Super Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Eat at Home (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken homemade chicken and dumplings? ›

If you want to thicken the soup base on your chicken and dumplings, you'll need to do it BEFORE you add in your dumplings. Take about 1/3 cup of the liquids and place it into a bowl. Whisk 2 teaspoons of cornstarch into this liquid. Once the mixture is smooth, pour it back into the soup pot and stir in.

When cooking the dumplings, keep the pot at a gentle simmer. An aggressive simmer or boiling will break them apart. Keep the heat low and keep your pot covered so that they steam.

The absolute trick to fluffy dumplings is not to overmix the dough, you must stop stirring the dough as SOON as it comes together in the bowl. THEN drop by spoonfuls in the hot simmering broth. Don't roll the dough into balls or compress it at all. That's the BIG secret to fluffy dumplings.

Place cornstarch and cold water or milk in mason jar. Shake until well combined and then add to boiling chicken and dumplings to thicken.

Instead of steaming these dumplings in water, we simmer them in a vinegary cornstarch and flour slurry that creates a lacy, crunchy golden crust as the water evaporates and the dumplings brown.

To test if the dumplings are done, stick a toothpick into them after they've simmered for about 15 minutes. If the skewer comes out clean, the dumplings are done. If it comes out wet or sticky, replace the lid and let the dumplings cook a bit longer. Some people say the dumplings are finished when they float.

Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.

The Two Easiest Ways to Cook: Boiling and Steaming

To boil dumplings, fill a large pot two-thirds of the way with water. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Add as many dumplings as can fit comfortably in a single layer in the pot and cook them until they float. Let them cook an additional two to three minutes.

What makes dumplings float? ›

Dumplings and chicken float on boiling water because their density become less than water while foods such as apples and peanuts increase in density after cooked.

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

Use Cornstarch to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings

To give that a little thicker texture we're going to add 1 cup of cool water to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir it up well. Make sure the soup is brought back to a good boil and go ahead and stir in the cornstarch mixture.

you can make a slurry (taking some of the broth out in small bowl and mixing it with a little flour) and add it back to the main soup and the flour will add as a natural thickener. Egual parts melted butter to flour. Make sure roux is cooked ten minutes to reduce flour taste.

When you add potato flakes, the stew for chicken and dumplings thickens instantly. Since they're used to create instant mashed potatoes, pouring the broth and potato flakes at the same time immediately creates the creamy texture needed for chicken and dumplings.

Why is my chicken and dumplings watery? If you follow our One-Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe, the liquid for the chicken and dumplings should be rich and comforting, not watery. Adding too much liquid, whether that is water or broth, is the main reason the dish would be watery.

You can also use flour or cornflour to thicken a soup. Put a tablespoon of either into a small bowl and stir in 2-3 tbsp of the soup until you have a smooth mixture. Stir this back into the soup and bring it to a simmer.

A top tip to moisten it back up is to pour a can of chicken broth into the chicken and dumplings before you reheat it. The chicken broth will add moisture and flavor simultaneously, whereas using just water will leave the dish flavorless. If you want added creaminess, you can mix some half-and-half in with the broth.