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Indulge in the ultimate comfort food with our single serve Chicken and Dumplings For One recipe that only needs one pan. This easy recipe includes one chicken breast, cut into tender bite-sized pieces, combined with a mix of vegetables in a thickened broth. Topped with soft, fluffy dumplings, it’s an irresistible dish that’s sure to satisfy.
Looking for more single serving, hearty chicken recipes, try our Chicken Stew, Chicken Cacciatore, White Chicken Chili, and Creamy Mustard Chicken.
Table of Contents
- Why You’ll Love This Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
- Ingredients
- Recipe Variations
- Create Perfect Homemade Dumplings
- How To Make Chicken And Dumplings
- Expert Tips
- What To Serve With Chicken And Dumplings
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Discover More Single Serving Chicken Recipes
- Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
- Chicken and Dumplings For One Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
- Simplicity: This recipe is really beginner-friendly; you don’t need any fancy cooking skills to make it!
- Speed: Whip this up quickly for a spontaneous comfort meal.
- Adaptable: Suitable for a range of dietary preferences with alternative ingredient options.
- Efficient: No leftovers mean no food wastage.
- Heartwarming: Nothing beats a bowl of creamy, home-cooked goodness.
- Doubles Well: Making chicken and dumplings for two? Simply double the ingredients!
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small batch Chicken and Dumplings recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Olive oil: Ideal for sautéing; can substitute with butter for richer flavor.
- Onions and garlic: Adds depth to the flavor base. Can use leeks or shallots as an alternative.
- Celery and carrots: Provides texture and essential nutrients. Feel free to toss in any preferred veggies. If you have extra carrots and celery, consider using them in a Macaroni Salad, Split Pea Soup, and Beef Stew.
- Chicken: I love making chicken and dumplings with a chicken breast. Thigh meat works well too. Got extra boneless, skinless chicken breasts? Use one in Chicken Tacos, Chicken Tikka Masala, or Chicken Marsala.
- Salt and pepper: For flavor.
- Chicken broth: This forms the body of your dish. I prefer using low sodium chicken broth because it allows me to control the amount of sodium in the dish a little better. Leftover broth can be added to Lasagna Soup and Spanish Rice.
For The Dumplings
- Flour: Flour forms the structure. I use all-purpose flour but for a gluten-free version, use gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- Baking powder: To give lift to the dumplings.
- Sugar and salt: For flavor.
- Butter: Adds richness; dairy-free alternatives work equally well.
- Milk: Use any percentage of cow’s milk, almond milk, or soy milk. Milk helps to moisten the dumpling batter.
This is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why I used them. For the full recipe please scroll down to the recipe box at the bottom of the post.
Recipe Variations
The beauty of this easy Chicken and Dumplings is its adaptability. Make the dish truly yours:
- Herbs: Infuse the broth with herbs like rosemary or thyme for added aroma.
- Spices: A hint of paprika or cayenne can add a gentle kick.
- Vegetarian: Swap chicken with firm tofu or tempeh and use vegetable broth.
- Creamy: For an extra creamy texture, add a splash of cream or coconut milk.
- Seafood: Replace chicken with shrimp or fish for a pescatarian version.
Create Perfect Homemade Dumplings
Growing up, Bisquick baking mix was the go-to for my mother’s dumplings. While those dumplings tasted great, I’ve found a homemade recipe that surpasses it.
This easy dumpling recipe, using everyday pantry items, eliminates the need for rolling dough and is even better than Bisquick’s version.
Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl. Integrate butter with the dry mix, using either fingertips or a pastry blender. Once combined, add milk and mix until a dough forms.
To finish, drop generous spoonfuls of the dough into your simmering chicken stew.
How To Make Chicken And Dumplings
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to make this one-pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe . See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Cook the onions, celery, carrots, and garlic in olive oil until tender.
- Add the chicken breast and season with salt and pepper.
- Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil; reduce heat to a simmer and cook 20 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Using two forks, shred the chicken in the pot. Make the dumplings in a medium sized bowl and drop the dumplings into the pot by spoonfuls.
- Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Dumplings: Ensure the dough is soft but not overly sticky for the best consistency. Avoid over-mixing which can lead to tough dumplings and leave the lid on the pot when cooking the dumplings. Since the dumplings cook by steaming, the pot needs to be covered so that the steam doesn’t escape.
- Broth: For a thicker broth, reduce it longer on the stove.
- Chicken: To make this a quick dinner, you can use cooked rotisserie chicken from a grocery store or cooked leftover chicken from a previous recipe.
- Veggies: Feel free to sauté them until they’re golden for added depth.
What To Serve With Chicken And Dumplings
Complement your Chicken and Dumplings with the right side dishes to elevate the meal. Whether you’re in the mood for something light or seeking a hearty feast, we’ve got options:
- Salad: A fresh cucumber salad offers a crisp contrast.
