Category: Sage

Chicken and Dumplings

Tender chicken thighs simmered in a rich gravy and topped with fluffy dumplings makes these chicken and dumplings the perfect comfort food for cold nights.

The post Chicken and Dumplings appeared first on Budget Bytes.

I’m thoroughly obsessed with this chicken and dumplings recipe. This is some serious comfort food and I’m all about comfort food. 😅 We’re talking tender chicken thighs cooked in a rich gravy with a medley of colorful vegetables and then topped with tender, fluffy, and flavorful dumplings. This recipe is so cozy that eating a bowl of these chicken and dumplings feels like being wrapped up in a big warm hug. And the best part? They’re made 100% from scratch. 🙌 Ugh, brb, I need to go make another batch because my mouth is WATERING.

Overhead view of a skillet full of chicken and dumplings with a wooden spoon in the side.

What Are Chicken and Dumplings?

Chicken and dumplings can mean different things depending on where you live, but they’re always super cozy, filling, and comforting. While they usually always have tender chicken smothered in a savory gravy as their base, the dumplings can either be a thick noodle, or a pillowy biscuit steamed on top of the gravy. I love both versions, but today we’re making the pillowy cloud dumplings!

Ingredients for Chicken and Dumplings

Here’s what you’ll need to make these delicious chicken and dumplings:

  • Chicken: I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs because they’re almost impossible to overcook and they always stay moist and tender, making this recipe foolproof. You can use chicken breast if you prefer, just be careful not to overcook the chicken.
  • Vegetables: A mix of onion, garlic, carrot, and celery provides the flavor base for the gravy, as well as adds a ton of color and texture to the dish.
  • Butter and Flour: A butter and flour roux is used to thicken the gravy and add a ton of rich flavor to the gravy.
  • Herbs: Parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, and pepper create a classic chicken soup flavor profile that is extra warm and cozy.
  • Chicken Broth and Milk: The gravy is made with a combination of broth and milk for tons of flavor and a creamy finish.
  • Dumplings: The dumplings are made with a simple mix of flour, milk, melted butter, herbs, baking powder, salt, and sugar. They come together in minutes with very little mixing required!

How to Store the Leftovers

Leftover chicken and dumplings are SO delicious, so make sure to save some for lunch the next day! Simply divide the leftovers into single-serving containers and refrigerate. The gravy will get quite thick when refrigerated, but they’re still delicious! Chicken and dumplings will stay good in the refrigerator for about 3-4 days.

You can also freeze the chicken and dumplings. Once chilled in the refrigerator, transfer the chicken and dumplings to the freezer and store for 2-3 months. To reheat the frozen chicken and dumplings either thaw in the refrigerator overnight before microwaving until hot, or use the defrost function on the microwave.

Tips for Fluffy Dumplings

  • Make sure the dumpling batter is moist enough. It should be a soft, sticky, scoopable dough. If it’s too dry, the dumplings won’t be able to puff up as much.
  • Make sure the gravy is simmering before adding the dumplings. The dumplings need the steam action from the simmering gravy to cook and fluff up.
  • Keep the lid on the pot the entire time the dumplings are cooking (this holds in the steam and ensures they cook from all sides.
  • Don’t make the dumplings too big. They’ll double in size as they cook and larger dumplings will take much longer to cook.
Overhead view of a bowl full of chicken and dumplings with a spoon in the side.
Overhead view of chicken and dumplings in a skillet.
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Chicken and Dumplings

Tender chicken simmered in a rich gravy and topped with fluffy dumplings makes these chicken and dumplings the perfect comfort food for cold nights.
Course Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine American
Total Cost $7.26 recipe / $1.21 serving
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 6 (about 1.5 cups each)
Calories 369kcal
Author Beth – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken and Gravy

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 1 lb.) $3.29
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil $0.12
  • 1 yellow onion, diced $0.32
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced $0.16
  • 2 stalks celery, diced $0.50
  • 2 carrots, diced $0.31
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour $0.04
  • 4 Tbsp butter $0.50
  • 1 tsp dried parsley $0.10
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp dried rosemary $0.05
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage $0.05
  • 1/4 tsp freshly cracked black pepper $0.02
  • 2 cups chicken broth $0.34
  • 1 cup whole milk $0.48
  • 1/2 tsp salt $0.02

Dumplings

Instructions

Chicken and Gravy

  • Heat the olive oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add the chicken thighs and brown on each side. The chicken does not need to be cooked through at this point, just make sure they get very brown on the outside. Transfer the partially cooked chicken to a clean bowl.
  • After removing the chicken from the skillet, add the diced onion and minced garlic and sauté over medium heat until the onions have softened. Stir to dissolve the browned bits off the bottom of the skillet as the onions cook.
  • Add the diced carrot and celery to the skillet with the onion and garlic and continue to sauté for about five minutes more.
  • Add the butter and flour to the skillet and stir until the butter has melted and created a paste with the flour that coats the vegetables. Continue to cook and stir this mixture for about two minutes.
  • Add the parsley, thyme, rosemary, sage, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and milk to the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-high and continue to stir and cook until the mixture comes up to a simmer and thickens into a gravy.
  • Dice the chicken and add it back to the skillet with the vegetables and gravy. Cover with a lid and let the chicken simmer in the gravy over medium heat while you prepare the dumplings.

