Description

A hearty, one-pot chicken and dumplings recipe designed for meal prep, yielding four distinct meals. This dish features tender chicken thighs, a creamy herb-infused broth, and fluffy homemade biscuits, all cooked together for maximum flavor with minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

Scale

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 medium carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons softened butter (for dumplings)
2 tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Instructions

Prep ingredients: Dice onion, carrots, and celery; mince garlic; measure herbs. If making buttermilk substitute, mix milk and vinegar and let sit for 5 minutes.
Sauté aromatics: Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, and celery; cook for 5-7 minutes until soft. Add garlic and dried thyme in the last minute.
Brown chicken: Add chicken thighs to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and sear for 2-3 minutes per side until colored. Remove if necessary to avoid crowding.
Simmer stew: Pour in chicken broth, scraping up browned bits. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender.
Make dumpling dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold cubered butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in buttermilk and chopped chives until just combined (do not overmix).
Cook dumplings: Stir heavy cream into the simmering stew. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the surface of the stew. Cover tightly and simmer on low for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
Rest and serve: Remove bay leaves. Let the pot sit for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Serve hot, garnished with extra chives if desired.

Notes

For best results, do not overmix the dumpling dough to ensure fluffiness. Keep the lid on tightly while dumplings cook to trap steam. The stew base can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. For freezing, freeze the chicken and broth mixture without the dumplings or cream; make fresh dumplings upon reheating.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Category: Main Course
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 bowl per serving
Calories: 650
Sodium: 800
Fat: 32
Saturated Fat: 14
Carbohydrates: 55
Fiber: 3
Protein: 35

Keywords: chicken and dumplings, one pot meal, meal prep, fall recipes, comfort food, chicken stew, homemade biscuits, easy dinner