Easy gluten-free chicken and dumplings with a dairy-free option. A classic southern comfort food recipe your whole family is sure to enjoy!
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Easy Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings
My husband is from the South and this really influences my cooking style. When I went gluten-free, I knew it would be important to try and modify some of his favorite Southern recipes.
Chicken and dumplings is a favorite classic Southern comfort food recipe. It’s a creamy version of a chicken noodle soup and instead of noodles, you get fluffy dumplings.
This recipe is both my husband’s and oldest son’s favorite meal. My father-in-law even gave it his stamp of approval. Which is a big deal because he was raised eating chicken and dumplings made from scratch.
Gluten-Free chicken and dumplings is a super easy one-pot dinner to make. You can add your favorite vegetables or none at all. It’s an easy, delicious and filling meal that can be on your table in less than 40 minutes.
Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings-Step By Step
Dinner Shortcut
The first step is to dice up your chicken. One of the shortcuts that I use to make my chicken and dumplings so easy, is that I buy a gluten-free rotisserie chicken and use the already cooked meat. It makes it easy peasy! Otherwise, I just boil a few chicken breasts and then dice them up. (photo 1)
In a large pot pour the gluten-free chicken broth, diced chicken, frozen mixed vegetables, and seasonings and give it a quick sir. Bring the broth to a boil over medium heat. (photo 2)
In a glass measuring cup or a small bowl add the milk and cornstarch together and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved. (photo 3)
Pour milk mixture into the large pot with the chicken broth and stir until fully combined. (photo 4 and 5)
As the mixture continues to boil it will start to thicken. (photo 6)
The dumplings are super easy to make also because I use one of my favorite gluten-free products, Bisquick Gluten-Free mix.
Homemade Gluten-Free Bisquick Mix
If you do not have the gluten-free Bisquick, you can make your own with this recipe. I’ve made the dumplings using both the store bought and homemade mix, and they both made great fluffy dumplings!
In a medium-sized bowl whisk eggs. Add gluten-free Bisquick to eggs and stir. Then add melted butter and milk to the Bisquick mixture and stir until fully combined. (photo 7)
The dumplings batter will be a little sticky. (photo 8)
Drop heaping spoonfuls of the batter into the chicken broth mixture. Pro Tip: I like to use an ice cream scoop because I like my dumplings big and fluffy. (photo 9)
Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. (photo 10)
Then cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from heat and serve. (photo 11)
Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.
Dairy-Free Cooking
I have also included a dairy-free option to my gluten-free chicken and dumplings recipe. My husband, my youngest son, and I are all dairy-free.
I promise it is just as delicious made with the dairy-free butter and dairy-free milk. So, you too can enjoy gluten-free and dairy-free chicken and dumplings.
Some of my favorite dairy-free alternatives that I like to cook and bake with is almond, cashew or coconut milk. I also like cooking and baking with coconut oil or Earth Balance or Smart Balance butter.
You are going to love this savory and creamy soup sprinkled with chicken and veggies along with the fluffy dumplings. Gluten-free chicken and dumplings is a super easy and comforting dish. A family favorite.
I also like to serve it with homemade mashed potatoes. It’s like a big o’l hug in a bowl!
Looking for more gluten-free chicken recipes? Try these!
- Crispy Chicken Thighs One Pan Meal
- Crispy Baked BBQ Chicken Thighs {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Option}
- Crispy Chicken Thighs One-Pan Meal {Gluten-Free, Paleo, Whole30, AIP}
- Apricot Chicken {Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
- Gluten-Free Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Recipe adapted from Betty Crocker Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings.
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Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings {Dairy-Free Option}
Ingredients
Chicken
- 3-4 cups cooked skinless chicken breasts , diced (I like to use chicken from a rotisserie chicken I buy at Walmart (traditional flavor) or Costco. Or I boil the chicken breasts. )
- 4 cups gluten-free chicken broth
- 2 cups gluten-free frozen mixed vegetables
- 1 tablespoon sage , dried
- 1 tablespoon thyme , dried
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups milk , dairy-free use cashew, coconut or almond milk
- 6 tablespoons gluten-free cornstarch
Dumplings
- 1 ½ cups Bisquick Gluten Free mix (see recipe notes to make your own gluten-free Bisquick)
- 2 eggs , whisked
- ⅔ cup milk , dairy-free use cashew, coconut or almond milk
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter , melted (dairy-free use Smart Balance/Earth Balance butter or coconut oil)
Instructions
- In a large pot add chicken broth, diced chicken, frozen vegetables, sage, thyme and onion powder. Bring to a low boil over medium heat.
