you for sharing the southern style dumpling
Good morning, Cathy! Thank you for writing, and for your kind words. Yes, I have heard from folks in different parts of our country who also cut the “dumplings” into squares. You are so fortunate to have your daughter close to you so she can make the dumplings for you to enjoy! How wonderful. Take care, and have a great day.
My mom and grandma always called this slippery chicken pot pie. They usually used beef though.Iblove the pieces on top that stuck together. They always used lard in the “noodles”.
I made chicken and dumplings for Sunday meal and it was delicious. I just used the dumpling recipe and really like it. It was easy and I will not be buying anymore frozen dumplings unless I decide to be lazy and don’t feel like rolling out the dough. My question is how to store leftover dough.
YOu can roll the pastry out and wrap in some foil or plastic wrap. Roll it up then and put in a freezer baggie and put in the freezer. When you’re ready to use just take out and unwrap it and you’re good to go!
I always use a whole chicken, plus add more breasts depending on the company!!!
Florida girl here. I first made this recipe after I moved north about 5 years ago and was craving some southern comfort food. It was AMAZING. The only thing I changed was to swap the vegetable shortening for chicken fat (from cooking the chicken) and a bit of leftover bacon grease for extra flavor. I had a craving again today, and searched a whole lot of recipes on Google before I found this one again! Thanks for sharing.
Hi, Allison! Glad you enjoy these chicken n’ dumplings. You are definitely right about the Southern comfort food thing… ha ha! Take care, and stay safe. Thanks for writing!
adding the fat from the chicken broth is how my Mom did it .PS I’m almost 70 and have yet to make them to taste like hers. I will attempt again with this recipe. So many of her recipes were “till it feels right” or “till it looks right. Thank you
Hi, Janet… yes. A common theme with my grandma’s recipes is that she cooked a lot by taste, texture or until it just “felt right”. There’s a lot to be said for that, and I am so grateful for my Mom and Grandma, and their tried and true recipes! Have a great day.
I am planning to make your dumplings this week. We need some Corona virus comfort food. I will be using a rotisserie chicken and chicken broth. How much chicken broth should I use. Should I only use chicken broth, or should I mix it with water. If I mix it with water, how much water.
I haven’t made chicken and dumplins for about 20 years. I am also from East Texas, so this recipe will probably be just like the dumplins my grandmother made.
Good morning, Dena! Thanks for taking the time to write. I hope you enjoy the chicken n’ dumplings… they really DO sound good right about now during these trying times. I would recommend a minimum of 12 cups of liquid. If you have all broth, that would be great, but if necessary, you can use a little water (1-2 cups) of water to increase the amount of broth. You might want to taste test it (if adding water to broth), to see if the broth will need additional salt or pepper, but you should be good to go. Once you add the chicken pieces and the dumplings to the pot of broth, you will want your Dutch oven pan to be about 3/4 of the way full. Hope this helps a bit. Take care!
This East Texas connection is interesting. My grandmother (born 1898) grew up in Shelby Co., TX, and lived her adult life in Logansport, LA. I am wondering if this was just the standard recipe that “everyone” knew, or if these are family traditions.
We always called this dish Chicken and Gleason’s (I think it was considered a French Canadian dish). My grandmother would rool out the flat noodles in the afternoon, cut them and leave them on a floured surface until she was ready to drop them in the pot.
Hi, Kathleen! Thank you for writing! I love the tip for leaving the dumplings out on a floured surface… make ahead is always a good thing, right? Take care!
We called the flat ones chicken and pastry in Eastern NC
My grandmother was from Rocky Mount, NC, and she called it pastry, as well. It was really homey and delicious.
These are the dumplings I grew up with in Indiana, not the “puffy” kind. I still make them that way!! Although my mom used self-rising flour. So glad to see the good old dumplings that I remember.
Hi, Judy! Thanks for writing! Glad you enjoy “flat” dumplings, too! Have a great week.
Your recipe for chicken and dumplings was spot on with the way my Grandmother made the dish. With chickens being so fat nowadays, I cool the broth, then remove as much of the fat as possible with a fat separator, freeze and discard fat. Do not add the butter until fat is removed and I use 1/2 stick of butter or a full stick for a large pot of this goodness. Removing the fat will eliminate most if not all of the bad taste you could ever expect out of making this dish. Takes a bit longer, but well worth the extra step. Forget about left overs from my Tyler, Texas East Texas Hillbillies. They lick the bowl clean to show how much they appreciate this comfort food.
Good morning, Cliff! Glad your family enjoys chicken n’ dumplings the same way we do! Aren’t our Grandmother’s recipes good? Thanks for the extra tips. Take care, and have a great day.
Thank you for sharing this dumplings recipe. It is the exact way my great-grandmother maid them. Now I am trying to find a blackberry jam cake that my aunt made. The batter is ok, I have a problem with the frosting, it does not get thick. Any suggestions?
Hi! We tried this recipe tonight and it was delicious! But my dumplings didn’t “puff” 🙁 what did I do wrong? Thanks!
Good morning, Kayla! Thank you for taking the time to write. Glad you enjoyed this recipe. Sounds like you did absolutely nothing wrong! These Southern-style dumplings do not “puff” like traditional biscuit-style dumplings. Even though they are called dumplings, the end result is more like that of a flat and wide homemade noodle (Southern-style). Hope you have a great day!
