Description
This Chicken and Dumpling Casserole is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender chicken and vegetables topped with fluffy, golden dumplings. Perfect for a family dinner, it combines a creamy chicken and vegetable base with homemade dumplings baked to perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Vegetables
- 3 cups cooked and chopped chicken
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup minced yellow onion
- 2 ribs chopped celery
- 2 peeled and chopped carrots
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons dried parsley
- ¼ cup cold, cubed unsalted butter
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Dish: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large skillet, melt ¼ cup unsalted butter over medium-high heat. Add minced onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrots. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
- Make the Gravy Base: Whisk the ¼ cup all-purpose flour into the vegetable mixture, then slowly whisk in chicken broth and half and half to form a smooth gravy.
- Add Chicken and Seasonings: Stir in cooked chicken, garlic powder, dried parsley, dried basil, salt, and pepper. Cook for a few more minutes to combine flavors, then transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and dried parsley. Cut cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture until evenly distributed. Pour milk into the mixture and stir to bring the dough together.
- Top with Dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough evenly over the chicken and vegetable mixture in the baking dish.
- Bake Covered: Loosely cover the dish with foil, ensuring it does not touch the dumplings, and bake for 30 minutes.
- Bake Uncovered: Remove foil and bake for another 15 minutes, or until dumplings are lightly browned on top.
- Cool and Serve: Remove the casserole from the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Freezing is not recommended as the texture may be affected.
- You can prepare the chicken and vegetable mixture up to 4 days in advance, then add dumplings and bake when ready to serve.
- Make sure to loosely cover the casserole with foil to prevent dumplings from sticking and to allow even cooking.
- Use cold butter in the dumplings to ensure a light, flaky texture.
