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Dairy Queen Chicken and Dumplings
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Dairy Queen Chicken and Dumplings

Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time50 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 to 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup milk whole or 2%
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1 small onion finely chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half for extra creaminess
  • 1 cup diced carrots and/or celery optional for extra oomph
  • 1 cup flour for dumplings
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk for dumplings
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional, but nice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a large pot, brown the chicken pieces in a little butter over medium heat. Don’t worry about cooking them all the way through yet—sound dramatic, but it’s just flavor building.
  • Remove the chicken and set it aside. In the same pot, sauté the onion and garlic until soft and fragrant, about 3–4 minutes.
  • Add the flour to the onion mix and cook for 1 minute to bloom the flour. This is your base for that cozy, gravy-thick texture.
  • Whisk in the chicken broth and milk gradually, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer.
  • Stir in the cream, carrots/celery if using, and the chicken back into the pot. Simmer on low heat while you wrangle the dumplings.
  • Mix the dumpling batter: In a bowl, combine 1 cup flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in 1/2 cup milk until a shaggy dough forms. If it’s too sticky, add a bit more flour; if it’s too dry, splash in a touch more milk.
  • Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto the simmering chicken mixture. Cover the pot and cook for 12–15 minutes, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid too often, or you’ll squish the magic.
  • Finish with heavy cream or half-and-half, stir gently, and simmer for another 2–3 minutes. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Scatter parsley if you’re feeling fancy.