Chicken and Dumplings With Canned Biscuits

Pick the Right Biscuits

This is the one choice that makes or breaks the dish. Grab homestyle or buttermilk biscuits, like the Southern Homestyle kind. "Flaky layers" biscuits separate in the broth and fall apart. One 8-count can of large biscuits is just right for a family-size pot, and because the dough already has leavening, the dumplings rise every time.

Everything Else in the Pot

• Cooked chicken. Rotisserie is fastest. Leftover roast chicken or turkey works too, and there's a raw-chicken option in the card notes.
• Butter and flour. They make the roux that turns broth into a silky stew.
• Onion, carrots, and celery. Dice them small so they're tender by the time the broth thickens.
• Low-sodium broth. Rotisserie chicken and biscuits both bring salt, so start low.
• Thyme and a bay leaf. Simmered-all-day flavor in about 10 minutes.
• A splash of cream or milk. It makes the stew rich. Skip it if you like a brothier bowl.

Making the Stew and Dumplings

Soften the vegetables in butter, add the garlic for 30 seconds, then stir in the flour for a minute so it loses its raw taste. Pour in the broth slowly while you stir, so there are no lumps. Add the herbs and simmer for 10 minutes, then stir in the chicken and cream and turn the heat down to a gentle simmer, with small lazy bubbles, not a rolling boil.

Quarter the biscuits and drop them in one at a time, in a single layer. Put the lid on and leave it alone for 12–15 minutes. The steam cooks the tops, and lifting the lid lets it escape. When they look puffed and dry on top, cut one open. It should be fluffy all the way through.

Fluffy or Flat?

Southern kitchens split into two camps, and canned biscuits can do both.

When Things Go Sideways

Gummy dumplings. The stew boiled too hard, the lid came off early, or the pieces were stacked. Keep the heat gentle, use a wide pot, and don't peek.

Stew too thick. Dumplings soak up liquid as they cook. Stir a splash of warm broth in around the edges.

Stew too thin. Simmer it uncovered for 5 minutes before the dumplings go in, or mash a tablespoon each of butter and flour together and stir it in.

Doughy centers. The pieces were big or needed a few more minutes. Cover and cook 3–5 minutes longer.

Make Ahead and Leftovers

Make the stew up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate it. When you're ready, bring it back to a simmer and cook fresh dumplings, since dumplings made ahead turn soggy. Leftovers keep 3–4 days in the fridge. The dumplings drink up the broth overnight, so add ½–1 cup broth and reheat gently over medium-low heat until steaming. For the freezer, freeze the stew only, without dumplings, for up to 3 months, and thaw it overnight in the fridge.

On the side, go with green beans, collard greens, or a crisp salad to cut the richness. A wedge of sweet buttermilk cornbread and peach cobbler with cake mix for dessert make it a full Southern supper. If you've got more rotisserie chicken to use up, puff pastry chicken pot pie and rotisserie chicken noodle soup are both good next moves.

Cook's Tips

• Press the pieces under once. Right after dropping them in, nudge each dumpling just under the surface with a spoon so the bottoms cook in the broth and the tops steam.
• Use a pot that's wide, not tall. A 5½- to 7-quart Dutch oven gives the dumplings room to spread out in one layer and puff.
• Raw chicken instead? Simmer 1½ pounds of breasts or thighs in the broth for 15–20 minutes, until they reach 165°F, then shred and carry on.