Nani's Classic Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

Name: Nani's Classic Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 1 h 45 min
Total time: 2 h 5 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds; 3 stalks celery, chopped; 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced; 1 yellow onion, chopped; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 teaspoon black pepper; 2 cups all purpose flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed; 1 cup whole milk

A hearty and soul warming pot of tender chicken and soft homemade dumplings that tastes just like home.

By Recipes By Nani· 🌍 American· July 28, 2026

Nani's Classic Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings

recipesbynani.com

Prep

20 minutes

Cook

1 hour 45 minutes

Total

2 hours 5 minutes

Serves

There is nothing quite like a big pot of chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove. This recipe uses a whole chicken to get the best flavor in the broth, which makes every bite taste rich and deeply satisfying.

My secret to the best dumplings is to handle the dough as little as possible. If you mix it too much, the dumplings get tough instead of light and fluffy. Just stir until the flour disappears and you will have perfect, tender results every time.

🧺 Ingredients

1 whole chicken, about 4 pounds
3 stalks celery, chopped
3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
1 cup whole milk

👩‍🍳Instructions

1
Place the whole chicken in a large pot and cover with water. Add the onion, celery, carrots, salt, and pepper.
2
Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 90 minutes until the chicken is very tender.
3
Remove the chicken from the pot, let it cool, then shred the meat into bite sized pieces and discard the skin and bones.
4
Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer while you prepare the dumpling dough.
5
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.
6
Stir in the milk until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
7
Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering broth. Cover the pot with a tight lid and simmer for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
8
Gently stir the shredded chicken back into the pot and serve warm.

💡 Tips

Leftovers store beautifully in an airtight container in the fridge for up to three days. You can also add a splash of extra broth when reheating if the dumplings have soaked up too much liquid. Serve this with a simple side salad to round out the meal.

#comfort food #chicken #dinner #classic #homemade

Made this recipe? Let us know how it went.