A bowl of chicken and dumplings should feel warm and comforting, but homemade dumpling dough can make the recipe seem harder than it needs to be. Refrigerated biscuits solve that problem. They puff up in the hot broth and become soft dumplings without extra mixing, rolling, or flour-covered counters.
This Chicken And Dumplings With Biscuits recipe uses cooked shredded chicken, fresh vegetables, chicken broth, milk, and one tube of refrigerated biscuits. Everything cooks in the same pot, so cleanup stays manageable. The flour gives the broth a creamy texture, while cooking the biscuit pieces under a closed lid lets hot steam cook their centers.
Plan on about 45 minutes from start to finish. Rotisserie chicken saves time, but leftover baked or boiled chicken works well too. Cut the biscuit dough into small, even pieces so each dumpling cooks at the same speed. The hardest part is leaving the lid closed while they simmer.
By the end, you will have a thick chicken stew filled with tender vegetables, juicy chicken, and fluffy biscuit dumplings that are cooked all the way through.
What You Need
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tube refrigerated biscuits, about 16.3 ounces
- Chopped parsley for serving, optional
Kitchen Tools
- Large Dutch oven or heavy pot with a lid
- Cutting board
- Sharp kitchen knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon
- Whisk
- Small plate or clean cutting board for biscuit dough
At a Glance
- Gather and measure the ingredients.
- Soften the onion, celery, and carrots.
- Stir in the garlic and seasonings.
- Coat the vegetables with flour.
- Whisk in the broth and milk.
- Simmer the soup until slightly thickened.
- Fold in the cooked shredded chicken.
- Cut each biscuit into four pieces.
- Drop the biscuit pieces over the simmering soup.
- Cover and cook the dumplings.
- Check the centers for doneness.
- Rest the chicken and dumplings before serving.
Gather and measure the ingredients
Place every ingredient beside the stove before turning on the heat. Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, and shred the cooked chicken. Measure the flour, broth, milk, peas, and seasonings into separate containers. Keep the biscuits refrigerated for now because warm dough becomes sticky and harder to cut. Having everything ready prevents the butter or vegetables from burning while you search for the next ingredient.
Soften the onion, celery, and carrots
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until the onion looks clear around the edges and the carrots begin to soften. The vegetables do not need to be fully tender yet. They will continue cooking in the broth later. Lower the heat if the butter begins to brown.
Stir in the garlic and seasonings
Add the minced garlic, 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning, ½ teaspoon dried thyme, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Stir for 30 seconds so the seasonings coat the warm vegetables. Stop when the garlic smells fragrant. Cooking garlic longer at this stage can make it taste bitter, especially if the bottom of the pot is very hot.
Coat the vegetables with flour
A dry, pale coating should cover the vegetables before any liquid enters the pot. Sprinkle ⅓ cup all-purpose flour evenly over the onion, carrots, and celery. Stir for 1 full minute, scraping across the bottom and around the sides of the pot. This brief cooking time removes the raw flour taste and creates the base that will thicken the broth. Small flour clumps are fine at this point because they will loosen during whisking.
Whisk in the broth and milk
Pour in about 1 cup of chicken broth while whisking steadily. Once the mixture looks smooth, add the remaining 3 cups of broth in two portions. Whisk after each addition, reaching into the corners of the pot where flour tends to collect. Finish by whisking in 1 cup whole milk. The liquid may look thin now, but it will thicken as it heats. Use 2% milk if needed, though the finished broth will be slightly less creamy.
Add the first cup of broth slowly. A small amount lets you whisk the flour into a smooth paste before the rest of the liquid goes in, which helps prevent lumps.
Simmer the soup until slightly thickened
Within 5 to 7 minutes, the broth should begin coating the back of a spoon. Bring the pot to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring often so the milk and flour do not catch on the bottom. Look for small bubbles around the edge rather than a hard rolling boil. The soup should remain loose enough for the dumplings to move later. If it becomes very thick, whisk in an extra ¼ cup chicken broth.
Fold in the cooked shredded chicken
The broth should be gently bubbling before the chicken goes in. Add 3 cups cooked shredded chicken and stir until every piece is coated. Keep the pot over medium-low heat for 2 minutes, allowing the meat to warm without boiling hard. Rotisserie chicken works well, but remove the skin first because it can make the broth greasy. Break apart any large chunks so each serving gets an even mix of chicken and vegetables.
Cut each biscuit into four pieces
Take the biscuit tube from the refrigerator and separate the dough rounds on a clean cutting board. Cut every biscuit into 4 equal wedges with a sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Small pieces cook more evenly than whole biscuits and are less likely to stay raw in the middle. If the dough sticks to the blade, wipe it clean between cuts. Do not flatten or stretch the wedges because the dough needs its layers to puff.
Keep the biscuit dough cold until the soup is ready. Warm dough becomes soft and sticky, making the pieces harder to cut and more likely to clump together.
Drop the biscuit pieces over the simmering soup
Arrange the biscuit wedges across the surface one at a time, leaving a little space between them. The soup must be at a gentle simmer so steam begins cooking the dough as soon as it lands. Avoid piling several pieces in one spot, which can leave the touching centers undercooked. Press each piece lightly against the surface without pushing it beneath the broth. Add 1 cup frozen peas around the gaps after all the biscuit pieces are in place.
Cover and cook the dumplings
Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Trapped steam cooks the tops and centers while the simmering broth cooks their undersides. Keep the soup at a quiet bubble rather than a hard boil, which can break the biscuit pieces apart or cause the thick broth to scorch.
Do not lift the lid during the first 15 minutes. Each time the lid opens, steam escapes and the biscuit centers take longer to cook.
