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Lightened-Up Creamy Chicken and Dumplings One Pot Recipe

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A rich, creamy chicken and dumplings recipe that’s lightened up with half-and-half and lean chicken breast. This one-pot wonder comes together in about 45 minutes and delivers all the cozy comfort without the heavy calories.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup half-and-half
  • 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 medium breasts)
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
  • Salt and black pepper, to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour (for dumplings)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt (for dumplings)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional, for dumplings)
  • 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, cold

Instructions

  1. Sauté the aromatics: Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes until onions are translucent and carrots start to soften. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant.
  2. Make the roux: Sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes until the flour coats the veggies and turns light golden.
  3. Build the broth: Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Add half-and-half, dried thyme, and dried rosemary. Stir to combine.
  4. Cook the chicken: Nestle chicken breasts into the broth. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 15-18 minutes until chicken is cooked through (165°F internal temperature).
  5. Shred the chicken: Remove chicken from pot, let rest for 2-3 minutes, then shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the broth and stir in frozen peas.
  6. Make the dumpling dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and garlic powder. Add cold butter cubes. Use a pastry blender or fingertips to work butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter pieces. Pour in cold buttermilk and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
  7. Drop the dumplings: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the simmering broth. Space them out slightly. Cover pot tightly and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid.
  8. Finish and serve: After 15 minutes, check dumplings—they should be puffed and cooked through (toothpick inserted comes out clean). If needed, cover and cook for another 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

Notes

For fluffiest dumplings, use full-fat buttermilk and keep ingredients cold. Do not boil broth after adding half-and-half to prevent curdling. Resist stirring after adding dumplings. If soup is too thick, stir in warm broth or milk. For gluten-free, use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For dairy-free, use full-fat canned coconut milk and cold coconut oil with almond milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: chicken and dumplings, lightened up, one pot, creamy chicken soup, comfort food, healthy chicken recipe, easy dinner

Find it online: https://lolaspoon.com/lightened-up-creamy-chicken-and-dumplings-one-pot-recipe/