Big Thicket Chicken and Dumplings
Step into the heart of comfort food with Big Thicket Chicken and Dumplings, a soul-warming Southern classic that’s as cozy as it is flavorful. This recipe combines tender, slow-simmered chicken with fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth dumplings, all cooked in a rich, homemade broth infused with aromatic onion, celery, and bay leaves. Perfectly seasoned and garnished with fresh parsley, this dish strikes the ideal balance of rustic charm and timeless appeal. Whether you're craving a hearty family dinner or a nostalgic bowl of warmth, this easy-to-follow recipe delivers maximum comfort with minimal effort. With just 20 minutes of prep time and a comforting, home-cooked aroma, Big Thicket Chicken and Dumplings will make your kitchen the heart of your home!
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 4 pounds Chicken (whole or cut into pieces)
- 10 cups Water
- 2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 medium Onion (chopped)
- 2 stalks Celery (chopped)
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons Baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon Salt (for dumplings)
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted butter (cold, diced)
- 0.75 cup Whole milk
- 2 tablespoons Chopped parsley (optional, for garnish)
Instructions
Place the chicken in a large pot and cover with 10 cups of water. Add salt, black pepper, chopped onion, celery, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour, or until the chicken is cooked through and tender.
Remove the chicken from the pot and set it aside to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return it to the pot. Discard the bay leaves and vegetables.
Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, discarding the skin and bones. Set aside the shredded chicken.
To prepare the dumplings, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 0.5 teaspoon of salt in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add the cold diced butter to the flour mixture. Use your hands or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Pour in the milk and stir gently until a soft dough forms. Be careful not to overmix.
Bring the strained chicken broth to a gentle boil. Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth. Do not overcrowd the pot.
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot with a lid, and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Avoid lifting the lid during this time to ensure the dumplings cook evenly.
After 15 minutes, add the shredded chicken back to the pot. Stir gently to combine and heat through.
Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed.
Serve hot, garnished with chopped parsley if desired. Enjoy your Big Thicket Chicken and Dumplings!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
894 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 34.0 g | 44% | |
| Saturated Fat | 12.4 g | 62% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 273 mg | 91% | |
| Sodium | 1232 mg | 54% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 43.9 g | 16% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 2.5 g | 9% | |
| Total Sugars | 2.5 g | ||
| Protein | 96.2 g | 192% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.4 mcg | 7% | |
| Calcium | 143 mg | 11% | |
| Iron | 5.8 mg | 32% | |
| Potassium | 909 mg | 19% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
