Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings (Nana-Style)
🛒 Ingredients
For the chicken:
1 whole chicken (or 4–5 bone-in thighs)
8 cups water or chicken broth
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt & black pepper (to taste)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
For the dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp butter (cold, cubed)
¾ cup milk
👩🍳 Instructions
Cook the chicken
In a large pot, add chicken, water/broth, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper.
Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45–60 minutes until chicken is tender.
Shred the chicken
Remove chicken, let cool slightly, then shred meat and discard bones/skin.
Return shredded chicken to the pot.
Make the dumplings
In a bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.
Cut in butter until crumbly, then stir in milk just until combined.
Drop the dumplings
Bring soup to a gentle simmer. Drop spoonfuls of dough into the broth.
Cover and cook for 15 minutes without lifting the lid (Nana rule 😉).
Finish & serve
Taste and adjust seasoning. The broth should be thick, creamy, and comforting.
💡 Nana’s Tips
If it’s too thick, add a splash of milk or broth.
If it’s not thick enough, mash a few dumplings against the side of the pot.
Best served with warm bread and quiet memories.
If you want, tell me what your Nana actually used to make (soup, chicken, dessert, casserole), and I’ll match it exactly 🥰
