Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings with Bisquick

Chicken and dumplings is one of those meals I remember from childhood almost as much by the ingredients as by the finished dish.

Whenever Mom pulled the box of Bisquick from the cupboard, I knew there was a good chance one of two things was coming: coffee cake or chicken and dumplings. Quite often, we had both within a few days of each other.

There was nothing fancy about either one. Bisquick was simply one of those dependable pantry staples that always seemed to be in the kitchen, ready to turn into breakfast, biscuits, coffee cake, or a pot of soft dumplings simmering over chicken and gravy.

This version of chicken and dumplings is the kind I remember: tender chicken and vegetables in a creamy broth with big, fluffy Bisquick dumplings cooked right on top.

A Little Recipe History

Chicken and dumplings has been part of American home cooking for generations, especially throughout the South and Midwest. Versions of the dish appeared well before the Depression, influenced by European traditions of simmering simple dough dumplings in soups and stews. Over time, American cooks made it their own with chicken, rich broth, and either rolled or fluffy drop dumplings. By the mid-20th century, it had become the kind of dependable family supper found in countless home kitchens, simple, filling, and especially welcome on a cool evening.

The Bisquick Box in Mom’s Kitchen

Some ingredients become tied to a particular time in your life.

For me, Bisquick is one of them.

That familiar box spent years in our pantry, and Mom found plenty of uses for it. I don’t remember thinking of it as a shortcut back then. It was simply how certain things were made.

Chicken and dumplings was practical family cooking. A bit of chicken could be stretched into a full supper with broth, vegetables, and inexpensive dumplings. It was filling, uncomplicated, and made in one big pot.

That’s probably part of the reason recipes like this have lasted.

Today I often use a rotisserie chicken, which makes the recipe considerably quicker. If you have leftover roast chicken, though, this is exactly the sort of recipe it was made for.

About the Dumplings

The dumplings are made with Bisquick, milk, a little melted butter, and apple juice.

The apple juice may sound a little unexpected, but it adds just a touch of flavor without making the dumplings noticeably sweet.

The most important thing is not to overwork the dough. Stir it only until everything is moistened and you have a soft dough.

When you drop the dumplings onto the chicken mixture, let them sit right on the surface rather than pushing them down into the broth. They’ll cook from the steam and simmering liquid underneath.

A gentle simmer is important, too. A hard boil can cause the dumplings to break apart.

What You’ll Need

Bisquick: This forms the base of the dumplings and is also used to give the chicken broth a little body.

Chicken: A cooked rotisserie chicken makes this an easy supper, but leftover roasted or baked chicken works just as well.

Chicken stock: I prefer reduced-sodium stock so I can season the finished dish myself.

Milk: Whole milk makes a richer broth, although lower-fat milk works, too.

Peas and carrots: Frozen vegetables keep this wonderfully simple. Fresh carrots can also be used; they’ll just need a little extra cooking time.

Butter: A small amount of melted butter makes the dumplings a little richer.

Apple juice: Just a quarter cup goes into the dumpling dough. I added this to give the classic dumpling s a little sweet zing

Salt and pepper: Add these to taste, particularly if your chicken and stock are already seasoned.

Making Chicken and Dumplings

Start with the dumplings.

Mix the Bisquick, melted butter, milk, and apple juice together in a medium bowl. Stir only until the ingredients come together into a soft dough, then set the bowl aside while you prepare the chicken mixture.

In a large Dutch oven or stockpot, heat the milk and whisk in a little Bisquick until smooth. This gives you the beginning of a creamy broth without requiring a separate flour-and-butter roux.

Add the chicken stock, carrots, and peas and let everything cook for about 10 minutes.

Next, add the cooked chicken and bring the broth to a gentle simmer.

Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough over the top. A cookie scoop works nicely for this, but an ordinary kitchen spoon is exactly what Mom would have used.

Cook the dumplings uncovered over low heat for about 10 minutes. Then cover the pot and continue cooking until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy inside.

How to Tell When the Dumplings Are Done

Bisquick dumplings can be a little temperamental.

Undercook them and the centers remain wet and doughy. Cook them too long and they can become firm instead of soft and tender.

After about 20 minutes of total cooking time, insert a toothpick into the center of one of the larger dumplings. If it comes out clean, they’re ready.

Keep the liquid at a gentle simmer while they cook. Vigorous boiling can cause the dumplings to fall apart before they’re finished.

An Everyday Supper Worth Remembering

Chicken and dumplings isn’t a particularly glamorous dish, and I think that’s part of what I like about it.

It comes from the kind of cooking where ingredients were kept on hand because they could be used for all sorts of things, leftovers were turned into another meal, and dinner didn’t have to be elaborate to be good.

And every time I pull out a box of Bisquick, there’s still a little part of me that thinks of Mom’s kitchen and wonders which one it will be.

Coffee cake or dumplings?

Some kitchen memories really do stick with you.

Storing Leftovers

Chicken and dumplings is best shortly after it’s made, when the dumplings are at their lightest.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in a covered container for a day or two. The dumplings will absorb some of the broth as they sit and become softer, but the flavor is still very good.

Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a small splash of chicken stock or milk if the broth has thickened too much.

A Few Useful Dumpling Tips

Don’t overmix the dough. Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Keep the chicken mixture at a gentle simmer rather than a rolling boil.

Drop the dumplings on top of the broth instead of pressing them underneath the liquid.

Cook them uncovered first, then cover the pot so the steam can finish cooking the centers.

Check one of the larger dumplings with a toothpick before taking the pot off the stove.