Check the centers for doneness
Lift the lid after 15 minutes and choose one dumpling from the thickest part of the pot. Cut through its center with a small knife. The inside should look fluffy and bread-like, with no wet or shiny dough. If the center is still raw, replace the lid and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Check again before serving. A kitchen thermometer inserted into a dumpling should read at least 190°F.
Rest the chicken and dumplings before serving
Remove the pot from the heat and leave it uncovered for 5 minutes. This short rest allows the broth to thicken and helps the dumplings firm enough to scoop without falling apart. Taste the broth and add a small pinch of salt or black pepper if needed. Spoon the chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings into wide bowls. Finish with chopped parsley if you want a fresh touch of color.
Troubleshooting Chicken And Dumplings With Biscuits
Troubleshooting Guide
| If This Happens | Try This |
|---|---|
| The dumplings are raw in the center | Cover the pot again and cook over low heat for another 3 to 5 minutes. Cut open the largest dumpling before serving. |
| The broth is too thin | Remove the cooked dumplings and simmer the broth uncovered for 3 to 6 minutes. It will also thicken slightly as it cools. |
| The broth is too thick | Stir in warm chicken broth or milk, 2 tablespoons at a time, until the texture loosens. |
| The dumplings are falling apart | Keep the soup at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil. Handle the dumplings as little as possible once they enter the pot. |
| The bottom of the pot is sticking | Lower the heat and gently scrape the bottom before adding the biscuit dough. A heavy pot spreads heat more evenly. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicken and Dumplings FAQ
Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Yes. Remove the skin and bones, then shred the meat. Both white and dark meat work, and a mix gives the best flavor.
Can I use cream instead of milk?
Yes. Use ½ cup heavy cream mixed with ½ cup water or broth. Full-strength cream can make the soup heavier than needed.
Can I use frozen biscuits?
Refrigerated biscuit dough is more reliable for this method. Frozen biscuits are thicker and may stay raw inside unless thawed and cut into small pieces first.
How do I store leftovers?
Cool the food, place it in a covered container, and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. The dumplings will soften as they sit in the broth.
How should I reheat chicken and dumplings?
Warm them in a covered pot over low heat. Add a splash of broth or milk if the mixture has become very thick. Stir around the dumplings rather than through them.
Can I freeze this recipe?
The chicken filling can be frozen, but biscuit dumplings may become soft after thawing. For better texture, freeze the soup without the dumplings and add fresh biscuit dough while reheating.
Quick Reference Card
Chicken And Dumplings With Biscuits
One-pot beginner recipe • 6 servings • 45 minutes
What You Need
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- 3 garlic cloves
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup whole milk
- 3 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 1 tube refrigerated biscuits
- Poultry seasoning, thyme, salt, and pepper
Quick Steps
- Prepare the ingredients.
- Cook the vegetables in butter.
- Add the garlic and seasonings.
- Stir in the flour.
- Whisk in the broth and milk.
- Simmer until slightly thickened.
- Add the shredded chicken.
- Cut the biscuits into quarters.
- Place the dough over the soup.
- Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
- Check the dumpling centers.
- Rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy Your Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
You now have a warm pot of Chicken And Dumplings With Biscuits made with tender vegetables, juicy chicken, creamy broth, and soft biscuit dumplings.
Serve it while warm, with black pepper or chopped parsley on top. The leftovers make a filling lunch the next day, though the dumplings will become softer as they sit.
Save this recipe to your Pinterest dinner board so you can find it the next time you need a cozy one-pot meal.
Chicken And Dumplings With Biscuits
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, and shred the cooked chicken. Measure the remaining ingredients before heating the pot. Keep the biscuit dough refrigerated until the soup is ready.
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often, until the onion becomes translucent and the vegetables begin to soften.
- Stir in the garlic, poultry seasoning, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, until the garlic smells fragrant.
- Sprinkle the flour evenly over the vegetables. Cook for 1 minute while stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot. The flour should coat the vegetables and lose its raw appearance.
- Slowly pour in 1 cup of chicken broth while whisking. Once the mixture becomes smooth, gradually whisk in the remaining broth. Add the milk and whisk until no dry flour remains.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring often, until the broth lightly coats the back of a spoon. Do not let it reach a hard boil.
- Stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes, allowing the chicken to warm through.
- Remove the biscuit dough from the refrigerator and separate the biscuits. Cut each biscuit into 4 equal wedges using a knife or kitchen scissors. Do not flatten or stretch the dough.
- Place the biscuit pieces in a single layer over the gently simmering soup. Leave a small amount of space between the pieces and avoid stacking them. Sprinkle the frozen peas into the open spaces.
- Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The trapped steam is needed to cook the tops and centers of the dumplings.
- Cut through the largest dumpling. Its center should look fluffy and bread-like, with no wet or shiny dough. If it is still raw, cover the pot and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the chicken and dumplings rest uncovered for 5 minutes. Taste the broth and add more salt or black pepper if needed. Spoon into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.
Notes
- Rotisserie chicken is the fastest option. Remove the skin and bones before shredding the meat.
- Leftover baked, roasted, or boiled chicken also works.
- Keep the biscuit dough refrigerated until you are ready to cut it. Warm dough becomes sticky and difficult to handle.
- Cut the biscuits into equal pieces so they cook at the same speed.
- Do not lift the lid during the first 15 minutes of dumpling cooking time.
- Keep the broth at a gentle simmer. A hard boil can break the dumplings apart or scorch the thickened soup.
- If the soup becomes too thick, stir in warm chicken broth 2 tablespoons at a time.
- If the broth is too thin, remove the cooked dumplings and simmer the soup uncovered for 3 to 6 minutes.
