Best Ever Chicken and Dumplings Recipe (with Bisquick Dumplings!) (2024)

FAQs

Why are my Bisquick dumplings not fluffy? ›

Use fresh Bisquick mix: Using fresh Bisquick mix will ensure that the leavening agents are active and will help the dumplings rise properly [2]. Do not overmix the dough: Overmixing the dough can result in tough and chewy dumplings.

So that they cook perfectly, the dumplings need to steam, so cover the pot with its lid. Keep the pot at a gentle simmer when cooking the dumplings. An aggressive simmer or boiling will break them apart. Keep the heat low and cover the pot so that they steam.

To stop biscuit dumplings from dissolving it's important to drop the dough into boiling liquid, then immediately reduce the heat to low (if the low setting on your stove is really low, then you might need to use medium-low).

Use Cornstarch to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings

To give that a little thicker texture we're going to add 1 cup of cool water to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir it up well. Make sure the soup is brought back to a good boil and go ahead and stir in the cornstarch mixture.

Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam.

Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.

The dumplings will float to the top of the broth, even though at first they may plop under the broth. It's okay if they cook on top of the chicken pieces. If you removed the chicken, they'd still float to the top, though.

Baking powder is a leavening agent, which means it releases gas that makes the dough expand. It's responsible for the dumplings' light and fluffy texture.

Some doughs are too dry, so the dumplings won't stay sealed. Others can be too wet and sticky and end up tearing. If the filling isn't cohesive enough, it will tumble out when you bite into it. If there's air trapped in the sealed dumpling, it will balloon during cooking, causing an explosive first bite.

Why are my chicken and dumplings tough? ›

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

First use a whisk to combine the dry ingredients in a bowl. Then, cut in the butter and stir in the milk just until there are no patches of dry flour. It's okay if the dough looks a little lumpy. Mixing the dough more than this is called overworking and will result in tough dumplings.

Here's how you can tell whether your chicken and dumpling soup is done and ready to eat. If the biscuit pieces feel gooey or mushy, they are not thoroughly cooked—give them more time to simmer in the rapidly boiling liquid until perfectly pillowy and fluffy.

Drop in the dumplings, one at a time, and give the whole pot a gentle stir after every 5 or so dumplings. This will help keep them from sticking together. After all the dumplings have been added, continue to cook on medium, stirring regularly, for 7-10 minutes.

When done just right, the dumplings are light, fluffy, and tender. You slice into one with a spoon, scoop up a little chicken and broth, and the result is heaven. But those same doughy balls can be the meal's downfall if they turn out tough, undercooked, or gummy.

Don't overwork the dough. Overworking the dough will develop the gluten, making it tough and chewy. This can also cause the dough to shrink when cooked, which can lead to the dumplings falling apart.

If the dough is dropped right into the liquid, the simmering action may break up the dumplings. Also, the dough will soak up moisture from the liquid so the dumplings will become soft and soggy.

Season the filling well

Whatever you choose for your filling, season it well. If it tastes bland before you stuff it into the wrapper, it will be even more tasteless as a dumpling, as the wrappers will mute the flavor slightly.