Dumplings

  • To prepare the dumplings, combine the flour, parsley, sugar, salt, baking powder, garlic powder, and pepper in a bowl.
  • Pour the milk and melted butter into the flour mixture, then stir until a soft, scoopable batter is formed. Do not over stir.
  • Remove the lid from the chicken and gravy and drop the dumpling batter onto the surface of the gravy in 2 tablespoon dollops. You should get about 12 dumplings.
  • Make sure the gravy is still simmering, then place the lid back on the skillet and allow the dumplings to simmer for 15 minutes. Make sure they're simmering the entire time. After 15 minutes the dumplings should have doubled in size and will be fluffy and cooked in the center. Serve hot and enjoy!

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Nutrition

Serving: 1.5cups | Calories: 369kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 19g | Sodium: 991mg | Fiber: 2g
Side view of a bowl of chicken and dumplings with a spoon cutting into a dumpling.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

Browned chicken thighs in a deep skillet.

Add 1 Tbsp olive oil to a large deep skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add four boneless, skinless chicken breasts to the pan and allow them to brown very well on each side. The chicken doesn’t need to cook through at this point, just make sure it gets very brown. Remove the browned chicken to a clean cutting board and set aside.

Onion, carrot, and celery in the skillet.

Add two minced cloves of garlic and one diced yellow onion to the skillet and sauté over medium heat until the onions are softened. Add two diced carrots and two diced celery stalks and continue to sauté over medium for 2-3 minutes more.

Butter and flour added to the skillet with the vegetables.

Add four tablespoons of butter and ¼ cup of all-purpose flour to the skillet. Continue to stir and cook over medium heat. The butter will melt and combine with the flour to create a sort of paste that coats the vegetables. Continue to cook this mixture for about two minutes more.

Herbs added to the skillet and broth being poured in the side.

Add 1 tsp dried parsley, ½ tsp dried thyme, ½ tsp dried rosemary, ½ tsp dried sage, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 2 cups chicken broth, and 1 cup milk to the skillet. Whisk the ingredients together, making sure to dissolve any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet. Turn the heat up to medium-high and allow this mixture to come back up to a simmer, at which point it will thicken into a gravy.

Diced chicken added back to the thickened gravy.

Once the mixture has thickened to a gravy, dice the chicken thighs and stir them back into the skillet. Cover with a lid and allow the chicken to simmer in the gravy while you prepare the dumplings.

Wet ingredients being poured into the dry ingredients in a bowl.

To make the dumplings, stir together 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ tsp salt, 1.5 tsp baking powder, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp pepper, 1 tsp dried parsley, and ½ tsp sugar in a bowl. Melt 2 Tbsp butter and combine it with ½ cup milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture.

Dumpling dough in a bowl with a spoon.

Stir the wet and dry ingredients together until it forms a soft, sticky dough. It should be soft enough that you can easily scoop it with a spoon.

Dumpling dough being dropped into the skillet with the gravy.

Make sure the gravy is fully simmering, then drop the dumpling dough into the gravy in 2 Tbsp portions. The dumplings will expand quite a bit as they steam, so don’t worry that they don’t fully cover the surface.

Cooked dumplings in the gravy.

Place the lid on the skillet and allow the dumplings to steam in the simmering gravy for 15 minutes without lifting the lid. Make sure the gravy is simmering the whole time. After 15 minutes they should be about double in size. Cut one open to make sure it’s fluffy all the way through.

Chicken and dumplings in the skillet being scooped out with a spoon.

Serve the chicken and dumplings hot and enjoy! (shown garnished with parsley for color)

More Cozy Chicken Recipes

The post Chicken and Dumplings appeared first on Budget Bytes.

Veggie Pot Pie

Creamy, savory, hearty, flaky, crispy- this Veggie Pot Pie is All. Of. The. Things! You can even make this veggie pot pie recipe vegan.

The post Veggie Pot Pie appeared first on Budget Bytes.

If you want your whole family clamoring around the dinner table with a dish everyone will love, this Veggie Pot Pie is All. Of. The. Things! Creamy, savory, hearty, crispy- you can even make this Veggie Pot Pie recipe vegan! It’s all cooked in a velvety sauce and encased in a flaky, buttery pie crust. Are you ready to make the ultimate comfort food? (Say yes!!!)