- In a small bowl add milk and cornstarch together and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved.
- Pour milk mixture into the large pot with the chicken broth and stir until fully combined. Continue to boil.
- In a medium-sized bowl whisk eggs.
- Add gluten-free Bisquick to eggs and stir.
- Add melted butter and milk to the Bisquick mixture and stir until fully combined. The batter will be sticky.
- Drop heaping spoonfuls into the chicken broth mixture. (I like to use an ice cream scoop because I like my dumplings big.)
- Reduce heat to low and cook for 10 minutes.
- Cover and cook for an additional 15 minutes.
- Remove from heat and serve.
- Enjoy!
- Leftovers can be refrigerated and reheated.
Notes
Nutrition
Kim says
My gf bisquick boxed recipe says to use shortening not butter to make the biscuits. Not butter . Will it change the dumplings if I use butter ? Did you use the actual gf bisquick mix ? Thank you
Audrey says
Hi Kim! Just follow the directions in my recipe and do not use the directions on the box of gluten-free Bisquick. I hope you enjoy it!
Jenelle Van Horn says
I’ve made this recipe twice and the flavor and consistency is everything we DF/gf people dream of. Has anyone mentioned the bottom of the pot burning? It’s happened twice in 2 different pots so I’m assuming it’s a user error. Any tips?
Diana Brumbaugh-Glasgow says
I made this recipe last night for dinner. It was absolutely delicious. I have tried several dumpling recipes (regular and gluten-free) and none if them compare to this in the least!!! The broth was nice and creamy and the dumplings were light and fluffy on the inside. Thank you so much for sharing your delicious recipes.
Jennifer says
This was phenomenal!!!! The flavors were spot on! I made this vegetarian using Sweet Earth, Mindful Chik N Strips. So many vegetarian meats have gluten but this brand is GF and absolutely delicious with this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
Michelle says
This was wonderful! I used oat milk and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pancake mix and was impressed with the taste and consistency. Also, my hubby who isn’t GF or DF thought it tasted fantastic. Thanks!!
Amy says
I LOVE every one of your recipes! They always turn out and taste great! Thank you!
Jackie says
This was delicious! I was a little leery of the cornstarch thickening technique. Seems like it hasn’t always worked for me in the past. This was GREAT tho! The only issue I had was, I had to cook much longer to get the dumplings cooked. I think this was because the diameter of the pan was too small. When I put the scoops of dumplings in they completely covered the top surface. I would have preferred a little room around them to cook faster. I am getting a new stock pot that should work great. Anyway I was happy that just cooking longer did the trick. Normally I wouldn’t try a gluten free/dairy free version of a cream sauce and dumplings – its just asking too much. But after making your biscuits I thought I would give it a try. You aced this one too.
BlaneyPie says
This absolutely was the very best recipe for chicken and dumplings. I enjoyed it very much. I used Bob’s 1:1 gluten free flour and it has the xantham gum in it. It was great. I bet if I had not said it was gluten free, no one would know the difference. Do you have a gluten free white country gravy recipe? I am about to try your gluten free pecan pie recipe. Even though I am using an already made pie crust that is gluten free and the mix is naturally gluten free, I am using your recipe for the filling because of all the recipes online, yours has the highest ratings and stars with awesome reviews. gluten free or not; thank you for putting them online. You are my gluten free rock star recipe gal!!! Happy Thanksgiving!
Linda Walsh says
Oh Wow! Made this tonight. It was fantastic! I made your homemade “Bisquick” using Earth Balance Buttery Sticks. I know when you use shortening to create the mix you don’t need to refrigerate it but should mine be refrigerated as it contains the Earth Balance? Thanks so much for this recipe-I haven’t had dumplings since my mother’s-so many years ago.
Tasa DeGroat says
We have tried GF dumplings several times, some better then others, but this recipe was the BEST by far!! I used Bob’s Redmill 1 to 1 blend and I truly believe no one could have told the difference between it and a gluten flour recipe. A true keeper.
