Classic Southern Chicken and Dumplings (2024)

5 from 1 vote

Course: Main

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

• ▢ 3 pounds chicken breast
• ▢ 1 can cream of chicken soup
• ▢ enough chicken broth to cover the chicken about 4-6 cups
• ▢ 2 chicken bouillon cubes
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste

For the Dumplings

• ▢ 3 cups cake flour See my Cake Flour Substitute guide if you don't have any on hand
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ¾ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 4 ½ tablespoons shortening this is just a bit more than a ¼ cup
• ▢ 1 cup water

• Place your chicken, cream of chicken soup, and chicken broth into a slow cooker. Turn the slow cooker on low and allow chicken to cook for 6-8 hours, or until chicken is heated through.

• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

• Add in shortening and cut together with flour using a pastry blender. Your crumbs should be about pea-sized when you're done.

• Slowly add in water, a little at a time (you may not need it all). Stir with a fork until a ball begins to form, being careful not to over-stir (less is more for this one!).

• I usually let my dough rest for a few minutes at this point. Then I roll my dough out on wax paper and use a pizza cutter to cut into strips that are about 1.5 inches wide and 3 inches long. Allow your dumplings to sit out for several hours, uncovered (I like to leave them out for around 3-4 hours). This will allow them to firm up and maintain their shape once you add them to the broth.

• When your chicken is cooked all the way through, remove from slow cooker and either chop them or shred them.

• Transfer broth mixture to a large stockpot. Add chicken back in, as well as the bouillon cubes and salt & pepper. Bring the broth mixture to a low boil over medium heat.

• When the broth mixture is boiling, add the dumplings. Reduce heat, cover, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes.

• Reduce heat to low and continue cooking until broth has thickened.