What Is Veggie Pot Pie?

A pot pie is just like a regular pie, except it’s usually savory and made in a creamy sauce. Pot pies can be made with a bottom and top crust or just a top crust. This pot pie recipe is a mix of colorful vegetables drenched in a savory gravy and cooked in a deliciously flakey double crust. Feel free to use just a top crust if you prefer it that way. I’m a crust person, so the more, the better!

What You’ll Need

For The Filling
  • Butter and Flour– with their powers combined, you’ll make a roux, and that blend of fat and flour will thicken your sauce.
  • Milk and Vegetable Broth– this is the base of your creamy sauce. You can substitute the milk with plant-based milk if you want to keep this bad boy dairy free. Alternatively, if you want to add more depth, try using chicken broth.
  • Mushrooms, Onions, Potatoes, and Mixed Veggies– these are the stars of your veggie filling. To minimize chopping, I use frozen mixed veggies. But any combination of veggies you have on hand will work. Just make sure to chop everything the same size and par-cook root veggies in the broth first.
  • Rosemary, Thyme, Bay Leaf, and Sage– add flavor and depth to the sauce. You can substitute them with your favorite spice blend.
  • Soy Sauce– adds umami, AKA savoriness, which anything vegetable-based will need loads of. You can also use a teaspoon of any Miso you have on hand or Worcestershire Sauce.
For The Crust
  • Double Pie Crust– encases everything in a buttery dream and adds incredible texture. You can use a store-bought crust, but I use my 3-Ingredient Pie Crust. You can also use puff pastry, but par-bake it before filling.
  • Egg– the white seals the bottom crust, so it doesn’t absorb liquid, and the yolk lacquers the top crust, giving you a golden finish. If you want to skip the egg, par-bake the bottom crust and use milk, cream, or plant-based milk to lacquer the top crust.

Make It Vegan

You can tweak this recipe to create an outstanding Vegan Pot Pie! Sub the butter with vegan butter or oil. Opt for a store-bought vegan pie crust, or make my Easy 3-Ingredient Pie Crust with Vegan Butter or Vegetable Shortening. Sub the milk with any plant-based milk. As far as the egg wash is concerned, you can brush your pie crust with water, aquafaba, or plant-based milk. Par-bake the bottom crust before filling.

Prevent A Soggy Bottom Crust

Brushing the bottom crust with egg white helps create a barrier that prevents the dreaded soggy bottom. You should also preheat the oven with a sheet pan in it. When you place the pie on it, the heat from the sheet pan melts the fat in the bottom pastry, creating a layer that prevents liquid from permeating the pie. You can also place an overturned cast iron skillet in your sheet pan and preheat them both. Bake your pie on the bottom of the overturned skillet. Cast iron holds heat and helps crisp up that bottom crust.

How To Store The Leftovers

You can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days, though reheating is easier if you just store them in the pie plate and cover them tightly with foil. You can freeze a veggie pot pie for up to 2 months, tightly wrapped in plastic, then foil, and kept in an airtight container. Cover the top crust with foil to prevent burning, and reheat in a 350ºF oven until it has warmed throughout.

Side shot of a slice of veggie pot pie being removed from the pie dish.
Print

Veggie Pot Pie

If you want your whole family clamoring around the dinner table with a dish everyone will love, this Veggie Pot Pie is All. Of. The. Things! Creamy, savory, hearty, crispy- you can even make this recipe vegan!
Course Brunch, Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Total Cost ($9.61 recipe / $1.20 serving)
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings 8 slices
Calories 281kcal
Author Monti – Budget Bytes

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 3-Ingredient Pie Crust* $2.34
  • 7 Tbsp salted butter, divided $1.12
  • 1 yellow onion, small dice (about 1 cup) $0.41
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon) $0.24
  • 4 Tbsp flour $0.04
  • 1 cup veggie broth $0.13
  • 1/2 cup whole milk $0.13
  • 3/4 tsp salt $0.05
  • 1 bay leaf $0.15
  • 1/4 tsp ground rosemary $0.03
  • 1/4 tsp dried thyme $0.03
  • 1/4 tsp rubbed sage $0.03
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper $0.02
  • 1 tsp soy sauce $0.02
  • 1 Yukon gold potato, small dice* (about 1 cup) $0.27
  • 1 pint baby bellas, small dice $2.89
  • 12 oz frozen mixed vegetables $1.25
  • 1 egg, separated $0.46

