Entree: United States – Georgia (Southern United States) – Chicken and Dumplings

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 40 min

Cook 55 min

Total 1 hr 35 min

Ingredients

- 1 whole chicken, about 4 lb (1.8 kg), cut into pieces (approx. 3 lb/1.36 kg usable meat after cooking)
- 8 cups (1.9 L) low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup (240 ml) water (adjust as needed)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 8 oz/225 g)
- 2 celery stalks, sliced (approx. 4 oz/115 g)
- 2 medium carrots, sliced (approx. 6 oz/170 g)
- 3 cloves garlic, minced (approx. 9 g)
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme or 2 tsp (2 g) fresh thyme leaves
- 1/3 cup (45 g) all-purpose flour (for thickening the broth)
- 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk
- 1 1/2 tsp (8 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
- For the dumplings:
  - 2 1/2 cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) baking powder
  - 1 tsp (6 g) kosher salt
  - 4 tbsp (57 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  - 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) buttermilk (add 1-2 tbsp/15-30 ml if dough is too dry)
  - 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh parsley (optional)
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley for finishing

Instructions

Short Description:
A comforting Georgia-style one-pot meal of tender, shredded chicken simmered in a rich, savory broth with fluffy biscuit-style dumplings dropped in to poach until light and pillowy.

Regional Notes:
This Georgia variation highlights shredded chicken from a whole bird cooked in a flavorful, slightly thickened chicken broth and uses biscuit-like drop dumplings that are cooked directly in the pot, producing the light, fluffy dumplings associated with Southern home cooking.

1. Pat the chicken pieces dry and season lightly with 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt and a few grinds of black pepper. In a large Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat, warm the butter and oil until shimmering.
2. Brown the chicken pieces in batches, 4–6 minutes per side, until golden (they will finish cooking in the broth). Transfer browned pieces to a plate and set aside.
3. Reduce heat to medium and add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots to the pot. Sauté until softened, about 5–7 minutes. Stir in the minced garlic and cook 30 seconds more.
4. Sprinkle 1/3 cup (45 g) flour over the vegetables and stir to coat; cook 1–2 minutes to remove the raw flour taste. Gradually pour in the chicken broth while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
5. Add the browned chicken pieces back to the pot along with the bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the chicken is very tender and pulls from the bone easily, about 35–45 minutes.
6. While the chicken simmers, make the dumpling dough: in a bowl mix 2 1/2 cups (312 g) flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp (6 g) salt. Cut in the 4 tbsp (57 g) cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the buttermilk and 1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped parsley until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms; add 1–2 tbsp (15–30 ml) buttermilk if needed.
7. When the chicken is done, remove the pieces to a bowl and let cool slightly. Remove and discard skin and bones, then shred the meat into bite-sized pieces (approx. 3 lb/1.36 kg raw yields about 2.5–3 lb cooked/shredded). Skim excess fat from the surface of the broth. If the broth is thicker than desired, add up to 1 cup (240 ml) water; stir in 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk and warm through. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining salt and pepper.
8. Bring the broth to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Use a spoon or small ice-cream scoop to drop rounded tablespoons of dumpling dough into the simmering broth, spacing them so they don’t touch; you should get about 40–50 small dumplings depending on size.
9. Cover the pot tightly and simmer over low heat for 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid. After the dumplings have cooked about 8 minutes, stir in the shredded chicken so it finishes heating through with the dumplings for the remaining time.
10. Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust seasoning. Stir in 2 tbsp (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley. Serve hot, making sure each bowl has a generous portion of shredded chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings.