Amish Chicken and Dumplings

When it comes to true comfort food, nothing beats a steaming bowl of Amish Chicken and Dumplings. This classic dish features tender pieces of chicken and vegetables in a rich, savory broth, all topped with soft, fluffy dumplings that cook right on top of the stew. It’s a one-pot wonder that’s incredibly satisfying, easy to make, and perfect for warming you up on a chilly evening.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

This dish is the taste of Sunday dinners at my grandmother’s house, where the aroma of simmering chicken would fill the kitchen for hours. The anticipation built as she dropped spoonfuls of dumpling batter into the bubbling pot, promising a meal that was both humble and luxurious. It’s a recipe that speaks to the heart of home cooking—simple ingredients transformed into something deeply nourishing and memorable.

Ingredients

Here is what you’ll need to make this comforting dish:

For the Chicken Stew:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
• 3 stalks celery, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 8 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste
• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (from a rotisserie chicken or poached breasts/thighs)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half (optional)

For the Drop Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup buttermilk (or ¾ cup milk mixed with 1 tbsp vinegar)
• ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 large egg

Step-by-step instructions for making the recipe

Follow these simple steps for a perfect result every time:

1. Sauté the Vegetables: In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
2. Make the Roux and Broth: Sprinkle the ⅓ cup of flour over the vegetables. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, ensuring no lumps form. Add the thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
3. Simmer the Stew: Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the broth has thickened slightly and the carrots are tender.
4. Add Chicken and Peas: Stir in the shredded chicken and frozen peas. Simmer for another 5 minutes. If using, stir in the heavy cream. Remove the bay leaves. Keep the stew at a low simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
5. Make the Dumpling Dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and baking soda. In a separate bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, melted butter, and egg. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until just combined. Do not overmix; the batter will be thick and shaggy.
6. Cook the Dumplings: Increase the heat under the stew to bring it back to a steady simmer. Drop heaping tablespoons of the dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering stew, spacing them slightly apart. You should get about 12-14 dumplings.
7. Steam the Dumplings: Cover the pot tightly with a lid. Reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer and cook for 15-18 minutes. DO NOT PEEK during the first 12 minutes of cooking; the steam is essential for cooking the dumplings through. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean.
8. Serve: Ladle the stew and dumplings into bowls. The dumplings will be soft and fluffy on top and slightly firm on the bottom where they touched the stew. Serve immediately.

Amish Chicken and Dumplings

A classic comfort food featuring a creamy chicken and vegetable stew topped with light, fluffy drop dumplings that steam right in the pot.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Main Course, Soup

Cuisine: American

Calories: 480

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Chicken Stew

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil
• 1 large onion diced
• 3 carrots peeled and sliced
• 3 stalks celery diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 8 cups chicken broth low-sodium preferred
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon black pepper plus more to taste
• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half optional

Drop Dumplings

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ cup buttermilk or milk with 1 tbsp vinegar
• ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
• 1 large egg

Equipment

• Large Dutch Oven or Heavy Pot
• Lid for Pot

Method

 

1. In a Dutch oven, melt butter. Add onion, carrots, celery; cook 6-8 min until soft. Add garlic; cook 1 min. Sprinkle with ⅓ cup flour; cook 2 min, stirring.
   2 tablespoons unsalted butter or vegetable oil, 1 large onion, 3 carrots, 3 stalks celery, 3 cloves garlic, ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
2. Gradually whisk in chicken broth. Add thyme, bay leaves, salt, pepper. Bring to boil, then simmer 15-20 min until thickened and carrots are tender.
   8 cups chicken broth, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 2 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper
3. Stir in shredded chicken and peas. Simmer 5 min. Remove bay leaves. Stir in cream if using. Keep at a low simmer.
   4 cups cooked, shredded chicken, 1 cup frozen peas, ¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
4. Make dumplings: Whisk flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, baking soda. In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, melted butter, egg. Stir wet into dry until just combined.
   2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¾ cup buttermilk, ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 large egg
5. Bring stew to a steady simmer. Drop heaping tbsp of dumpling batter onto the surface. Cover tightly.
6. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook covered for 15-18 minutes. Do not lift lid for first 12 minutes. Dumplings are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
7. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls and serve immediately.

Notes

The No-Peek Rule: The most important step for fluffy dumplings is to keep the lid on while they steam. Lifting the lid releases the essential steam and heat, which can cause the dumplings to become dense and gummy. Trust the process!

Dumpling Texture: The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy—this is normal and ensures tender dumplings. If it seems too dry, add a splash more buttermilk. If too wet, add a tablespoon of flour.

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