Ingredients

• 2 lbs bone in chicken thighs (or 4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup diced carrots
• 1 cup diced celery
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 32 oz (1 quart) chicken broth
• 12 oz (1 can) evaporated milk
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried)
• ¾ cup whole milk
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions

1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Brown in butter in a large pot over medium high heat, about 3 minutes per side (skip this step if using rotisserie chicken). Remove and set aside.
2. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to the pot; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes.
3. Sprinkle in flour, stir to coat, and cook 1 minute. Slowly whisk in chicken broth and evaporated milk until smooth.
4. Return chicken to the pot with fresh thyme. Simmer until cooked through and tender, about 20–25 minutes (or just until heated through, if using rotisserie chicken). Shred bone in chicken and discard bones; return meat to the pot.
5. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and thyme for the dumplings. Add milk and melted butter, stirring just until the dough comes together do not overmix.
6. Bring broth to a gentle simmer. Drop dumpling dough by the tablespoon onto the surface of the broth, spacing them apart.
7. Cover and simmer without lifting the lid for 15–20 minutes, until dumplings are cooked through.
8. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

• Stop mixing the dumpling dough as soon as it comes together overmixing is the most common cause of tough dumplings.
• Keep the lid on while the dumplings steam for even cooking.
• Rotisserie chicken is a reliable shortcut that cuts prep time significantly.

Storage

Nutrition Estimate (per serving, approximate)