Hearty Ranch House Chicken & Dumplings

A true homemade comfort straight from the ranch kitchen—this stick-to-your-ribs chicken and dumpling stew is loaded with tender chunks of chicken, farm-fresh veggies, and big, fluffy dumplings made from scratch. All cooked in one trusty pot, just like Grandma used to make after a long day in the fields. Simple, honest, and full of down-home flavor.

Ingredients

For the Soup:

• 6 tablespoons real butter

• 1 cup diced yellow onion

• 1 cup matchstick carrots

• 1 cup diced celery

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup whole milk. Raw preferred.

• 1 quart (32 oz) chicken stock

• 4 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or see notes if starting with raw chicken)

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried) — optional but mighty tasty

• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper (more to taste)

• Salt to taste

For the Fluffy Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried) — optional

• ¾ cup whole milk

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

How to Make It Ranch Style:

1. Get your big ol’ Dutch oven or heavy soup pot hot over medium-high heat. Toss in your butter and let it melt till bubbly and fragrant.

2. Stir in your onions, carrots, and celery—the holy trio of any good stew. Let ‘em soften for about 5 minutes, stirring now and then. Toss in the garlic and let that cook for just about a minute longer until it smells real nice.

3. Sprinkle in the flour and stir it into the buttery veggies to make a roux. Stir for a minute or so—it’ll look like a thick paste. Slowly pour in your evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring the whole time so nothing clumps or burns. Keep it smooth, cowboy.

4. Bring this creamy goodness to a gentle boil. Stir in the shredded chicken, thyme (if you’re using it), plenty of black pepper, and salt to taste. Once it’s bubbling, lower the heat to a simmer and let that pot sit uncovered while you whip up your dumplings.

For the Dumplings:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, pepper, salt, and thyme.

2. Make a little well in the middle of the dry mix and pour in the milk and melted butter. Stir it all together with a wooden spoon or spatula until it forms a dough. If it’s too dry, splash in a little more milk.

3. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, drop dough balls gently into the simmering soup—space them around the pot so they don’t crowd each other. Once they’re all in, gently press them down just enough to let the broth kiss the tops.

4. Pop the lid on the pot and reduce the heat to a low, steady simmer. You want those dumplings cooking gently in the steam—no burning the bottom of your pot now.

5. Let the dumplings cook, covered, for about 15 minutes. Partway through, you can crack the lid, gently stir the soup, and press any floaters back down into the broth. Check one dumpling by cutting it in half—it should be fluffy and cooked all the way through.

6. When they’re done, grab yourself a big ol’ bowl of this ranch-style goodness, and dig in while it’s piping hot. Perfect after a long day tending cattle or sitting by the fire.

Now that’s a proper western homemade chicken & dumplings—simple, hearty, and full of old-fashioned charm.