Chicken and slick dumplings is the comfort food that earns its name. A whole chicken simmered with onion, garlic, peppercorns, and parsley until the meat falls off the bone, the broth reduced to something rich and silky, and then flat, square dumplings cut from a simple dough and cooked directly in that broth until they puff slightly and go tender. It takes about two hours and the result is the kind of thing people remember for years.
The dumplings here are “slick” as opposed to fluffy drop dumplings. They’re rolled flat and cut into squares, which means they cook through in less time and absorb the broth differently, becoming silky and almost noodle-like on the outside while staying slightly doughy within. The broth clings to them in a way it doesn’t cling to a drop dumpling, which is why this style feels so substantial.
Starting with a whole chicken
A whole small chicken, about three pounds, goes into a large pot with two quartered onions, a head of garlic with the top trimmed off, a teaspoon of whole peppercorns, and the stems from a bunch of parsley. Cover with water, about ten cups, add one and a half teaspoons of salt, and bring to a boil over medium-high. Then drop to a simmer and leave it for an hour.
The parsley stems are not a mistake and not a substitute. The stems have more flavor than the leaves, which are saved for finishing the dish. Garlic and onion go in whole and unpeeled or barely trimmed because you’re extracting flavor, not eating them. The whole bird gives you a richer broth than any cut pieces would, because the bones, fat, and connective tissue all contribute over the long simmer.
After an hour the chicken will be completely cooked through and starting to fall off the bone. Transfer it to a plate to cool. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and return it to the pot. Simmer over medium-low until it reduces to about six cups, then skim the fat from the surface and season with salt and pepper. The reduction concentrates the flavor and gives the broth the body the dumplings need.
The slick dumpling dough
Make the dough while the chicken is simmering so it has time to rest. In a medium bowl, combine one cup of flour, two tablespoons of softened butter, a tablespoon of vegetable shortening, a teaspoon of baking powder, and half a teaspoon of salt. Mash everything together with a fork until the mixture looks like coarse, wet crumbs with no dry flour patches. Stir in a quarter cup of whole milk until a dough forms. Let it rest for twenty minutes.
The shortening is the ingredient that makes these slick rather than fluffy. Fat coats the flour proteins and limits gluten development, which gives the dumpling a tender, slightly smooth texture rather than the bready puff you get from a drop dumpling. Both butter and shortening go in because butter adds flavor and shortening adds tenderness; either alone doesn’t quite do what the combination does.
The twenty-minute rest lets the flour fully hydrate and the gluten relax, which makes the dough easier to roll and produces a more tender dumpling. Don’t skip it.
Rolling and cutting
On a floured surface, roll the rested dough into a rough ten by ten-inch square about a quarter inch thick. It doesn’t need to be perfectly square or perfectly even. Cut it into strips about one and a half inches wide, then cut each strip into one and a half-inch squares. You’ll end up with small, roughly equal pieces that will cook evenly together.
Flour your hands and the surface generously. The dough is slightly sticky and will stick to everything if the surface is dry. Don’t add extra flour to the dough itself though; it’s already the right consistency and more flour will toughen the dumplings.
Finishing the pot
While you’re rolling the dough, strip the cooled chicken from the bones and shred the meat into bite-size pieces. Set it aside.
Bring the reduced, seasoned broth back to a simmer over medium heat. Add the cut dumplings one at a time so they don’t clump together in a mass. Cover the pot and simmer until the dumplings have puffed slightly and are cooked through, stirring gently once or twice to prevent sticking. The time depends on their thickness, but roughly ten to fifteen minutes.
Return the shredded chicken to the pot to heat through. Stir in a third of a cup of the chopped parsley leaves, half a teaspoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of nutmeg if you’re using it. The lemon juice is the same finishing touch that appears in a lot of the soups in this collection: a small amount at the very end brightens everything without making the dish taste sour. The nutmeg is optional but adds a quiet warmth that plays well against the rich broth.
Why this dish takes time and why it’s worth it
Two hours is a real commitment for a weeknight, but most of that time is the chicken simmering unattended. I don’t make this dish when I’m in a hurry. I make it on a weekend afternoon when the weather is cold and I want the kitchen to smell like something is being taken care of. The smell of a whole chicken simmering with aromatics is one of the more reassuring things a kitchen can produce.
Chicken and dumplings in some form exists across a lot of culinary traditions. The stewed whole bird, the simple flour-and-fat dough, the finishing herbs. I grew up with a Moroccan version of this idea where the chicken cooked in broth and the dough was dropped in as small rounds. The slick-dumpling American version is different in texture and spirit but belongs to the same category of honest, practical cooking: cheap ingredients, long time, good result. Serves 4.
Leftovers and storage
The dumplings continue absorbing broth as the dish sits, so leftovers the next day are thicker and soupier than when freshly made. Add a splash of water or stock when reheating to loosen it back up. Reheat gently over medium-low, stirring carefully so the dumplings don’t break apart. This keeps in the fridge for three days. It doesn’t freeze well because the dumplings get waterlogged and fall apart when thawed.
Chicken and Slick Dumplings
Description
Chicken simmered until tender in an aromatic broth, the stock reduced, and flat square dumplings cooked directly in it. A traditional slick-dumpling style with parsley and lemon to finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Place the chicken, onions, garlic, peppercorns, parsley stems, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large pot. Add water to just cover (about 10 cups). Bring to a boil over medium-high, then reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and falling off the bone, about 1 hour.
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While the chicken simmers, make the dumpling dough: combine flour, butter, shortening, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl and mash with a fork until the mixture resembles coarse wet crumbs. Stir in the milk until a dough forms. Let rest 20 minutes.
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Transfer the cooked chicken to a plate to cool. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Simmer until reduced to about 6 cups. Skim the fat and season with salt and pepper.
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Once the chicken is cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and shred into bite-size pieces.
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On a floured surface, roll the dumpling dough into a rough 10x10-inch square about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 1 1/2-inch strips, then into 1 1/2-inch squares.
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Bring the broth back to a simmer over medium heat. Add the dumplings one at a time. Cover and simmer, stirring gently once or twice, until the dumplings have puffed slightly and are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.
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Return the shredded chicken to the pot to heat through. Stir in the chopped parsley leaves, lemon juice, and nutmeg if using. Serve hot..
Nutrition Facts
Servings 4
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 768kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 49g76%
- Saturated Fat 16g80%
- Cholesterol 238mg80%
- Sodium 938mg40%
- Potassium 604mg18%
- Total Carbohydrate 30g10%
- Dietary Fiber 1g4%
- Sugars 1g
- Protein 48g96%
- Vitamin C 13 mg
- Calcium 129 mg
- Iron 6 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
Rest Time includes 20 minutes for the dumpling dough plus 10 minutes cooling time for the chicken. Do not add extra flour to the dumpling dough; it's meant to be slightly sticky. Leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of stock as the dumplings absorb broth overnight.
