Dutch Oven Chicken & Dumplings
Dutch Oven Chicken & Dumplings
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Dinner
Cuisine
American
Servings
4-6
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
1 minute
There’s nothing more comforting than a pot of chicken and dumplings, especially when the chicken is roasted first for rich caramelized flavor. This version uses boneless chicken thighs for tenderness and store-bought biscuits for quick, fluffy dumplings. It’s the perfect mix of homemade flavor and weeknight simplicity.
Ingredients
- For the Chicken
- 2 pounds (900 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- For the Stew Base
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 5 cups (1.2 L) chicken broth (or 4 cups broth + 1 cup milk for a creamier version)
- ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon thyme (fresh or dried)
- 1 bay leaf
- For the Dumplings
- 1 (16-oz / 450-g) can refrigerated biscuits
- Optional: melted butter or cream for brushing after cooking
-
Optional: chopped parsley or thyme for garnish
Directions
- Roast the Chicken Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
- Pat the chicken thighs dry and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and thyme.
- Roast for 18–22 minutes, or until golden and the internal temperature reaches 165°F (74°C).
Let rest 5–10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Reserve any pan juices, they’ll flavor your stew.
- 2. Build the Stew Base In a large Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat.
- Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook 6–8 minutes until softened.
- Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds.
- Sprinkle in flour and stir for 1 minute to remove the raw taste.
- Slowly whisk in the chicken broth until smooth and slightly thickened.
- Add cream, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf.
- Stir in the roasted chicken and any reserved juices.
- Let simmer uncovered on medium-low heat (about 15 minutes) until slightly thickened and aromatic.
- 3. Add the Biscuit Dumplings While the stew simmers, open the can of biscuits and cut each biscuit into 4–6 small pieces.
- Once the stew is hot and bubbling gently, arrange the biscuit pieces evenly over the top (don’t stir them in).
- Cover the Dutch oven with a tight lid and cook on medium-low heat for 18 minutes (without lifting the lid).
- The trapped steam cooks the biscuits into soft, pillowy dumplings.
- 4. Finish & Serve After 18 minutes, remove the lid. The biscuits should be puffed, tender, and golden underneath.
- Optional: brush the tops with melted butter or cream for shine.
- Remove the bay leaf and stir gently once or twice to mix a little biscuit flour into the stew for extra thickness.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve warm, garnished with parsley or thyme.
Recipe Note
Roasting the chicken first builds a caramelized, savory foundation that seeps into the broth. Using biscuits makes it approachable but still gives that made-from-scratch feel: buttery, tender, and perfectly cozy.