From Bobbie's original dinner cards
A recipe keepsake from Bobbie's Kitchen
Chicken and Dumplings
Classic Southern comfort — rich, creamy and full of flavour, made with medium salsa and no vegetables.
Bobbie's tips: medium salsa adds flavour and depth without making it spicy; don't overmix the dumpling dough — keep it rough for fluffy dumplings; use cold butter; let the dumplings cook undisturbed; for extra richness, use half and half or heavy cream. Keeps 3 days in the fridge; freeze without the dumplings for up to 3 months and make fresh dumplings when reheating. Nutrition per serving from Bobbie's card: about 420 calories, 24 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 780 mg sodium.
Ingredients
Chicken & broth
- 2–3 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 6–8 cups chicken broth (low sodium)
- 1 cup medium salsa (chunky or smooth, your choice)
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme (optional)
Creamy base
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp butter
- 2 cups whole milk or half and half (or use 1 cup heavy cream for extra richness)
- 1 tsp salt (or to taste)
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¾ cup cold butter, cubed (or ⅓ cup shortening)
- ¾ cup whole milk (or buttermilk)
Buy the ingredients on Amazon
Step 1: tick the things you still need. Step 2: tap each one below to add it to your Amazon basket.
Tick items above to build your Amazon list
Each item opens Amazon in a new tab so you can pick your brand and size. Amazon doesn't let other sites fill your basket in one tap.
As an Amazon Associate, Bobbie's Kitchen earns from qualifying purchases, at no extra cost to you.
Method
- 1
Cook the chicken: place the chicken in a large pot with the chicken broth, medium salsa, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper and thyme (if using). Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
- 2
Shred the chicken: remove the chicken from the pot. Shred or chop into bite-sized pieces and set aside. Keep the flavourful broth in the pot.
- 3
Make the roux: in a separate large saucepan or in the same pot, melt 4 tbsp butter. Whisk in ½ cup flour and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly golden and smooth (no raw flour taste).
- 4
Add broth and milk: slowly whisk in 2–3 cups of the hot chicken broth, then add the milk (or half and half). Whisk until smooth and thickened, about 3–5 minutes. Add salt, black pepper, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir in the remaining broth as needed for the desired consistency.
- 5
Return the chicken: add the shredded chicken back into the creamy mixture. Stir in medium salsa (if not added earlier) and simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavours.
- 6
Make the dumpling dough: in a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and black pepper. Cut in the cold butter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in the milk just until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
- 7
Add the dumplings: drop spoonfuls of dough (about 2 tbsp each) onto the simmering chicken mixture. Do not stir. Cover with a lid and simmer on low for 15–20 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy.
- 8
Rest and thicken: let sit for 5 minutes, uncovered, to slightly thicken. The dumplings will be light, fluffy and full of flavour.
- 9
Serve hot with extra black pepper and a spoonful of medium salsa on top if desired.
Get this in a pack
Chicken and Dumplings is printed in More Family Favourites
27 recipes, each on its own printable page, with a shopping list. Instant download. See what's inside
$12
Or get every pack in one go: The Whole Kitchen Collection — $39
From Bobbie's “Bobbie's Recipe Cards (batch 7)”. Written up by Bobbie's Kitchen · Updated 26 October 2026