- Bread: A slice of rustic French bread or a roll, perfect for soaking up the rich broth.
- Wine: A glass of white wine, like Chardonnay, complements the creaminess.
- Veggies: Sautéed green beans or roasted brussels sprouts with a garnish of shredded Parmesan cheese.
Frequently Asked Questions
Once your dumpling dough is prepared, drop sizable spoonfuls onto your simmering stew. Securely place the pot’s lid to allow the dumplings to steam, becoming tender and fully cooked in roughly 15 minutes. When done, they should double in size. To check, either slice a dumpling in half or insert a sharp knife into its center. A clean knife tip indicates readiness, and the dumpling’s interior should resemble a soft, baked biscuit. If undercooked, continue steaming with the lid on for an additional 2 minutes.
For a single serving of chicken and dumplings, I recommend a 2-quart saucepan. To ensure optimal results, choose a pan close to this size.
If you’re curious about the specific cooking and baking dishes I use for single-serving recipes, check out our FAQ page.
Additionally, you can view examples of the dishes we utilize on our Store page.
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two days.
Simply double the ingredients and monitor the cooking time.
Discover More Single Serving Chicken Recipes
Expanding your cooking skills is so much fun, especially when you’re making meals for one. Check out these awesome single serving chicken recipes – they’re full of flavor and made just for you!
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried our single serving Chicken and Dumplings or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
If you take a picture please tag us on Instagram (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
Chicken and Dumplings For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ cup chopped onions
- ½ cup chopped celery
- ¼ cup chopped carrots
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 (4 to 6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups low sodium chicken broth
For the dumplings
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter –cold
- ¼ cup milk
Instructions
- Start by heating olive oil in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat for 30 seconds. Add onions, celery, and carrots, and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions turn soft and translucent. Then, add garlic and cook for another minute.
- Place the chicken breast in the pan and season with salt and pepper. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked and can be easily shredded with a fork.
- You can shred the chicken right in the pot, or take it out, shred it on a cutting board, and then put it back in the pot.
- For the dumplings, mix flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a bowl. Cut the butter into the dry mix using your fingers or a pastry blender until it looks like coarse sand. Stir in milk just enough to form a dough. Drop spoonfuls of this dough into the soup. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Enjoy it hot!
Notes
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- Dumplings: Ensure the dough is soft but not overly sticky for the best consistency. Avoid over-mixing which can lead to tough dumplings and leave the lid on the pot when cooking the dumplings. Since the dumplings cook by steaming, the pot needs to be covered so that the steam doesn’t escape.
-
- Broth: For a thicker broth, reduce it longer on the stove.
-
- Chicken: To make this a quick dinner, you can use cooked rotisserie chicken from a grocery store or cooked leftover chicken from a previous recipe.
-
- Veggies: Feel free to sauté them until they’re golden for added depth.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
The BEST dumplings ever! The cold butter made all the difference.
In the high 60’s in Tampa, Fl tonight- time to break out the COLD WEATHER food! This recipe was just the thing tonight. Chicken shredded just like you said! ( I was skeptical) Used veggie stock instead of chicken, no difference in taste to me. Came to together in no time. Broth was hearty and rich. And the dumplings!, Ah, the dumplings – made 4 generous sized ones, fluffy ,light, heavenly! Your caution to stir just til combined was good advice. I used buttermilk for the dumplings-it was what I had on hand. Will definitely make again!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for your feedback.
I made this today delicious and very easy. The only thing I did wrong was my broth had salt and it was alittle salty for me but still delicious.
I loved how easy this was to make! I think next time though I’ll add in some thyme because why not. Also just a bit more liquid, I found that the dumplings soaked up a lot of it and I’m used to my chicken and dumplings having more creaminess to it. But overall delicious and I will 100% use this recipe again.
Loved this recipe. I was out of carrots so I substituted yellow bell pepper. I also added a little sage. I like my broth a bit savory. Thyme would be great as well.
I just made this recipe and it is Sooooooo Goood! Thank you so much.
I made this tonight and doubled the recipe to serve two. It was so delicious and definitely a keeper. I followed the recipe (added a bit of fresh thyme and chopped parsley) and used my own homemade chicken broth from the freezer — wouldn’t change a thing! Comfort food perfect for fall. Thank you for the recipe.
Wow just finished making this recipe and it is absolutely delicious !! Thanks for the wonderful recipe!!
I was used to cooking for my 3 kids and then for my 4 grandsons. Now it’s just me. This chicken and dumplings was so easy to make and is so comforting. I used Walmart frozen biscuits and they made the lightest dumplings I ever had. Delicious food. It’s been a challenge to learn how to cook for one. This recipe made it easy.
Crystal, how did you do the Wal-Mart Biscuits to make dumplings? Thank you.
I’m normally not a great cook, but I made this, it was very simple, and my family loved it so much they’re requesting it regularly!