Instructions

  • Grease a pie pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. If you're using store-bought dough, place the bottom crust in the pie pan. If you made 3-Ingredient Pie Crust, cut 1/3 of the dough off to be used as the top crust, wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate until you're ready to use it later.
  • Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the bigger 2/3 piece of dough into a circle that is 16 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick. Line the pie pan with it.
  • Beat the egg white until frothy, then brush the bottom crust with it. Let the crust rest in the fridge.
  • Place a rack in the center of your oven along with a sheet pan and preheat it to 350ºF. Place a deep skillet over medium heat and add 5 tablespoons of salted butter to the pan. Once the butter foams, swish it around the pan until it turns an amber color and smells of hazelnuts.
  • Add the diced onions to the brown butter. Cook until the onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook for one minute. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic in the skillet and continue to cook and stir for two minutes more.
  • To the pan, add veggie broth, milk, and salt. Whisk to combine and dissolve any flour off the bottom of the skillet. Then add the bay leaf, rosemary, thyme, sage, pepper, and soy sauce. Whisk occasionally as the liquid simmers and thickens.
  • Add the pint of diced mushrooms and the diced potato to the pan. Stir to combine and cook until the gravy has thickened more and reduced some, about 5 minutes.
  • Remove the skillet from the heat. Finally, add the frozen mixed vegetables and allow them to cool the ingredients in the pan.
  • Take the pie pan out of the fridge, prick the bottom crust a few times with a fork, and add the cooled filling to the pie pan. Dice the last tablespoon of butter and sprinkle it over the filling.
  • Roll the smaller piece of dough into a circle, about 10 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Cover the pie with it.
  • Beat the egg yolk. Trace a bit of yolk along the top edge of the bottom and top crusts. Fold the bottom crust over the top crust and crimp the edges shut. Cut vents into your top crust. Brush egg yolk in a light layer over the top crust.
  • Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pie dough is golden and flaky. Allow the Veggie Pot Pie to cool for ten minutes before serving.

See how we calculate recipe costs here.

Notes

*You can also use a store-bought double crust or puff pastry. 
*To prevent the diced potato from turning gray, place it in salted water and cover it with a wet paper towel, so it stays submerged. Drain before using in the recipe.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Sodium: 465mg | Fiber: 4g

How to Make Veggie Pot Pie – Step by Step Photos

Grease a pie pan with 1 tablespoon of butter. If you’re using store-bought dough, place the bottom crust in the pie pan. If you are making 3-Ingredient Pie Crust, roll it into a large disc about 6 inches wide and two inches thick. Then cut 1/3 of it off to use as the top crust later on. Wrap it in plastic, and refrigerate.

Dust your work surface with flour and roll out the bigger 2/3 piece into a circle that is 16 inches in diameter and about 1/4 inch thick. Drape it over the pie pan and press down gently, gently pushing it into the bottom crease and sides of the pan.

Beat the egg white til frothy and then brush the bottom crust with it. Let the crust rest in the fridge.

Place a rack in the center of your oven along with a sheet pan and preheat it to 350ºF. Place a deep skillet over medium heat, add 5 tablespoons of salted butter to the pan, and brown it. The butter will melt, then foam, and finally, the solids will separate from the fat and turn a golden brown. The air will smell of hazelnuts.

Add the diced onion to the brown butter. Cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Then add the 2 minced cloves of garlic and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant. Finally, sprinkle 4 tablespoons of flour over the onions and garlic in the skillet and continue to cook and stir for 2 minutes more.

Add 1 cup of veggie stock, 1/2 cup of milk, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Then whisk to combine and dissolve any flour off the bottom of the skillet. Finally, add the bay leaf, 1/4 teaspoon rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon thyme, 1/4 teaspoon sage, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon soy sauce. Whisk occasionally as the liquid comes up to a simmer and thickens into gravy.

Next, add the pint of diced mushrooms and the diced potato to the pan. Stir to combine and cook until the gravy has thickened more and reduced some, about 5 minutes. You want to cook the potatoes a touch, to ensure they cook fully in the oven.

Next, remove the skillet from the heat. Finally, add the 12 ounces of frozen mixed vegetables to the filling, where they will quickly cool the other ingredients in the pan. Your filling is done!

Next, take the pie pan out of the fridge, prick the bottom crust a few times with a fork, and add the cooled filling to the pie pan. Then dice the last tablespoon of butter and sprinkle it over the filling.

Roll the smaller piece of dough into a circle, about 10 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Cover the pie with it.

Beat the egg yolk. Then trace a bit of yolk along the top edge of the bottom and top crusts. Fold the bottom crust over the top crust and crimp the edges shut. Cut vents into your top crust. Finally, brush the egg yolk in a light layer over the entire top crust.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the pie dough is golden and flaky. Allow the Veggie Pot Pie to cool for ten minutes before serving. I gobbled up three slices of this in one sitting! I hope you do the same!

Other Great Savory Pie Recipes

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