Nothing. These are unleavened dumplings. No baking powder, no self rising flour. You are basically making a pie crust. They have a noodle like consistency floating in a creamy gravy with bites of shredded chicken. They should not even resemble a biscuit.
My family only likes white meat chicken breasts. Will be making this recipe in the near future and following it to a T except for the breasts. I know it will turn out just great. Have you ever made with only white meat chicken breasts?
Hi, Melissa!Thank you for taking the time to write. Yes… I have made this recipe a couple times using only chicken breasts, when that was all I had in the freezer. The chicken n’ dumplings will be just fine prepared that way (maybe with just a smidge less flavor!). The chicken bouillion cubes will help to add some good chicken flavor back into the broth. Hope you enjoy this dish. We love ’em!
Although I love chicken and dumpling made this way, i like pork dumpling even better when made this way. I use pork back bones boiled till meat will fall from bones. Using the broth and meat just like it was chicken, then make the dumplings. If you haven’t tried this it gives dumplings a new twist.
Thanks for taking time to write, Ron. Thanks, also for the new twist on the recipe using pork. Great tip! Hope you have a wonderful day.
I love those pork neck and backbones too. What a great flavor they give to most anything. I also love the flat dumplings and the puffballs too. I make both of them. I made a pot of the old fashioned chicken and dumplings using the puffballs today and look forward to using this recipe next time as it’s so much less time-consuming. Great recipe!
Thank you, Sharon! Glad you enjoy the recipe.
I LOVE pork dumplings and also use the back bones. I think the back bone meat is delicious and with dumplings? OMG, how wonderful!
Hi, is there any way to make the dumplin dough ahead of time by a couple hours? So its ready to drop in the pot to cook? Making some for Christmas get together and wanted to have as much ready as possible so when we got to Nanna’s and got ready to fix them I didn’t have to do dumplins and all then. However, didn’t wanna mess up the dumplins either. Thanks in advance!
Hi, Sarah. Thanks for writing. Sorry for the late response, because I’ve been taking care of my mom who came up for Christmas and haven’t been anywhere near my computer. I have never pre-made the dumpling dough ahead of time in all of the many times I’ve made them over the years. The thing that would concern me is that all those dumplings might stick together, which wouldn’t be too good. My suggestion might be to make the dough, divide it into balls, and wrap really tightly in plastic wrap for travel. Then while you preheat the broth part, you could roll them out and quickly cut them. Hope you have a wonderful Christmas celebration with your family, Sarah.
I make dumps basically the same way but instead of a chicken I use a fresh hen with alot of fat on her. The meat is much richer. I boil the hen in chicken broth, while it is boiling I make small cuts in the skin so it peels away from the hen and is easier to remove. When making the dumps I use the chicken broth mixed in with plain flour really seasons the dough I also use some of the broth in my dressing. I roll them out just like you do and my mama always said to give them a little pull to male them even thinner and always drop them into a boil. This is a family tradition for us and now that mama is gone my daughter and I enjoy making them. One of us rolls the dough and the other pulls and drops. We sometimes leave the chicken out and eat it as our meat since we don’t like turkey.
Hi, Malinda! Thanks for writing. Seems like an awful lot of us enjoy chicken n’ dumplings, right? Have a great day!
Like your mom, my mom also used an “old, fat hen” to make the broth, and used a cup of the broth with flour to make the dumplings. Oh so good! She also said to “strectch” the dumplings when we slid them into the boiling broth. She said to never stir the bumplings, rather lift them and turn them with the spoon. Not sure why on lifting rather than stirring unless it is so they don’t fall apart.
My mother said not to stir the dumplings because they were tender and would fall apart. As a young newly wed 50 years ago I made chicken and dumplings and stood there stirring almost constantly. Mother knows best, the dumplings completely fell apart.
Can’t wait to try this recipe! Sounds like my Mamma’s and grandmaw’s recipe! My aunt would leave the chicken out to make a delicious chicken salad on the side to be served with the chicken and dumplings! Thank you!
Good afternoon, Sandy! Thanks so much for taking time to drop me a note! I sure do hope you enjoy this recipe for chicken n’ dumplings. Funny thing is, several times I too, have used the rest of the chicken I don’t use in the recipe to make my homemade chicken salad for another meal. Ha Ha! Have a great evening!
Looks great. Can I use chicken stock instead of the bullion cubes??
Hi, Carol! Thanks for writing! Yes… absolutely you can use chicken stock instead of the cubes. Use the stock in place of the water, and you should be fine! Hope you enjoy this yummy soup!
Hi! Excited to make these tonight here in deep East Texas, as the weather is *almost* cold, not hot anyways ? Hello from Lufkin!
Good morning, Stephanie! Thanks for taking a minute to write… I sure do hope you enjoyed the chicken n’ dumplings! Have a great weekend!
This looks delicious! My grandmother used to make the BEST chicken and dumplings…This recipe is very similar to how I remember her making them.
Could I substitute the shortening with butter or margarine?
Good morning! Thank you for taking the time to write! In the over 40 years I have been making these chicken n’ dumplings I have never ventured away from my Grandma’s recipe for the dumplings, so I honestly do not know how they would fare substituting butter for the shortening. Sorry. I know that is not much help, but I truly do not know. If you do try it using butter or margaine, I would love to know how they turned out for you!
