Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

5 from 11 votes

Chicken and Dumpling Casserole

Savor the homestyle comfort of our Chicken and Dumplings Casserole, a delightful blend of tender chicken and garden-fresh vegetables, enrobed in a rich, savory broth. Crowned with fluffy dumplings infused with cheese and chives, this casserole is ideal for a cozy family dinner.

Utilizing rotisserie or pre-cooked leftover chicken adds convenience and simplifies the recipe.

Prep Time20

Cook Time45

Total Time1 5

Course: Main Dish

Cuisine: American

Keyword: chicken and dumping casserole, chicken recipes, main meal, pot luck

Servings: servings

Author: Dahn Boquist

Ingredients

Drop Dumplings

1-¾ cups all-purpose flour
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup whole milk
5 tablespoons butter

For the Chicken Casserole

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion chopped
2 celery stalks chopped
2 large carrots chopped
3 to 4 garlic cloves finely minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage*
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme*
3 tablespoons butter
½ cup plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken broth
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 cups shredded cooked chicken
1-½ cups frozen mixed vegetables

Instructions

Make the Dumpling Batter

Place the flour, cheese, chives, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir to combine the ingredients well.
Add the milk and butter to a separate bowl and zap it in the microwave until the butter melts. Pour the warm milk mixture into the flour mixture.
Use a wide spatula to gently fold the mixture just until there are no dry spots of flour. Don’t over mix. The batter should look a bit lumpy. If you mix it until it is smooth, the dumplings won’t be as tender and fluffy.
Cover the batter with plastic wrap and let it rest while you make the chicken casserole.

For the Casserole

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13 x 9 inch casserole dish and set it aside.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the onions are softened. Toss in the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, sage, and thyme. Saute for 1 minute.
Add the butter and stir until melted. Add the flour, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes.
Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until thickened.
Add the Parmesan and Worcestershire and stir well. Stir in the cooked chicken and veggies. Taste the mixture and add additional salt if desired. Transfer the mixture to the casserole dish.
Drop golf ball sized balls of dough on top of the chicken mixture. Cover the dish with a sheet of greased aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes or until the chicken mixture is bubbling up around the dumplings. If you stick a toothpick into the dumplings, it should come out clean.

Notes

Pre-cooked chicken (such as rotisserie chicken or leftovers) is a great time-saver for this easy recipe. Make sure it’s shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces.
Avoid overmixing the dumpling batter. It is ok if it is lumpy as long as there are no dry clumps of flour.
Allowing the batter to rest while you prepare the casserole helps the ingredients fully hydrate and will make the dumplings more tender.
You can swap the fresh herbs for dried herbs but use half the amount if you use dry herbs.
Feel free to customize the frozen mixed vegetables according to your preference. Peas, corn, green beans, and carrots are great options.
I like to cover the casserole while it bakes to hold in some steam which will make the dumplings soft and tender. Since this casserole doesn’t have as much broth as a soup, the dumplings will not soak up very much liquid, so keeping them in a steamy environment will help them retain a dumpling-like texture.

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