• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Worn Slap Out
  • Home
  • Meet Kathryn
  • Say Hey!
  • Breakfast
  • Sides + Appetizers
  • Soups + Salads
  • Weeknight Dinners
  • Make Ahead Meals
  • Desserts
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipe Index
  • Meet Kathryn
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipe Index
    • Meet Kathryn
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Chicken

    Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings

    Published on Jan 1, 2023 · Modified on Sep 7, 2024 by Kathryn - Leave a comment · Leave a Comment

    123 shares
    • Share
    • Tweet
    • Email
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    ↓ Jump to Recipe

    This Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food, with a healthy classic chicken soup base and fluffy, herb-filled dumplings that make the soup creamy without using heavy cream. Hello, cold nights!

    Worn Slap Out, LLC is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Each of your purchases via Amazon links supports Worn Slap Out at no additional cost to you.  

    This is definitely the week to be hibernating. It was 5˚F this week with wind chills that make it even colder, and all I want to do is sit by the fire and dethaw like a turkey. It's also the time of year I crave comfort food. Salads are only so comforting on cold winter nights. You want something substantial and warm. This chicken and dumplings recipe is an old Southern favorite -- but it's made healthier with no cream. Read on!

    close up picture of a bowl of chicken and dumplings with a spoon next to the bowl.

    Want to Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below, and I'll send it to you. Plus, you'll get delicious new recipes from me!

    Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
    Loading

    By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Worn Slap Out

    Ingredients You'll Need

    You'll need the following ingredients to make Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings:

    For the soup:

    • extra virgin olive oil
    • onion
    • carrots
    • celery
    • garlic
    • fresh thyme
    • chicken stock
    • bay leaves
    • salt and pepper
    • chicken (either pre-cooked rotisserie or uncooked chicken breasts)
    • fresh dill
    • fresh parsley for garnishing
    flatlay picture of all of the ingredients needed to make dutch oven chicken and dumplings.

    For homemade dumplings:

    • all purpose flour
    • baking powder
    • fresh cracked black pepper
    • salt
    • fresh thyme
    • fresh parsley
    • milk
    • butter
    collage of ingredients needed to make homemade dumplings.

    Equipment Needed

    I love to use a Dutch oven to make chicken and dumplings but it's not absolutely necessary because you're not putting this soup in the oven or braising the chicken for a long period of time. I just love that a Dutch oven retains its heat so well, keeping your soup warm for hours. You can easily use a large stock pot if you have that.

    Other than that, a cookie scoop is helpful when dropping the dumplings into the soup but also not necessary.

    aerial picture of a brown bowl of chicken and dumplings garnished with fresh parsley.

    How to Make Homemade Southern Dumplings

    The best part of this soup is definitely the dumplings. They are so hearty, full of fresh herbs, and thicken the soup to make it more "stew-like," which is the quintessential consistency to this Southern delicacy.

    To make the dumplings, simply combine all of the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the melted butter and milk and mix with a fork until you no longer see any of the dry mixture. The dough will be a little thick.

    The dumpling part of this meal is incredibly easy to throw together in less than 5 minutes. You can prep the dumpling dough while the soup is simmering so you're not wasting any time.

    dumpling dough in a clear bowl before putting dough into the soup.

    When you're soup is ready for you to add the dumplings, you'll use a spoon or cookie scoop to form no more than ¾" balls of dough. Drop the balls of dough right into the soup, put the cover on, and let the dumplings cook for 10-12 minutes.

    Test the dumplings by taking one out and cutting into it. If it's still doughy in the center, cook the dumplings for a couple minutes longer.

    flatlay picture of chicken and dumplings in a dutch oven next to a fresh baguette.

    Try These Shortcuts to Reduce the Prep and Cooking Time

    1. Use rotisserie chicken. This is what I usually do -- but I've shown you how to cook chicken and dumplings both ways -- using raw chicken or already cooked rotisserie chicken.
    2. Buy pre-cut mire poix in the refrigerated section of the produce area. You can usually buy pre-cut carrots, celery and onions that save you close to 10 minutes of chopping. Yes, it's more expensive, but sometimes it's just what's needed.

    Can you freeze chicken and dumplings?

    Yes, you can freeze this soup -- but make the dumplings when you're ready to eat.

    close up picture of chicken and dumplings in a large yellow dutch oven.

    Calories in chicken and dumplings

    These aren't your standard Paula Deen chicken and dumplings recipe. These chicken and dumplings are much healthier and rely on the dumplings to thicken the soup up a bit to be more stew-like than soup-like. There's a little over 500 calories in each plentiful serving of this chicken and dumplings recipe. That's an estimate and shouldn't be used as 100% accurate.

    Reheating Leftover Chicken and Dumplings

    This soup surprisingly reheats really well. We make a big batch of the soup and then heat the soup up again for another dinner that same week.