Fyi – love this recipe and have made many times with butter instead of shortening and it turns out great 🙂
Good morning, Rachel! Glad to hear you have enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for the tip about the butter, too! Thank you for taking the time to write. I appreciate it! Have a great day.
If I got vegetable shortening, I would never use it for anything else. Do you use the same amount of butter as the shortening?
Great recipe! This one is a keeper! The best!!!!
Thanks for writing, Stacy! Glad you enjoyed the chicken n’ dumplings… and have a great day!
Hi,
Thank you for sharing your recipe. I can wait to try it. I have a question, do i have to use chicken bouillon cubes? I can use something else to instead.
Thank you
Good morning, Ching. Thank you for writing. No, you do not have to use chicken bouillon cubes if you have a preferred way to make the chicken broth flavor. This is simply what I have used for years and years to add more chicken flavor to the broth. Have a great day!
My Grandma Annie made this recipe but we called it chicken and pastry. My Mom makes it whenever she visits… I try to make it but it just never tastes as good as Grandma/ or Mama’s. We always had a side dish of baked sweet potatoes. Oh to be back in my grandma’s kitchen…. sadly she passed in 1980….
Good morning, Renee! Thanks for writing! Thank you for sharing your sweet memories of your Grandma… My grandma passed around the same time as yours, and I hang on to those memories, as well! Hope you have a GREAT day!
My MIL who was from NC also called it chicken and pastry!
Hi, Sharon… yes, I have found out about so many other names this dish is called, by many visitors to this post! Fascinating, right? Take care!
Dear JB, AWESOME!!! I have my Nanny’s recipe..well did, but Military Life, & my Mom replenished it. Some recipes are just too comforting & when they are generational, they actually mean goodness & love from our ancestor’s, I think that is the best!! My hand me down recipe is exactly like yours except the 1/2 c hot water~my Nanny used Chicken Broth for the dumplings! LOVEloveLOve!!!! Great Minds think alike!!! Congratulations on your amazing 42 yrs together with your Man! I’ve been married for 26 yrs! Through thick & thin!!! Thank you!!! Respectfully, Aimee.
Good morning, Aimee! Thanks for your kind note about the chicken n’ dumplings! Thank you for your kind words about my hubby and myself. We feel very blessed to have journeyed this crazy life together! Congrats on your 26 years, too. Hope you have a wonderful day, and thank you for writing. (p.s. a huge thank you to whomever in your family served our country in the military – can’t tell from your comment, but huge respect coming right back atcha)!
Hi JB, My husband and I have been married for 50 years this coming August 22nd, and for almost 50 years I have been trying to replicate his grandmother’s chicken ‘n dumplings just by experimenting. Nothing I ever made came close to Maw-Maw’s dumplings. I got to taste hers several times before she left southeast Texas to go to heaven. I’m so glad you wrote the blog and explained everything in detail. I think the only way you can truly learn to make chicken and dumplings is by watching the grandmother or mother make them, and my mother never made these “rolled out” dumplings. She only made what she called “drop dumplings,” and my husband does not like them. So I can hardly wait to make these. I think his Maw-Maw also used some chicken broth instead of water to form the dumplings. Either way, I’m certain they will turn out delicious because of the details you gave. I’m so glad I came across this recipe on Pinterest and decided to read the blog and all the comments, too. Thank you again, and God bless you and your family.
Good morning, Judy! Thank you so much for writing! It was one of the very first things I saw this morning when I checked on the ol’ blog. First off, CONGRATULATIONS on almost 50 years of marriage! That is something to be very proud of! We will be celebrating our 42nd this November, and I am so grateful God gave me my hubby to share this life with! Thank you so much for your kind comments. I appreciate them very much. I learn by not only “seeing” the printed recipe, but “seeing” the process most of the time. I try to include photos of “how to make the recipe”, because I, too, feel like if I can see how it’s made, I can perhaps do it the same way, with success. Hope you have success with, and enjoy the chicken n’ dumplings once you have the opportunity to make them! Have a blessed day.
I have been trying to make chicken and dumplings for years without success. My Mammaw made the best, but passed away when I was young and my mom thought they were too much trouble! These took me back to my childhood and were wonderful! Thank you! I did use the carrot, onion, and celery as well as several bullion cubes while cooking the chicken. It made an awesome stock! I also added my chicken in last to make sure the dumplings had room jto move and not stick together (which had happened to me in the past)! My daddy loved it, so I will be making this again!
Hi, Robin! Thank you for taking time to write and tell me your story! So glad you had a good experience making your pot of chicken n’ dumplings. Also glad your Dad like ’em, too! Have a great weekend.
I made this but added s bit more veggies than the recipe I drained and blended them in a blender and put back in for more flavor and because my girls won’t eat it if the see them. It is freaking Awsome. Also made with gluten-free four
Hi, Karen! Thanks for taking time to write! Congrats on the stealth move to incorporate more “hidden” veggies into the recipe for your kids! Ha Ha! They will never know what hit them! So glad you enjoyed the chicken n’ dumplings! Have a GREAT day!
This is very similar to our old family recipe for “slick” dumplings, which is the way we go over “puffy” dumplings. One trick we find useful is to always double roll the dough, which insures they are firm. Incidentally, in Texas we have access in most freezer sections of grocer stores to very usable packages of slick dumplings. If you chose to use them, be sure to defrost them thoroughly because you cannot get them apart despite what the instructions say.
