Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings from Scratch | Hearty & Homemade
Making gluten free chicken and dumplings won't take all day. See how easy it is to make a hearty, homemade meal with this delicious gf chicken dumplings recipe.
Yield: 6 servings
Equipment
- 6 to 8 quart slow cooker to make the "slow cooker" variety
Ingredients
For the chicken
- 1 ½ pounds skinless boneless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) extra virgin olive oil
For the soup
- 3 tablespoons (42 g) extra virgin olive oil (See Recipe Notes)
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 large stalks celery chopped
- 1 medium yellow onion peeled and chopped
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) unsalted butter (See Recipe Notes)
- ½ cup (70 g) basic gum free gluten free flour blend (46 g superfine white rice flour + 16 g potato starch + 8 g tapioca starch/flour) (See Recipe Notes)
- 4 cups (32 fluid ounces) chicken stock (See Recipe Notes)
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) whole milk or half and half (See Recipe Notes)
- 1 tablespoon Herbs de Provence (or substitute 1 1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary + 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme + 1/2 teaspoon dried basil + 1/4 teaspoon dried parsley)
For the dumplings
- 1 ¾ cups (245 g) all purpose gluten free flour blend (I used Better Batter; click thru for appropriate blends)
- ¼ cup (35 g) cornstarch
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 (100 g (weighed out of shell)) eggs at room temperature, beaten
- ¾ cup (6 fluid ounces) milk (any kind, just not nonfat), at room temperature
- OR 1 recipe
gluten free biscuits chilled - OR 1 pound frozen gluten free tater tots (OreIda brand is gluten free)
Instructions
To prepare the chicken (for methods other than the slow cooker variety).
- Preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Line a large rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper, and place the chicken breasts on top.
- Sprinkle the salt and pepper on both sides of the meat, and drizzle with the olive oil.
- Place in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the chicken is cooked through and registers 165°F on an instant-read thermometer (25 to 35 minutes, depending upon the thickness of the meat).
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the oven and cut it into 1/2-inch cubes. Set the chicken aside. The chicken can be made ahead of time and stored in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
To make the soup for the casserole varieties.
- In a medium-size, heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat, then add the carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.
- Cover the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are all fork-tender (about 10 minutes).
- Push the vegetables to the side of the saucepan and melt the butter in the center.
- Add the flour blend and whisk until well-combined. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture starts to simmer and smell fragrant (about 2 minutes).
- Slowly add the chicken stock, and then the milk and the herbs, whisking constantly, until well-combined.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring occasionally, until it begins to thicken (about 8 minutes).
- Add the cooked chicken, and mix to combine. Grease a 9-inch x 12-inch casserole dish and pour in the soup and chicken.
For the dumpling casserole, prepare the dumplings.
- In a medium-size bowl, place the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt, and whisk to combine well.
- Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the eggs and milk, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter will be thick.
- Using a large spring-loaded ice cream scooper or two large spoons, scoop the dumpling batter in portions that are about 1/4-cup each and place them on top of the casserole filling, evenly spaced apart.
If using tater tots.
- Place the 1 pound of frozen tater tots in a single, even layer on top of the casserole filling.
- For both dumpling-style casserole varieties.
To cook the casserole varieties.
- Place the casserole dish in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the dumplings are cooked through and lightly golden brown on top (about 20 minutes) or the tater tots are browned and the filling is bubbling (about 15 minutes).
- Serve hot.
For a quick stovetop chicken and dumplings.
- In a large stockpot, place the oil, 6 cups chicken stock, carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper, and herbs, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook, covered, for 5 minutes or until the vegetables have softened.
- Uncover the pot, add the cream of chicken soup, stir to combine and return to a gentle boil.
- Add the chilled biscuit wedges to the boiling liquid and stir gently so the biscuits don’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 4 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through. They will float to the bottom of the pot after a minute or so.
- Uncover the pot, add the cubed chicken and stir gently to combine. Serve hot.
For slow cooker chicken and dumplings.
- Grease the liner of a 6-quart slow cooker with the olive oil.
- Add the chicken stock, milk, carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, salt, pepper and, and mix to combine.
- Add the raw chicken breasts, and stir to separate the breasts from one another.
- Into a measuring cup with at least a 2-cup capacity (or another similarly-sized container with a pour spout), pour the evaporated milk.
- Add the flour blend and whisk until the flour is fully dissolved, and the mixture is smooth.
- Add the herbs de Provence, and whisk again to combine.
- Pour the evaporated milk mixture into the slow cooker liner, and mix to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker, set it to low and cook for 5 to 6 hours, or until the chicken is cooked all the way through and the vegetables are very tender.
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it with two forks while it’s still warm.
- Using an immersion blender, puree the rest of the ingredients in the slow cooker.
- Turn the slow cooker to “high” and add the frozen biscuit wedges to the soup. Mix gently to combine.
- Cover the slow cooker and allow to cook until the biscuits are cooked through (between 30 minutes and 1 hour on “high,” depending on your slow cooker).
- Serve the soup immediately, and top each bowl with an equal amount of the shredded chicken.
Notes
For the “Quick Chicken and Dumplings” method, in place of the butter, flour, stock and half and half, use 6 cups (48 fluid ounces) of chicken stock and 1 recipe (about 24 ounces) gluten free cream of chicken soup
For the “Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings” method, eliminate the butter as an ingredient. Add 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) peeled and shredded russet potatoes to the vegetables. In place of the half and half, use 3 cups of milk and one 12-ounce can of evaporated milk.
Casserole dish adapted from Chef-in-Training. Original post published in 2015. In 2018, video and many photos new; in 2022, text resources added.