This rotisserie chicken and dumpling recipe is practically halfway done before you even start! It’s got tender chicken in a creamy, flavorful broth made without canned soup, topped with soft dumplings made with canned biscuits. You get the homemade flavor you love without all the work!
The Taste of From-Scratch Chicken and Dumplings On a Weeknight
My mother-in-law makes the most delicious chicken and dumplings, completely from scratch, and my family loves them. Between homework, after-school activities, and getting dinner on the table, I don’t have time to make her recipe on a weeknight, so I created a shortcut version that tastes almost as good as hers.
Starting with a rotisserie chicken means I don’t have to cook and shred the chicken first, and refrigerated biscuits mean there’s no measuring, mixing, or making dumpling dough. I still make the creamy broth from scratch, but with these two shortcuts, this recipe feels just as doable on a Wednesday as on a Sunday.
Simple Ingredients, Two Big Shortcuts
- Rotisserie chicken: Already cooked and seasoned, so just shred it. You’ll need about 3 cups.
- Refrigerated jumbo biscuits: No need to make dough from scratch! Just cut them into quarters and let them cook in the broth.
- Veggies: Use frozen mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) to save even more prep time. Frozen or canned peas work.
- Creamy broth: Butter, flour, chicken broth, and half-and-half are all you need, not canned cream-of-something soup.
- Seasonings: Italian seasoning, garlic, thyme, smoked paprika, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce add plenty of flavor.
Laura’s Tips for This Recipe
Yes! A 10 to 12-ounce bag of frozen mirepoix replaces the fresh onion, carrots, and celery, saving you all the chopping. If you can’t find frozen mirepoix, frozen diced onions and carrots work too. You can also use frozen or canned peas (drained).
The broth should be creamy, with enough in each bowl to enjoy by the spoonful without being soupy. If you prefer a thinner consistency or need a little more broth, add up to 1 cup of additional chicken broth. For a thicker, creamier version, replace the half-and-half with the same amount of heavy cream.
Make sure the quartered biscuits sit on top of the broth, with just their bottoms touching the liquid. Don’t push them all the way under! The dumplings need the steam above the broth to cook through and become fluffy. When they cook “in” the broth, they become doughy.
You might have let the steam escape! Keep the pot covered the entire 15 minutes without lifting the lid. The trapped steam is what helps the biscuit dumplings puff up and cook evenly. Also, keep the heat low enough for a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil.
After 15 minutes, check a biscuit piece near the center of the pot. It should be cooked through, without any wet or raw dough inside. If it’s still doughy, cover the pot again and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
The dumplings absorb some of the broth as they sit, so leftovers will thicken. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating over low heat to loosen everything up. The dumplings are best freshly cooked, but leftovers are still delicious.
Rotisserie Chicken and Dumplings with Biscuits
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 12 ounce frozen mirepoix bag*
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup half-and-half, or heavy cream for thicker broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 cups chopped rotisserie chicken
- 1 cup frozen peas, or 1 can drained
- 1 can refrigerated jumbo biscuits, 8 biscuits, each cut into quarters
Instructions
Prep:
- Chop the rotisserie chicken, measure the spices in a small dish, and cut the biscuits before you start. This way, you have everything on hand, and you avoid burning your broth.
Make the brothy base:
- Melt the butter in a large Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery (or frozen mirepoix) and cook for 3 minutes, until they begin to soften. Add the garlic and seasonings, stir, and cook for another minute. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously and cook for 1 minute.
- Gradually whisk in the chicken broth, mixing it with the flour and veggies to separate any floury clumps and dissolve it in the liquid. Then, pour the half-and-half and Worcestershire, and mix. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the base reduces and thickens slightly.
- Add the shredded chicken and frozen peas, and stir to combine into the creamy broth. Then, arrange the quartered biscuit pieces over the surface in a single layer, ensuring that only the bottoms touch the liquid. Don't submerge them.
Cook:
- Reduce the heat to the lowest setting that will maintain a low simmer, and cover tightly with a lid. Cook, without lifting the lid, for 15 full minutes (I usually let it go to 18). The steam is what makes the dumplings fluffy.
- Check one center biscuit piece for doneness. If it is still doughy in the middle, cover and cook for 3 more minutes. Serve immediately.
Notes
- A 10 to 12-ounce frozen mirepoix mix (chopped onions, carrots, celery) can be swapped for 1 cup frozen diced onions or a small onion, 2 large carrots chopped small, and 2 ribs of celery, diced.
- Keeping the pot at the lowest heat at which it will lightly simmer (bubble) is crucial to preventing the creamy broth from burning at the bottom of the pot. Opening the lid to stir releases the trapped steam, which is crucial for the dumplings to cook and stay soft, not doughy.
- Dumplings are best fresh; leftovers will thicken as they sit, so add a bit of broth when reheating leftovers.
- If you like your chicken and dumplings with a little more broth, add an additional 1 cup of chicken broth. Or, if you prefer yours a little thicker and creamier, swap the half and half for heavy cream (same measurement).
- Alternative spices: If you don’t have thyme in your pantry, use basil, oregano, or Italian seasoning.
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Melanie says
I love chicken and dumplings! Your shorcuts really make this dish so much easier!
Rachel says
This was such a nostalgic recipe but so easy to make!