For me, southern chicken and dumplings is one of the ultimate comfort foods. It tastes like coming home. I remember my grandmother making them all the time.

The one thing that keeps me from fixing them more often is having to make the dumplings.

I love a good homemade dumpling as much as the next person, but I don’t always have the time to make them – and I don’t always want to deal with the flour mess.

Lately, when I’m craving some good Southern comfort food, I’ve been picking up a package of frozen dumplings instead.

Give it a try. I guarantee your people won’t care if you used frozen dumplings!

Photo of a bowl of chicken and dumplings. You can see the pot in the background and there is a blue and white tea towel to the side.

Table of Contents

Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings

This is the perfect dinner for nights when you are craving something warm and comforting, but you also need it to be ready a little quicker.

You can have these chicken and dumplings on the table in less than an hour.

Ingredients:

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream or half-and-half
1 package frozen dumplings

Instructions for Chicken and Dumplings

Season the chicken thighs with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the chicken thighs and cook until lightly golden on both sides. You are not looking for a deep color and the chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point. Remove to a plate and set aside.

Reduce the heat slightly and add the butter to the same pot. Once melted, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Carrots, celery, and onion in a yellow pot.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 30 to 60 seconds, just until fragrant.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to remove any raw flour taste.

Flour added to a pot of vegetables on a stove.

Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring, scraping up any bits from the bottom of the pot. Return the chicken thighs and any released juices to the pot.

Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 18 – 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and cooked through.

Chicken simmering in a pot on a stove in a yellow pot.

Remove the chicken from the broth to a cutting board.

Chicken on a cutting board. You can see tongs to the side.

Keep the broth to a gentle simmer. Add the frozen dumplings, cover, and cook for 20 minutes, keeping the heat at a simmer rather than a boil. Stir occasionally to separate the dumplings, but be very gentle.

Dumplings simmering in a pot on a stove top.

While the dumplings are cooking shred or chop your cooked chicken thighs. I prefer shredded, but chopping is quicker.

Shredded chicken thighs on a cutting board.

After 20 minutes, gently stir in the shredded chicken and 1 to 2 cups of cream or half and half Continue simmering, uncovered, for another 10 minutes, or until the dumplings are fully cooked and tender.

Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper.

A big pot of chicken and dumplings. The photo is taken from above. The pot is sitting on a cutting board and there is a tea bowl to the side.

Recipe Notes

Here are some more things to know about this recipe and about using frozen dumplings.

Which Dumplings to Use?

My grocery store has Mary Hill Dumplings so that is what I use. I’d use whatever flat, rolled dumpling you can find!

What part of the Chicken Should I Use?

If you’ve seen many of my chicken recipes you will know that I’m a big fan of chicken thighs. They add flavor and stay tender.

However, you can use chicken breast if that is what you prefer. Or a mix of white and dark meat. I think you could definitely use rotisserie chicken in this recipe as well.

How to Separate the Frozen Dumplings

Set your dumplings out about 15 minutes before you use them to let them thaw a bit. This will make them easier to separate.

The package directions on the package that I use suggest microwaving them for a few seconds to make them easier to separate.

The Mary Hill dumplings are long so I break them in half before placing in the broth.

Chicken and dumplings in a brown bowl. There is a yellow pot that you can see in the background. There is a brown tea towel and some parsley in the photo as well.

Can Dumplings be Overcooked?

Yes. Overcooked dumplings can become overly soft and start to fall apart. Follow the instructions on your package and remove the pot from the heat as soon as the dumplings are done.

Thickness of the broth/sauce

A full package of frozen dumplings absorbs more liquid than you might expect. They also release starch as they cook and will continue to thicken the broth as the dish sits.

Adjust your broth and dairy as needed to reach the texture you prefer. You can use milk instead of half-and-half for a thinner, more broth-forward consistency.

Photo of a bowl of soup with a yellow pot in the background.

Using Veggies in Chicken and Dumplings

I know a lot of southern cooks make their chicken and dumplings with only onion.

I love the carrots and celery addition, but they aren’t strictly necessary. My grandmother sometimes added peas to her recipe so feel free to do that if you like peas.

Optional additions

After removing the pot from the heat, I like to stir in a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar. It brightens the dish slightly, but you won’t taste the vinegar. I also like to sprinkle on some extra pepper and chopped parley.

At the end of the day, comfort food isn’t about perfection, it’s about sitting down to something warm and familiar.

If a package of frozen dumplings helps get this on the table more often, I’m all for it.

And once you taste that creamy, old-fashioned broth, I don’t think you’ll miss rolling out the dough one bit.

Shortcut Southern Chicken and Dumplings

A chicken and dumpling recipe that uses frozen dumplings without sacrificing flavor

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Course Main Course

Cuisine Southern

Equipment

1 heavy pot

Ingredients

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 small onion, diced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
8 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream or half and half
1 package frozen dumplings

Instructions

Prepare vegetables
Season chicken thighs lightly with salt and pepper
Sear chicken thighs until golden in olive oil in heavy pot. They do not have to be cooked through
Remove chicken to a plate
Melt butter in the same pot and add vegetables. Cook about 5 minutes until vegetables are soft.
Add garlic and thyme and saute 1 minute
Stir flour into the vegetables and spices and cook for about a minute
Add vegetable broth, slowly at first to make sure the flour is incorporated and then all of it, bring the broth to a boil.
Put the chicken thighs and any released juices into the broth. Turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer the chicken thighs for about 18 minutes until cooked through.
Remove chicken thighs to a cutting board
Add the frozen dumplings to the broth following package directions. Simmer gently and stir gently to separate the dumplings from one another. Simmer for 20 minutes.
While dumplings are cooking shred or chop the cooked chicken
After the dumplings have simmered for 20 minutes add the chicken back to the pot along with the cream.
Simmer gently for 10 more minutes and remove from heat.
Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.
Optional: Stir in a teaspoon or two of apple cider vinegar for brightness.

Keyword Soups and Stews

Shortcut Southern Chicken and Dumplings