The Game-Changing Cornmeal Secret
Here’s something that’ll make your kitchen smell like pure heaven—and it’s a trick most people don’t know. The best dumpling recipes include cornmeal along with flour, which completely solves the problem of gloopy flour balls. While your neighbor’s still serving up gummy disasters, you’ll be ladling out perfect, tender dumplings every single time.
Dumpling recipes that include cornmeal along with the flour completely solve the problem of gummy, overly glutenous dumplings. This isn’t just some trendy ingredient swap—it’s based on solid cooking science. Without the cornmeal, the dumplings can become gummy and overly glutenous, turning what should be a comforting meal into a mouth-coating mess.
Apple Cider: The Bizarre Ingredient That Actually Works
You’re probably thinking I’ve lost my mind, but hear me out. Apple cider in chicken and dumpling dishes sounds totally bizarre, but it really does add just a nice little oomph. This secret ingredient has been hiding in plain sight in grandmother’s recipes for decades.
The subtle sweetness cuts through the richness without being overpowering. The addition of apple cider is one of my two favorite elements in this adapted Gourmet Magazine recipe. It’s not about making your dumplings taste like apple pie—it’s about creating that mysterious depth of flavor that makes people ask what your secret is.
Why Your Chicken is Tough (And How to Fix It)
Chicken becomes tough when it’s brought to a full boil—this is what makes chicken tough. Most home cooks are sabotaging their own efforts without realizing it. That aggressive bubbling might look productive, but it’s turning your tender chicken into shoe leather.
The diced chicken should be added to the soup just before the dumplings and gently simmered for 15 minutes to finish cooking. Place your ear next to the pot to gauge the simmer—you want it just enough to steam the dumplings while ensuring the bottom doesn’t burn. It sounds old-fashioned, but this listening technique actually works.
The Searing Technique That Changes Everything
Searing fresh chicken in the skillet first adds “fond” (brown chicken remnants) to the pot, which transfers the best homemade flavor into the broth. This step separates restaurant-quality dishes from bland home cooking. Those caramelized bits stuck to your pan aren’t mess—they’re liquid gold.
Use a silicone spatula to clean the “fond” from the bottom of the pot—this will give lots of great flavor to the broth. Every professional chef knows this trick, but somehow it got lost in translation to home kitchens. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, and sear it in olive oil for 3 minutes per side.
The Three Types of Dumplings (And Why Most People Choose Wrong)
There are typically 3 different types used for Chicken and Dumplings: Drop-style dumplings where you simply scoop the dough right from the bowl and drop them into the soup for steaming. Drop-style dumplings are made with a leavening agent like baking powder to help the dough puff up into soft, pillowy bites, scooped directly from the bowl and dropped onto the surface of hot soup.
Rolled dumplings have dough that’s rolled out, cut into shapes, and cooked in the broth—these are made with lard or shortening and can be cut into strips or irregular pieces. Biscuit-style dumplings are made with biscuit dough, rolled and cut into large or small biscuits that steam when placed on the soup’s surface.
The Historical Truth About This “Depression-Era” Dish
Forget everything you’ve heard about chicken and dumplings being born from poverty. Neither the Great Depression nor the Civil War gave rise to chicken and dumplings, which has existed in cookbooks that predate both—tying all our food to the Civil War or Depression denies the history of the region and people.
The first documented version of Chicken and Dumplings in an American cookbook was Mary Randolph’s “Paste for Meat Dumpling” in The Virginia Housewife in 1836. Some sources say chicken and dumplings originated in the Southern United States during the Antebellum South era, with early versions featuring cornmeal dumplings cooked with turnip greens.
Why Your Dumplings Fall Apart (The Lid Rule)
Don’t lift the lid while the dumplings cook, or they won’t properly steam. This might be the hardest rule to follow because human curiosity is powerful, but peeking is dumpling death. Once the lid goes on, don’t peek—steam is what makes them puff up light and fluffy.
Dumplings that are overcooked will begin to fall apart and disintegrate into the soup, so try to stick to the cooking time and always use a timer. Overcooked dumplings will fall apart and disintegrate into the broth, so don’t walk away from the stove and be diligent about checking when cooking time is nearly up.
The Stock Secret That Professional Chefs Use
Nothing is more important about chicken and dumplings than getting your stock right—it’s got to have that super rich flavor and velvety texture. Start with a whole young chicken because the bones help richen the broth, and young chickens have tender meat that cooks faster.
Use 1 heaping tablespoon of wet chicken base like Better Than Bouillon, or 3 chicken bouillon cubes if you don’t have that. Adding a can of cream of chicken soup helps thicken the stock and adds great flavor—this step is optional but highly recommended.
The Regional Variations You Never Knew Existed
In the Appalachian region, this preparation is called chicken and slicks, the Pennsylvania Dutch version is called bott boi, and chicken and dumpling soup is popular in the Midwest. A variant known as “chicken and pastry” features wide, flat noodles rolled from biscuit dough, sometimes considered different from “chicken and dumplings” which uses small balls rather than flat strips.
Traditional Southern families made strip dumplings for generations—strip dumplings are authentic Southern dumplings. Traditional chicken and dumplings have strip-like dumplings, while the drop biscuit method is more of a shortcut method.
Temperature Control: The Make-or-Break Factor
Keep your heat to a low simmer with little bubbles popping up—if your heat is too high, you can scorch the bottom of your soup. Make sure the soup is simmering very gently while the biscuits are cooking—you want it to simmer just enough to steam the dumplings while ensuring the bottom doesn’t burn.
Make sure the gravy is still simmering when you add dumplings, then place the lid back and allow them to simmer for 15 minutes—make sure they’re simmering the entire time, and after 15 minutes they should have doubled in size.
Testing for Doneness Like a Pro
To test if dumplings are done, stick a toothpick into them after they’ve simmered for about 15 minutes—if the skewer comes out clean, they’re done, but if it comes out wet or sticky, let them cook longer. Some people say dumplings are finished when they float, but that’s not an accurate gauge of doneness—stick with the toothpick method.
Cut a dumpling in half to check if it’s cooked through—if not, cook a few more minutes with the lid on and test again, then ladle into bowls once they’re done.
Why Modern Convenience Products Actually Work
Sometimes simple is best—cutting out extra steps by using rotisserie chicken and store-bought stock still tastes amazing and was the easiest method. Using rotisserie chicken or shredded cooked chicken makes chicken and dumplings soup much faster.
If you don’t have time to make homemade dumplings, you can use store-bought biscuit dough—just make easy homemade dumplings from scratch with flour, softened butter, milk, baking powder, and salt. Sometimes the shortcut version beats spending all day in the kitchen, especially when you’re feeding a crowd on a weeknight.
Think about it—would your grandmother judge you for using a rotisserie chicken if it meant getting dinner on the table for your family? She’d probably applaud your efficiency. The heart of comfort food isn’t about making everything from scratch; it’s about creating something that nourishes both body and soul.