Thanks for the handy information, and tips! Have a great day!
Forgot to define “double-rolled” — the balls of dough are rolled out, rolled back in balls again, then rolled with a rolling pin a second time. The process makes them more dense.
What is the best way to reheat this for a crowd? Thanks. The best recipe eeeever!
Good morning, Lynn! When I typically reheat this dish, I simply put the big pot of chicken n’ dumplings back on the stove on LOW heat until reheated through. If it has been refrigerated overnight, you might need to add a touch of water, if the broth has thickened up too much. Other than that…that’s it! Hope you have a GREAT day!
They microwave beautifully!
Good morning, Cindy! Glad to hear this tip! Hope you enjoy the chicken n’ dumplings. Have a wonderful day.
Tried this recipe tonight after so many failed attempts at Chicken and Dumplings-this was a winner!!! I cooked the chicken with some S&P, poultry seasoning and onion. These were just perfect and will be my go to recipe from now on!
Good morning, Pam! Thank you so much for taking the time to write! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the chicken n’ dumplings! Hope you have a wonderful day!
Growing up, my grandma made homemade chicken and dumplings for birthdays. Every year. She gave everyone options for what they wanted. EVERYONE requested it. Every year. As she got older, she made them less and less. About a year ago she came over and gave me her recipe and helped me make them. This recipe is almost IDENTICAL to hers and it’s amazing. Takes me back. She’ll be 89 later this month and doesn’t make them at all anymore. Even though I have her recipe, it doesn’t give exact amounts of anything. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this today! ❤️ Thank you!
Good morning, Ashley! Thank you SO much for sharing your story. It sure made me smile! You are so very fortunate to have your Grandmother still with you to love! What a wonderful heritage and great memories you will ALWAYS have to treasure. I’m so happy you stumbled upon this recipe, as well! Hope you enjoy it! Thanks again for writing… I NEVER get tired of hearing these stories, so similar to my own! Have a GREAT day!
My mom was the best cook EVER and this is also great, thank you.
I LOVE that you have such wonderful memories of your Mom’s cooking, Sam. My mom is also a wonderful homemade, simple but delicious cook! We are so fortunate! Thank you for writing!
I also grew up with Pot Pie. I do ham, chicken and turkey. My mom also added the flour over the dough. It thickens the broth without adding the slurry. My mom made her ham pot pie in her bean soup. My mother-in-law makes it the same and hers is called Pot Pie. Our recipe came from my German grandmother. No matter what it’s called it’s Delicious.
Hi, Cindy! I agree completely… No matter WHAT this dish is called in different pats of the country (and others), it IS delicious! Thank you so much for taking the time to write! Have a GREAT day!
This was so delicious but i didn’t add the salt. Thought it was salty enough. Make sure to taste before adding. Thanks for sharing recipe.
Thanks for writing, Angie. Glad to hear you enjoy the chicken n’ dumplings! Have a great day!
Ran up on this while searching for a good chicken and dumpling recipe like my GrandMa used to make in when I was just a kid. This one is very close to hers and really easy to make, I started with a from scratch broth using 4 leg quarters ($3.80) and fresh herbs from my garden. Followed your instructions and everything just came together. Really took me back several years to where times were simple and the comfort food was outstanding. Thanks for sharing, this will continue to be my Go-To recipe from now on.
Aw, I am so glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! I agree… sometime simple comfort foods ARE outstanding, especially when cooked for those you love, with love! Thanks for taking time to write. Have a great day!
Can I use a frozen chicken? I really want to make these today. Perfect day for it but forgot to thaw the chicken.
Of course you can. You will DEFINITELY have to cook the chicken for a much longer time, and as it cooks, there may be giblets from inside the chicken that will need to be removed to ensure the chicken cooks faster and thoroughly. I say “go for it”! Thanks for writing. Have a GREAT day!
This almost like my Grandmothers but instead of water she would always use some of the broth for the noodles, just set some aside to cool and use that instead of water and your dumplings will be delish.
Thanks for writing, Teresa! Great tip on the broth! Hope you have a GREAT day!
I was a bit excited to try your recipe and I admit once done, I thought the dumplings were not the texture I read looking for. But then, I thought, I’m gonna continue to cook on a low temperature for another good 20 or 30 minutes and then I tried to hurry myself because I couldn’t stop eating! I like cornbread with my chicken and dumplings because that’s the way my mother did it. My daughter came in from school and tried to eat the rest. I was so upset because I didn’t want to share…lol
Thank you for the recipe… it will be my go to from now on!
Thanks for taking time out of your busy day to write, Kimberly! Glad you enjoyed them… and yes… we LOVE having cornbread with our chicken n’ dumplings, too! YUM! Have a great day!
I have been making this recipe for the past 3 winters! It is a favorite! Thank you!
Thanks for your note, Addison! I am glad you are enjoying it! Have a fantastic day!
Exactly how my granny made it!!! Seeing this recipe brought back so many memories, that I just had to make it. My chicken is stewing in the pot as I write this. Thank you!!!
Thanks for writing, Laura! Hope you have a GREAT day… and truly hope you will enjoy those chicken n’ dumplings!
