Description
Grandma Georgia’s Chicken and Dumplings is a comforting, slow-cooked Southern classic made with tender chicken thighs, hearty vegetables, and fluffy homemade dumplings. This crock pot style recipe infuses rich flavors over several hours and finishes with a smooth, savory gravy, making it the perfect soul-warming meal for family gatherings or cozy nights at home.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Chicken and Broth
- 3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 4 cups water
- 4 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- 5–10 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 2 cups celery, chopped into ½-inch chunks
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1½ tsp dried parsley
- 1 tsp sage
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
For the Dumplings
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1½ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 2 tsp dried parsley (or 2 tbsp fresh parsley)
- ½ tsp pepper
- 3 tbsp cold butter
- 3 tbsp shortening
- 1½ cups buttermilk
For the Gravy
- 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker
- ¾ cup cold water
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken mixture: Place the chicken thighs, water, chicken base, carrots, celery, onion, bay leaves, and seasonings in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6–7 hours until the chicken is fully cooked and tender.
- Make the dumpling dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, parsley, and pepper. Cut in cold butter and shortening until the mixture becomes crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk and mix until just combined, being careful not to overwork the dough.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the slow cooker. Using two forks, shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then return it to the slow cooker and stir to combine.
- Add dumplings to the slow cooker: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough evenly over the chicken mixture. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour or until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
- Prepare the gravy: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups of cooking liquid from the slow cooker and cold water. Bring to a gentle simmer. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and chicken base into a smooth slurry, then slowly whisk it into the simmering liquid. Cook until the gravy thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve: Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and top with the warm gravy. Garnish as desired and serve immediately for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for extra tenderness and flavor.
- To avoid overmixing dumpling dough, mix until ingredients are just combined for light, fluffy dumplings.
- Adjust vegetable quantities to your preference or what you have on hand.
- Make sure the dumplings cook fully by giving them the full hour on High in the slow cooker.
- Skim excess fat from the cooking liquid if desired before making the gravy for a lighter dish.
- Fresh parsley can be substituted for dried parsley in both dumplings and chicken mixture for a fresher flavor.
