Shortcut Chicken And Dumplings Recipe

Is it just us, or do you stop in your tracks whenever you see a recipe with the word "shortcut" in it? Shortcut means simple and when time is valuable, this means everything. This shortcut chicken and dumplings recipe tastes as good as the more extended version, but here's the kicker — you can make it in under 30 minutes. So, this dish would be excellent to serve for a weekday family dinner or pretty much any other occasion where you might be pressed for time. It truly is the complete meal with chicken, gnocchi, and veggies, all soaked in a wonderful, creamy sauce. Are you drooling yet?

Recipe developer Kate Shungu came up with the shortcut version, and she explains her favorite part. "I love how quick this dish is to make. By using a few shortcuts like rotisserie chicken, frozen carrots and peas, and gnocchi, you can have a homestyle dinner on the table in under 30 minutes," Shungu raves. She also assures that while this is the "shortcut" method, it doesn't skip out on flavor. "With the creamy sauce and pillow-y dumplings, this recipe tastes like it's been cooking all day," she raves. 

If this sounds like something that is up your alley, keep reading to find out how to make it. 

This shortcut recipe requires a handful of ingredients to whip it up. Start by heading to the store and grabbing rotisserie chicken, butter, onion, celery, flour, low-sodium chicken broth, salt, fresh thyme, frozen carrots and peas, gnocchi, heavy cream, and fresh parsley.

Once you have those items, you can make this shortcut chicken and dumplings recipe.

Take out the rotisserie chicken and remove all of its skin. You can go ahead and toss the skin out since you won't need to use it. 

Next, cut the meat away from the bones using a knife or a pair of scissors. Then, throw it on a cutting board and chop the chicken into ½-inch pieces.

You will need a large crockpot or a dutch oven for this step. Place it on your stove and toss in the butter and turn the heat to medium. Once the butter melts, throw in the onion and celery. Continue cooking the veggies until tender, which should take about 4 to 5 minutes.

The next thing you'll want to add to the mix is the flour. Stir to combine with the other ingredients to combine and let everything cook for about a minute. Then, add  chicken broth and salt.

Turn the heat up to high and bring the mixture to a boil.

We're starting to get toward the bottom of our ingredients list, which means you're almost finished cooking! Once the mixture comes to a boil, add the thyme, carrots, peas, and gnocchi. "We're using gnocchi here instead of making dumplings from scratch. It saves a bowl, saves time, and really delivers on flavor and texture," Shungu shares.  

Bring the mixture to a boil again and once you see bubbles reach the surface, set your timer and cook for 3 minutes. The last two things you need to put into this dish are the chopped chicken and cream. Cook with the other ingredients for 1 minute or until the chicken is warm.

Spoon the chicken and dumplings into your favorite bowl and top with fresh parsley. Now, you can serve to your deserving guests. Or, if you made it for yourself — more power to you! 

This dish is wonderful and plenty filling on its own, but Shungu shares another great serving suggestion. "I like serving this alongside a leafy green salad," she notes. If you happen to have anything left, be sure to keep it! "Store leftovers in the refrigerator for 4–5 days," Shungu suggests. 

We hope this ultimate comfort food hits the spot.