Classic Chicken and Dumplings

30 

minutes 

 

Total Time 

 

90 

minutes 

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 

tablespoon 

olive oil

6 

bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

kosher salt and black pepper

4 

stalks celery, chopped

4 

carrots, chopped

2 

onions, chopped

2 

tablespoons 

fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme

2 

cloves garlic, chopped

2 

bay leaves

2 1/2 

cups 

all-purpose flour

1 

tablespoon 

baking powder

1/2 

teaspoon 

baking soda

6 

tablespoons 

(3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3

2 

tablespoons 

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for serving

/4 

cup 

buttermilk

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; reserve the pot.
2. Add the celery, carrots, onions, thyme, and garlic to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and 10 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pot (discarding the skin and bones).
3. Whisk together ½ cup of the flour, 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the pot and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Make the dumplings: Whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the butter, buttermilk, and parsley. Reduce heat to low and drop the mixture into the broth in 8 large spoonfuls. Simmer, covered, until the dumplings are firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.