    Chicken and dumplings sides

    It's so hard to pair chicken and dumplings with any sides because I think this is a really hearty meal unto itself; however, I would pair it with a nice green salad if I was looking for a little something else. Try some of my favorite salads below:

    • Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl Salad
    • Copycat Cosi Signature Salad
    • Copycat Chick-fil-A Superfood Kale Salad
    • Ultimate Winter Salad from the Pioneer Woman
    brown bowl of chicken and dumplings sprinkled with fresh parsley.

    xox,

    kathryn

    As always, if you make anything from the blog, be sure to let me know! I love hearing from you in the comments on this post below or find Worn Slap Out on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

    large yellow dutch oven with chicken and dumplings topped with fresh parsley.

    Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings

    This Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food, with a healthy classic chicken soup base and fluffy, herb-filled dumplings that make the soup creamy without using heavy cream. Hello, cold nights!
    4.75 from 4 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 35 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 people
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    For the soup:

    • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 sweet onion diced
    • 3 carrots peeled and sliced
    • 2 celery ribs diced
    • 4 cloves garlic minced
    • 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
    • 8 cups chicken stock
    • 2 bay leaves
    • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
    • 3 cups leftover shredded rotisserie chicken or 3 raw chicken breasts (both methods included in instructions)
    • 3 tablespoons fresh dill
    • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnishing

    For homemade dumplings:

    • 2 cups all purpose flour
    • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • 1 ½ teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme
    • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped
    • ¾ cup whole milk
    • 4 tablespoons butter melted

    Instructions

    • Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large stockpot) over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
    • Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
    • Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring soup to boil; reduce to a low boil, add raw chicken (if not using a rotisserie chicken). Low-boil covered for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If using rotisserie chicken, don't add chicken yet.
    • Meanwhile, make your dumplings by combining all dumpling ingredients into a bowl. Set bowl aside.
    • If cooking chicken, remove chicken from the soup and shred with a fork. Place chicken back in the Dutch oven or now add rotisserie chicken. Add fresh dill and allow to simmer covered 3-4 more minutes.
    • Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form no bigger than ¾" balls of dough (they don't have to be neat) and drop the dumplings directly into the soup until you've used all of the dough. Dunk all of the dumplings so they've been touched by the soup. Make sure soup is still at a low-boil or simmer. Simmer covered for another 10-12 minutes until dumplings are cooked through (you can cut one open to make sure).
    • Garnish with fresh parsley and serve in a bowl immediately.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 538kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 30g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 10g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1246mg | Potassium: 916mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 5781IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 215mg | Iron: 4mg
    Tried this recipe?Mention @wornslapout or tag #wornslapout!

    More Chicken

    • Close up of a ground turkey stuffed pepper with melty cheese and cilantro on top.
      Healthy Ground Turkey Stuffed Peppers
    • Easy Chicken and Gravy Recipe
    • This whole roast chicken made in a cast iron skillet makes for juicy and flavorful meat with crispy crunchy skin. Potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic are roasted with the chicken making for a complete meal in one skillet.
      Easy Cast Iron Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables
    • dark brown plate with three sliced pieces of chicken breast on their side to expose the stuffing that's inside the chicken breast. asparagus with parmesan cheese flakes is served on the side.
      Stuffed Chicken Breast with Stuffing

    Reader Interactions

    4.75 from 4 votes (4 ratings without comment)

    Let Me Know What You Think! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    picture of kathryn, owner of worn slap out food blog.

    Hi, I'm Kathryn!

    Welcome to Worn Slap Out, a Southern-inspired recipe corner for busy people on the go. As a mom of two littles who also loves food, I need meals on the table ASAP but I also want to eat well. Here, you'll find quick, easy, and reasonably healthy meals you can make in a flash. Other loves include Georgia football, cake of all kinds, and elastic waistbands.


    More about me →

    Popular Recipes

    • large white bowl full of kale, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, applies, wild rice, and almonds.
      Copycat Sweetgreen Harvest Bowl Recipe
    • Easy Caramel Drizzle with Sweetened Condensed Milk
    • Versatile Dutch Oven Pulled Pork
    • Fresh Baked Blueberry Donuts

    Winter Favorites

    • square image of large white plate of rose pasta with parmesan and basil leaf against light blue background.
      Easy Rose Sauce Recipe (20 Minutes!)
    • large yellow dutch oven with chicken and dumplings topped with fresh parsley.
      Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings
    • This whole roast chicken made in a cast iron skillet makes for juicy and flavorful meat with crispy crunchy skin. Potatoes, carrots, onions, and garlic are roasted with the chicken making for a complete meal in one skillet.
      Easy Cast Iron Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables
    • Blue Dutch oven with large chuck roast submerged in broth and carrots and potatoes.
      Classic Dutch Oven Pot Roast

    Footer

    Sign up for emails and updates!

    Sign me up!
    • Privacy Policy
    • Get in touch
    • Disclaimer
    • Terms & Conditions
    • ↑ back to top

    Copyright © 2025 - As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.