My grandmother would make these just to have us come and spend the night
or just visit! I wish inhad a recirding of her telling me her recipe- – no
cup of this or tsp/T of that- Loved her Chicken Dumplings! Now I have friends from the east coast and we have big disagreements on the best
dumplings! othing is better than Southern Chicken and Dumplings!
Thank you! Can’t wait to make these !
Thanks for your comment, Cathy! Your memory of your Grandma “bribing” you with chicken n’ dumplings made me giggle. Those kind of Grandmas are the BEST! I really hope you enjoy this recipe, straight from MY Grandma! Have a wonderful weekend, and thank you for taking time to write!
Can leftovers be frozen? Delicious recipe but made too much for my family of 2!
Good morning, Lucy! Truthfully, I am not sure. I’ve made them hundreds of times over the years, but NEVER have had leftovers (after a few days) to try freezing. Perhaps someone on this comment thread has done that and can add info. that would be helpful to you. There’s no reason why you couldn’t freeze them, but I do not know from experience if the dumplings (noodles) will hold together or become too soft during the freezing and thawing process. I’m sorry I don’t have a good answer for you, but I do appreciate you taking the time to write! Have a great day!
I know this is 4 months late, but when my grandmother made these and sent some home with me, freezing them never yielded a good result. It seemed that the dumplings tended to harden up and get “brittle.” The taste was still there, but the texture was not very pleasing.
Your pictures look like what my Mennonite family calls “Potpie”. The Mennonite Community cookbook (Showalter) has a recipe for Chicken Potpie, but my family always made Ham Potpie with a similar noodle. The Potpie noodle recipe does not use shortening. I will have to try that the next time. Now I’m hungry for homemade noodles. I like that they are fresh from rolling to the pot, no drying necessary.
Good morning, Jill! Thanks for taking the time to write. I love hearing about the many different names this dish is called in different communities around the country. Have a blessed day, and hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Have you tried, or do you think, GF flour could be used in this recipe?
Good morning, Mary Ann! Thank you for writing. I have never used gluten free flour for this particular recipe (or any others, for that matter), so unfortunately I cannot tell you if that would work. Hopefully someone else seeing your comment will be able to answer this question for you. Hope you have a really great day!
My mom made the noodle type dumplings when I was growing up. But, I remember the meal she made with them was a pork roast and great northern beans – I think! Does that sound familiar? I never found the recipe and by the time I was grown up and married, she couldn’t remember. (She had me when she was 40 years old)! I’m not much of a cook without recipes or some instructions; I need something to go by –
Good morning, Kathy! The recipe using pork does not sound familiar to me at all… hope someone else that sees your comment can help you find what you are looking for. Have a wonderful day!
If there is enough broth you can cook these with any type of meat. My mother in law made them with beef as well as chicken. I have only had the drop dumplings with bean soup.
I am so suprised to read this comment! My grandmother made it this way also and passed before I could get the recipe. I have searched everywhere with no luck. They were soo good with pork!! Everyone I mention it to thinks I must be crazy!! Haha! I’ve never tried it but I wonder if just substituting pork instead of chicken would be what we are looking for. Alot of work if it didn’t turn out though. Maybe someday I’ll try it.
does anyone have a recipe for the biscuit type dumplings? i really like them better than the soup! Some people use Pillsbury biscuits but i use Bisquick but there must be a good old fashioned way to make biscuit
dumplings
cut 1 stick buter, 1/2 c flour, 1/2 c Kentucky Kernal. Cut until p size balls – may need uptp 1/4 c milk to form ball. Let sit cover bowl with damp towl. Add balls of dough, 2 – 4 tblesp to boiling chicken.
I don’t have shortening. I’m wanting to make this for dinner tonight. Can you substitute the shortening for something else?
Hi, Kasey! Thanks for writing. I have ONLY used vegetable shortening for as long as I’ve been making these, so I cannot speak to substitutions. I did a very quick search online and found a recipe the make homemade egg noodles (without shortening), that “might” work (can’t vouch for them since I have never tried this particular recipe, though. Hope you are able to find something that will work for you! https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/11776/grandmas-noodles-ii/
Have a great evening. JB
I use the fat from the top of the chicken broth in place of shortening. Why ? Because my Mom did LOL. She also stretched them as she (we) dropped them. Why ? Because her Mother did. I’m 71 and no one seems to want to carry this tradition on. Guess I’ll have to leave a few batches in the freezer when I die. LOL You have a wonderful site
You can use butter! I’ve always used butter for my dumplings. I do have shortening though so I’m going to try this method this weekend!
Thanks for the note, Megan! Hope you enjoy it!
Use butter if you don’t have shortening.
Yes, use cold butter. I haven’t made this recipe yet, but when reading it I was already substituting butter for the shortening as that’s how my mother (grandmother, aunts) made dumplings. Other than that it looks very similar. Except Mama always took the cut dough directly from the cutting board to the pot of broth with the board flour still evident. I think that’s what helped thickened the broth without needing a slurry.
I made this today and it is great! I added thyme, carrots, celery and an onion to the chicken while cooking but left them out when I strained the broth. This recipe will be a staple in our home. Thank you.
Hi, Michelle! Thank you for taking time to write… I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe. Have a fantastic day!
