Cozy Chicken & Dumplings

(the way my grandma made it)

This is chicken and dumplings exactly how my grandma made hers. Bacon grease for flavor, fluffy dumplings dropped straight into the pot, and heavy cream at the end. No shortcuts. No substitutions. No pretending it’s anything other than comfort food.

Most nights I cook what I’d call healthish meals. Real food, lots of vegetables, things that make me feel good. But when we’re snowed in and the world slows down, this is what I make. The same way it’s always been made. The kind of meal that simmers on the stove, warms the whole house, and feels like being taken care of.

Snow days call for food like this.

Why I Don’t Change This Recipe

Some recipes aren’t meant to be adjusted.

This is chicken and dumplings the way my grandma made it, and I don’t change it because it doesn’t need fixing. Bacon grease builds the flavor from the very first step. The broth is simple and slow. The dumplings are soft and fluffy, dropped straight into the pot. And the heavy cream at the end is what makes it feel finished.

I cook a lot of healthish meals most nights, but this recipe isn’t about balance or swaps. It’s about comfort. It’s about making something the same way it’s always been made and letting it be exactly what it is.

On snow days especially, that matters.

Ingredients for the Soup Base

(The Way My Grandma Used Them)

Bacon grease

This is where the flavor starts. My grandma always kept a jar, and this recipe wouldn’t taste the same without it.

Onion and celery

Simple, familiar, and meant to melt into the background. These aren’t meant to stand out… they’re there to quietly build the base.

Garlic

Four cloves because flavor matters, and no one ever complained about too much garlic in comfort food.

Butter and flour

Nothing fancy here. Just enough to give the broth body and make it feel rich without being heavy.

Chicken broth and bouillon

A combination my grandma relied on for depth. It creates a fuller, richer flavor than broth alone.

Dried herbs

Thyme, sage, and rosemary. Warm, familiar herbs that make the whole pot smell like home.

Chicken

Breasts or thighs both work. This recipe isn’t picky — it’s forgiving, just like the way it was always made.

Ingredients list:

• 2 tablespoons bacon grease

• ½ yellow onion, chopped

• 2 celery ribs, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

• 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon paste (Better Than Bouillon)

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• ¼ teaspoon dried thyme

• ¼ teaspoon dried sage

• ¼ teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

To Finish

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 1 bag frozen carrots and peas (Kroger)

Ingredients for the Soup Base

Flour, baking powder, and baking soda

This combination gives you dumplings that are soft and fluffy, not dense.

Buttermilk

Adds tenderness and that subtle tang that makes homemade dumplings taste right.

Butter and fresh herbs

A small touch that makes a big difference. Nothing overdone.

Ingredients list:

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¾ cup buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons melted butter

• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley

• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or thyme

Instructions

1. Build the flavor

   Melt bacon grease in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant.

   
   

2. Create the base

   Add butter and melt. Stir in flour and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.

   
   

3. Make it cozy

   Slowly whisk in chicken broth. Stir in bouillon paste, salt, pepper, thyme, sage, and rosemary.

   
   

4. Cook the chicken

   Add chicken to the pot and simmer gently for 15–20 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken, shred it, and return it to the pot.

   
   

5. Add the cream

   Stir in heavy whipping cream and bring back to a gentle simmer.

   
   

6. Mix the dumplings

   Combine dry dumpling ingredients in a bowl. Stir in buttermilk, melted butter, parsley, and herbs until just combined.

   
   

7. Drop & Steam

   Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the simmering soup. Cover and cook 12–15 minutes. Do not lift the lid.

   
   

8. Finish

   Gently stir in frozen carrots and peas. Simmer uncovered 5 minutes until thick and creamy.

Notes from My Kitchen

• Bacon grease is non-negotiable

• Four cloves of garlic because flavor matters

• Somehow even better the next day