My granny didn’t believe in complicated food, just good, Southern meals that fed the whole family. These dumplings are made with frozen or canned biscuits, because sometimes you need comfort food fast. My recipe is quick and stress-free, while still giving you fluffy dumplings that soak up all that savory soup.
Now keep in mind, chicken and dumplings are very different from a chicken pot pie. If you're looking for that, check out my Chicken Pot Pie with Canned Biscuits and Seafood Pot Pie recipes. The dumplings cook up soft, fluffy, and tender on the inside, with just a little chew on the outside from soaking up all that rich broth. They’re not dry like bread and they’re not heavy like noodles, think pillowy bites.
Chicken and Dumpling Ingredients
- Canned or Frozen Biscuits: Thawed if using frozen.
- Butter
- Chicken Thighs or Breasts or Fully Cooked Chicken: If you want juicy chicken, I recommend chicken thighs. Chicken breasts have less fat and will also save some calories.
- Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Ground Oregano, Dried Basil, Salt and Pepper
- Onions
- Carrots
- Celery
- Garlic
- Flour
- Broth
- Parsley
- Optional: Half and Half or Heavy Whipping Cream
Recipe Shortcut Tips You May Need
- Use rotisserie chicken. Shred it up and skip cooking raw chicken, saves time and still gives you tender meat.
- Go with pre-cut veggies. Grab a bag of mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery) from the store so you don’t have to chop. I do this every time! It's such a life saver.
- Canned or frozen biscuits are your friend. No need to roll out dough, just cut them into small pieces and drop them right in.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits
Detailed measurements and full instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with garlic powder, onion powder, ground oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Rub the spices into the chicken breasts.
- Heat butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot, add onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour throughout and stir well to combine. Add the flour in stages to avoid excess drying.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and stir repeatedly, ensuring there are no lumps. Deglaze the bottom of the pan using your spoon. Add the chicken back to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and onion powder, garlic powder, dried basil, ground oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat to low to let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the soup cooks. prepare the dumplings. Cut the dumplings into 4 pieces per biscuit. Melt butter and combine minced garlic cloves and optional parsley. Glaze the top of each biscuit with the melted garlic butter.
- Open the pot and remove the chicken and shred it using 2 forks. Return the chicken to the pot along with half and half. Stir. Taste repeatedly and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper if needed to suit your taste.
- Drop the biscuit chunks right on top of the simmering chicken mixture in a single layer. Don’t stir them in, let them sit on top like a lid so they steam and puff up
- Put a lid on the pot and let the biscuit pieces cook for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re fluffy and cooked through in the center. Try not to lift the lid too often so the steam stays trapped. If you lift the lid too soon, the texture of the dumplings will be gummy. I let mine cook for 20 minutes.
- Once the biscuits are done, remove the lid and check for doneness by cutting into the thickest piece. If it’s no longer doughy inside, you’re good to go. Serve hot with the dumplings floating right on top.
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Easy Chicken and Dumplings with Canned or Frozen Biscuits
Want to save this recipe for later?
I'll email it to you, so you can come back to it later! You will also get our free digital cookbook with 30-Minute One-Pot Recipes and weekly recipes and tips.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pounds skinless chicken thighs or beasts Or fully cooked chicken/rotisserie chicken works great.
- 2 teaspoons onion powder Divided into 2 portions of 1 teaspoon.
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder Divided into 2 portions of 1 teaspoon.
- ½ teaspoon ground oregano Divided into 2 portions of ¼ teaspoon.
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons butter Divided into 2 portions of 1 tablespoon.
- ½ cup diced onions I used white onions.
- ½ cup diced carrots
- ½ cup diced celery
- 6-7 garlic cloves Minced and divided into 2 portions; half for the soup and half to rub onto the biscuit dumplings.
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 5-6 cups chicken broth See notes.
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 8 canned or frozen biscuits Thawed if using frozen.
- 2-3 tablespoons chopped parsley Optional to add flavor to the biscuit dumplings.
- ½ cup half and half or heavy whipping cream Optional
Instructions
- Season both sides of the chicken breasts with 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, ¼ teaspoon ground oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Rub the spices into the chicken breasts.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook until browned on all sides, about 4-5 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside.
- In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3-4 minutes.
- Sprinkle the flour throughout and stir well to combine. Add the flour in stages to avoid excess drying.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth and stir repeatedly, ensuring there are no lumps. Deglaze the bottom of the pan using your spoon. Add the chicken back to the pot.