I m so grateful for Pinterest & all these vintage recipes. My Grandmother made the best chicken & dumplings but couldn’t give me a recipe. She just threw flour & shortening, salt & broth in a bowl. I chose your recipe because it did not have any baking powder or soda in. We like the more noodle type dumplings & not the doughy kind. This recipe tastes just like I remember. The only thing I changed was adding hot broth from the chicken instead of hot water because that’s what my grandma did. It was delicious.
I am so glad you liked the recipe! Thank you for taking time to write, Delilah. Have a wonderful day!
My grandmother made this and called it chicken and noodles. She would cut up the chicken, salt and pepper it and fry it in a very hot pan to brown the skin. She said that was where all the flavor was unless she killed an old hen we had (she was good at that). She used lard and added a little baking power so the noodles to lighten them up. She didn’t know what bullion cube was. The chicken fat was stored in a jar in the fridge to fry all sorts of things.
Love this story, Scott! Thanks so much for sharing it.
Thank you for the recipe. It looks delicious, and I can’t wait to try it! I love old heirloom recipes!
Thanks for writing, Ashley! I love old heirloom recipes, as well! Hope you enjoy making this one! Have a great weekend!
This is exactly how my Kentucky grandmother taught me to make chicken and dumplings, large flat noodles swimming in homemade chicken broth with chunks of chicken! Thanks for sharing!
Good morning, Becky! Thanks for writing! Don’t ya just love how our grandmothers have passed down recipes that are real KEEPERS? I sure am grateful, and think of her with great love and memories every single time I make them! Have a great day!
Same here. My mother and grandmother made their chicken and dumpling the same. My grandmother raised chickens and like to use a hen, which she said made the broth more flavorful. They both also cut the strips across into squares or diamonds. Delicious recipe!
Thank you for writing, Julia! Have a GREAT day!
I learned how to make Chicken and dumplings from my Grandma she’s from the south Melvin Texas to be exact she also added milk to the broth we add at the last 10 minutes of cooking the dumplings peas and carrots so they won’t turn to mush and they still have texture and crunch.
Great idea! So glad you like chicken and dumplings, too! Thanks for writing, Latricia!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It sounds just like what my mom used to make. This was my favorite meal growing up. She would also cook a baked sweet potatoe with cinnamon. I have tried to make her recipe several times but when I do, the dumplngs fal apa or desentigrate. What am I doing wrong?
Hi, Dawn! Thank you for writing. I’m not sure I can answer your question since I am not familiar with the recipe you’ve used in the past. My only guess would be that the noodles (dumplings) were possibly rolled too thin, but I really can’t be sure. Sorry. Perhaps sometime in the future you could try this recipe and see if the dumplings hold together for you made this way. Have a wonderful rest of the day!
That happens sometime when the dough has a high butter or shortening content.
Thanks for the info., Julia!
These look amazing, and look to be the consistency of my grandma’s homemade noodles. I can’t find her recipe anywhere, but I know she used to dry them for several hours before using. How far ahead can I make the noodles before cooking them? I want turkey and noodles for Thanksgiving, but need to make some things ahead so I’m not completely exhausted by dinner!
Good morning, Lea! I have never made the dumplings (noodles) ahead of time, but I do make homemade pasta (which is very similar) and let that dry for several hours sometimes before cooking. If drying the noodles a bit, just make sure they have a light dusting of flour to keep them from sticking to each other, then keep them covered, if possible. Good luck with your Thanksgiving preparations. Have a wonderful day!
I made this and LOVED IT!!! the dumpling were soft and perfect!!!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Tammi! Happy Thanksgiving!
This is exactly the way my mom made chicken and dumplings except instead of using water to make the dough she used some the broth of broth that the chicken was boiled in, that gives the dumplings a lot more flavor.
Thanks for sharing these recipes – I love them.
I’m finding that a lot of people make their chicken n’ dumplings this way, Kim! It is a great handed down recipe in our home, for sure! Thank you for taking time to write. Have a great day!
Why can’t I pin this? I NEED THIS RECIPE!! Mine is done the Southern way where you put a PILE of Flour, a handful of shortening, a little milk, a little MORE MILK, ETC.
HELP!!! PLEASE tell me HOW TO PIN THIS!!!
Hi, Celeste. I had no idea my Pin It button had stopped showing (just in the past day or two) at the top of the post. Thank you for alerting me to this! I have temporarily enabled a Save it button which you can find by hovering over the top left of the main photo. If you click on that, you should be able to pin it to your Pinterest boards. Thank you for your note. Now I need to solve this problem with part of my blog software. Ugh. Have a great evening.
Well, to tell the truth, both are Southern ways to make chicken and dumplings. However, to hear the Old Timers tell it, “slicks” were made by TRUE Southerners and the “puffy balls” were made by Yankees who moved south….
This recipe, IMHO, is how generations of my family and husband’s have done it for eons and is by FAR the best and ONLY way….. kudos for making me smile today
I live in southwestern Ontario, Canada and I grew up with this almost exact recipe! Only we have always considered it a French Canadian dish. This is my all time favourite meal too! Guess we are all more closely associated then we thought!
Hi, Janet…
Thanks for writing! I’m amazed how many parts of the country (and other countries apparently, as well) have this type of chicken n’ dumplings. Comfort food, right? You and I also share the same name (Janet)… so see how much closer we already are? Have a great day!
My grandmother and mother made this recipe. The dumplings were referred to as “Johnny Boys”. This was my birthday dinner for many years (I’m 76 now) Haven’t a clue where that name came from…~=)
Hi, BJ! (my nickname is JB!)-
What an interesting bit of info on the dumplings. I have never heard of them being called “Johnny Boys” before. You and our oldest son have a lot in common having this as your birthday dinner. He still asks for them for his birthday meal and he’s almost 35 years old now. Thank you so much for taking time to write. Have a wonderful day!
This may seem odd- but I always wanted to know how to make these dumplings, the kind my grandma made in W Va. She also made something called tomato dumplings- the dumplings looked just like yours but it was fresh tomatoes I have no idea how she made it . Maybe someone on here knows what it is? No one I have ever asked knows.
Hi! Wow… tomato dumplings. I’ve never head of them before. Really sounds interesting, though. Hope someone commenting here might have an answer for you as to a recipe. Thank you for writing. Have a great day!
What size chicken did you use?
Hi, Lynn! I typically use a regular sized frying chicken (sizes vary, but usually a 2-3 pounder, I guess). I buy them when they are on sale, so I don’t often check how much they weigh. Hope you have a great day! Thanks for writing.
Finally! Someone who makes chicken ‘n’ dumplings almost exactly the same way my Mama makes them back home in Mobile, Alabama! This is my all-time favorite comfort food, and I request this dish every time I visit home.
Thanks, Sheri! We love them… as a matter of fact, I just made a huge pot of them last week during a “cold and rainy” couple of days here in Oregon. Yum! Thanks for taking time to write! Have a fantastic day.
My grandmother used to make this. She added a quart of milk to the pot before adding the dumplings. As noted below, if you add extra flour to the pie dough, it will thicken the broth perfectly. A total favorite! I showed my friends how to make it and the husband is the one who does it, used to be three times a week! I’d be big as a barn! But it’s the ultimate comfort food.
Thanks for taking the time to write, Linda! You are definitely right about this being comfort food! Have a fantastic weekend.
Will these plump up? Or stay thin? I love the plump dumplings
Hi, Stephanie! These do not puff up like a fluffy biscuit type dumpling. But they are wonderfully delicious! Thanks for taking time to write!
If you are using store bought broth (and rotisserie chicken) how much broth would you need?
Good morning, Kristen. I have never used store-bought broth to make this recipe, but I can tell you this. The dutch oven that I use to make this is a 6 Quart size. The broth that I use from cooking the chicken, (if measured out) would be approximately 4 quarts or so. Going with at least 4 quarts of broth would be a safe bet for the amount of dumplings the recipe makes. Then, depending on the size pot you are using, you can always add a bit more broth, if desired. Thanks for taking the time to write. Have a great day!
This is my husband’s favorite recipe. I know it is not the same as homemade, but if in a hurry, Walmart sells a frozen brand of dumplings that are actually very good. Of course, I like the homemade, but just a little tip if pressed for time.
Thanks for the tip, Teri! I always enjoy making the homemade dumplings, but there are others out there that will find the tip time-saving! Thanks for taking time to write… and have a fantastic day!
This is the first recipe I’ve seen that is virtually identical to the way my mother used to make chicken pot pie. Hers was strips of dough just like yours that had no leavening and no eggs. It wasn’t cut into squares and they were dropped into the boiling broth to cook. The broth was made the same way you make yours. The only thing different was that she didn’t put the meat back in with the noodles. It was served separately. We call it Pennsylvania dutch-style pot pie. I grew up on it. I can even eat it cold out of the refrigerator. She also sprinkled flour over her strips of dough before letting them sit and rest before putting them in the broth. That extra flour helped thicken the broth without having to add a slurry like you do although if it didn’t thicken up she could. She didn’t add bouillon cubes, either. Genuine old school.
Good morning, Wendy! Isn’t it amazing how many “names” this recipe goes by? I love all the regional ways this is prepared! Thanks for writing… and hope you have a fantastic day!
I randomly happened along this post, and I’m so glad I did! Thank you so much for posting this, and for sharing such a special and delicious family recipe! It’s almost identical to the one my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother always used and passed down, and it brought back so many good memories of growing up in the backwoods of North Carolina. Like a lot of things, in my family, every recipe was passed down first-hand by teaching, and no one ever bothered to actually write-down our family recipes. You’ve inspired me to collect our own family recipes like this one and put them together. Maybe I’ll even pass out copies to everyone for Christmas!
What a wonderful comment, Emma! I think your idea of collecting and putting together family recipes is an absolutely fantastic idea! What a great Christmas gift to give to those you love… a real gift from the heart – the best kind! Thank you so much for taking time to write… your kind words made my day! Blessings, Love, JB
This is just like the way my Grandmother would make, instead of hot water to make the dumplings, she used the hot broth. Makes me want to make a batch right now.
Hope you find the time to make a big pot of soup, Dotty! It’s in the 30’s in the Portland area right now, so a big bowl of these sure do sound good! Have a great day!
Yes…that is how i make it…use the hot broth for the dumplings…from my friends momma in Kentucky
So excited to see this recipe! Being from east Texas it’s hard to find how to make the dumplings my grandmothers made. Dropped biscuits seem to be what most use now. I don’t like them a bit. So thank you for posting.