- Bring the mixture to a rolling boil and add 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon dried basil, ¼ teaspoon ground oregano, salt, and pepper to taste. Cover the pot with the lid and lower the heat to low to let the soup simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the soup cooks, prepare the dumplings. Cut the dumplings into 4 pieces per biscuit. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter and combine the remaining minced garlic cloves and optional parsley. Glaze the top of each biscuit with the melted garlic butter.
- Open the pot and remove the chicken and shred it using 2 forks. Return the chicken to the pot along with ½ cup of optional half and half. Stir. Taste repeatedly and adjust the spices, salt, and pepper if needed to suit your taste.
- Drop the biscuit chunks right on top of the simmering chicken mixture in a single layer. Don’t stir them in, let them sit on top like a lid so they steam and puff up
- Put a lid on the pot and let the biscuit pieces cook for 15-20 minutes, or until they’re fluffy and cooked through in the center. Try not to lift the lid too often so the steam stays trapped. If you lift the lid too soon, the texture of the dumplings will be gummy. I let mine cook for 20 minutes.
- Once the biscuits are done, remove the lid and check for doneness by cutting into the thickest piece. If it’s no longer doughy inside, you’re good to go. Serve hot with the dumplings floating right on top.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Data
Macros are provided as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. This information is calculated using MyFitnessPal.com. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions and Recipe Pro Tips
That usually means the broth wasn’t hot enough when you added them or the pot was too crowded. Make sure your broth is at a gentle simmer before dropping in the biscuit pieces, and don’t stir too much while they cook.
Whisk 1–2 tablespoons of cornstarch or flour into a little cold broth or water, then stir it back into the pot. Let it simmer a few minutes and it’ll thicken right up.
No problem, just splash in a little extra broth, water, or even milk/cream if you want it richer. Stir it in and keep simmering until you get the texture you like.
That can happen if you drop them in all at once. Cut them into small, even pieces and add them a few at a time, giving a gentle stir after a couple minutes to separate them.
Don’t be shy with seasoning. Taste the broth before the dumplings go in add salt, pepper, garlic powder, or even a little poultry seasoning or fresh herbs to bring it to life.
Yes! That’s the whole point of this recipe. Canned biscuits puff up tender and fluffy in the broth, and I’ve tested this method over and over—it works every time.
Nope. Just let them sit out while you prep everything else. They’ll soften up enough to cut into dumpling-sized pieces.
I like to cut each biscuit into 4–6 pieces. Smaller chunks cook evenly and won’t end up raw in the middle.
That usually means the pot was too crowded or the broth wasn’t hot enough. Make sure your broth is simmering gently before you drop them in, and don’t stir too much once they’re cooking.
Yes, but add the biscuit dumplings in the last 30–45 minutes so they don’t overcook and fall apart.
You can whisk a tablespoon of flour or cornstarch into a little broth, then stir it back into the pot. That’ll give you a creamy base that clings to the dumplings.
Chicken and dumplings thicken up as they sit. Add a splash of broth or water when reheating on the stove to loosen it back up.
I don’t recommend freezing once the dumplings are cooked, they can get mushy. But you can freeze the chicken and broth mixture, then add fresh biscuits when you reheat.
Give them a gentle stir after a couple of minutes, just enough to separate them, then leave them alone to puff up.
Variations and Substitution Ideas
- Turkey: Great way to use up Thanksgiving leftovers.
- Rotisserie Chicken: Quick and easy if you don’t feel like cooking chicken from scratch.
- Smoked Chicken: Adds a deeper, Southern-style flavor.
- Homemade Biscuit Dough: If you’ve got the time, go old school and make your own.
- Peas
- Green Beans
- Mushrooms
- Creole Seasoning
- Cajun Seasoning
- Thyme
- Rosemary
- Parsley
What to Serve with Chicken and Dumplings
- Greens: Collard greens, mustard greens, or even a quick skillet of green beans give you that Southern balance.
- Simple Salad: A crisp side salad with a light vinaigrette cuts through the richness.
- Cornbread: Because Southern cornbread and comfort food just belong together.
Judy Love says
I’ve been making this recipe for years! I also make beef stew & cook dumplings on top! I cook them 10 minutes covered & 10 minutes uncovered, comes out perfect! Making me hungry for both dishes! Love you recipes & your site!
staysnatched says
That sounds so good!