Gotta love our grandmothers and their good ol’ dumpling recipes, right, Stormy?!!! Hope you find the recipe to your liking! Thank you for taking time to write! Have a great evening.
Recipe was great. Goes to the make again column.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Theresa! Thanks for taking the time to tell me… I appreciate that. Have a fantastic day!
This is similar to what my Grampa used to make…he called it Chicken Popeye. I’m not sure where it started in our family. We don’t use shortening in the noodles, just eggs, flour, and a little bit of water. We flour up the cutting board and the rolling pin and that extra dusting of flour is what thickens up our broth. We cut the dough into decent size squares and we don’t add butter, just pepper and seasoning salt. We serve it over mashed potatoes. Carb overload…but talk about comfort food! Perfect for rainy days, but we only make it 1-2 times per year. I put my own little touch on it by adding parsley flakes.
And, the leftovers freeze great!!
Love the name “Chicken Popeye”! Don’t you just love those hand me down recipes from our relatives? If my Grandma were still alive today, she would be amazed at the numbers of people who have given her recipe a peek! Have a great day, Suzanne… and thank you so much for taking the time to write!
I’ve made chicken & dumplings or noodles for years. I love it & my family does too, but after finding this recipe for the homemade noodles southern style I actually have a new recipe that I will use from now on !! I love the “dumplings” or as I would call them noodles. It’s fast & so delicious !! So happy to have found this great soup !! (I leave the celery, & carrots in the soup)
Thank you for your kind note, Karen! I’m glad you might have a use for the recipe… my Grandma, if she was still living, would be thrilled to know so many people are seeing this recipe! Have a fantastic evening.
I live in pa. We call this chicken potpie. Love
Hi, Carole! Thanks for writing! Whatever this meal is called around the country… it sure is GOOD, right?! Have a great evening!
This is the recipe my mom always used for dumplings & I have always done so. I make them in advance, rolled out & cut on a cooie sheet; place cookie sheet in freezer; when frozen, place dumplings in a ziplocki bag. Keeps in the freezer for several weeks. Drop them in the stock still frozen. Can have dumplings at a moments notice! I often use a store-bought rotisserie chicken. I bone the chicken (and often freeze it in advance) and boil the skin and bones in the stock. GREAT flavoring!
What a fantastic tip, LuGlena! I do the same thing for homemade pasta, but have never tried freezing the dumplings for this soup. Thanks so much for the tip… I just may have to try it on the next go around! Have a fantastic rest of your weekend, and thank you for taking the time to write!
I have never made chicken n dumplings nor have I ever eaten them. I made them tonight and they were great. My husband,brother, and 7 year old all went back for seconds. Me too! I will be making these again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Cayla! They’re a family favorite around our home! Have a fantastic day, and thanks for taking time out to write!
Omg I love CND! I am currently looking for a better recipe than what I came up with on my own and this looks and sounds perfect! I have always had mine served with side collard greens and black eyed peas!!
I’m glad you found this one, Brandi! Hope you have a chance to try making them… and really hope you love ’em like our family does! Thanks for taking time to write!
If you use hot broth to make the dumplings in place of the water you won’t need to add the shortening since some chicken fat is already in the broth. I also really helps to flavor the dumplings.
Sounds like an interesting tip, Sally! Never have heard of that technique before. Thanks for posting!
This recipe is exactly how my Mom and Auntie makes it…they also use the broth from the chicken instead of water make the dumplings.
Thanks for taking the time to write… next time I make these, I might have to give this tip a try! Have a great day.
this is the way my Mom and my sister make them.. I seldom do anything with a rolling pin bit this I will try
I made this recipe last night and it’s amazing. It’s the exact recipe my great Aunt Martha passed down through our family. She was a Tennessee gal and was the best cook! I couldn’t get the family recipe in time for dinner last night so I searched all over the Internet for something that looked similar to make for my sick fiance. I’m glad I found this and I’m also glad there are other folks that prefer this style of dumplings ♡ Oh and I’m almost 30 and I still request this for dinner when I visit my mother in Texas!
Thanks for your note, Cassandra! I think we are so blessed to have recipes that have been handed down through the years by our family members. Their recipes hold such a special place in our memories. Hope your fiance is feeling better today. Have a wonderful day, and thank you for taking the time to write!
I ended up making this recipe tonight. I genuinely enjoyed this meal. My son is a very picky eater and he ate 2 bowls. This recipe is a keeper in our house. Thank you so much again for sharing!!!!
I am thrilled you enjoyed them! The recipe is one of my “keepers”, also. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. Have a great day.
I’m a northern girl living in the south who really hasn’t had much experience with chicken and dumplings. I had them at Cracker Barrel a few weeks ago and have been craving them ever since!. I made this recipe tonight and it was AMAZING! I took the easy way out and used a Publix rotisserie chicken, but WOW! Thank you!
Thanks for letting me know you tried the recipe, Jennifer! Hey, there’s never anything wrong with taking the easy way out and using a good rotisserie chicken, right? I’m so glad you enjoyed the Chicken and Dumplings! Have a great day!
I can’t wait to try this soup! Thank you for sharinng with us.
You’re very welcome, Debbie! I truly hope you will enjoy it. Have a fantastic weekend!
This looks absolutely amazing! I will be making it tomorrow. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Jen. I hope you enjoy making (and eating) them. Thank you for taking the time to write. Have a fantastic day!