Brehan Corveau says
I noticed your ice cream scoop and wouldn’t have believed you posted a link! Thank you for sharing all the little bits with us!
Jen says
Audrey,
I love this recipe!! I recently had to take dairy and gluten out of my diet for a time here. And being pregnant as well with our 4th little one coming here in March, I needed good recipes to have and enjoy food again! Thank you. I will have to post on a couple of your other recipes too. Love the Cinnamon rolls and I did make my own bisquick from your recipe as well
Jen
Audrey says
Thank you so much Jen for the awesome 5-star recipe review, it really made my night! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings and the other recipes you have tried. I really appreciate your leaving a review, they mean a lot to me. Congratulations on your 4th little one! I have four children and well. Thank you again!
Christina says
Excellent recipe! My family loved it so much! We’re making this again for our Christmas dinner since it’s easy to adapt to everyone’s dietary restrictions. Thank you for the delicious recipe! Looking forward to trying more!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Christina for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that your whole family loved the chicken and dumplings. You are so welcome, I love helping others by sharing what I make for my family. Wishing you and your family a Merry Christmas. Thank you again!
Alyssa says
I made this yesterday for dinner, never made this soup before and so I’m happy it came out so well! My husband loved it! I used unsweetened almond milk and my vegan butter and my flour mix was a Living Now brand of baking/pancake flour mix. Everything went well. Prep and cook time for me was a very long time because I was nervous lol, but now I know how yo make it, Audrey’s instructions are so clear and helpful!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Alyssa for the awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you and your husband loved the chicken and dumplings. Thank you for sharing what brand of mix and the dairy-free ingredients you used, as I know it will help others. I am so glad that you found my instructions to be clear and helpful. Thanks again!
Mikaela says
Just tasted it after it melded. It is AMAZING. Don’t. Change. Anything.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Mikaela for your awesome 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings. Thanks again!
Brandy says
I absolutely loved this recipe the only problem I had and it’s probably my fault is the dumplings didn’t “form”. But rather made it into a dumpling mush lol. It still tastes great just wondering if you had any suggestions as to what I might have done wrong. The dumpling batter was pretty runny so maybe that’s it? Thanks
Audrey says
Thank you so much Brandy for the 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you loved the chicken and dumplings. I use a greased ice cream scoop to make the dumplings and once I drop them in the pot I don’t stir them. Using the ice cream scoop makes really big and fluffy dumplings. You can see in photo 10 how thick the batter should be. I hope all of this helps. Thanks again!
Samantha Hall says
As an individual who reluctantly joined the GF community due to being diagnosed with an intolerance I began desperately searching for recipes that I could take comfort in and stumbled across this one. And all I have to say is WOW. This recipe is comforting and filling. I will definitely be making this again. I’m glad to know that this is a recipe I can keep in my back pocket that will never fail with my family and when I have guests over.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Samantha for the awesome 5-star recipe review. I am so happy that you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings and it was comforting and filling. I understand how important it is to find recipes that are comforting. Thank you again!
Tara Willis says
Just curious, how can advertise dairy free if using eggs? I am dairy & lactose intolerant, gluten & wheat intolerant. Among other things my ibsc will refuse to let me eat… red meat, most veggies, onion & garlic
(Fresh or powder) the list goes on & on. What would you suggest for replacing eggs?
Audrey says
Hi Tara! Eggs are not a dairy product. Dairy is any foods made from the milk produced from milk products of animals, with cow’s milk being the main source of dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc…) Eggs are a product form birds like chickens. If you also need to be egg-free (or Vegan-eats no animals products) I would recommend using Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer in place of the eggs in the recipe. Some of my favorite dairy-free products to use in this recipe is cashew or almond milk and Smart Balance butter. I hope you enjoy the chicken and dumplings!
Monique says
This has quickly become a family favorite! It’s comfort food done right. Lots of flavor, very moist, and easy to pull together. Plus you can easily modify it to suit your taste. For example, I prefer dark meat so I use boneless/skinless chicken thighs. Plus I add extra peas and corn to make it heartier.
At first I could not find the GF Bisquick, so I made it from scratch using the recipe she provides. It came out delicious. Since then, I found the GF version in the store, and am pleased with both outcomes.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Monique for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that this recipe is becoming a favorite for your family. I am glad to hear that the recipe for gluten-free Bisquick worked well in the recipe. I have used both the recipe and the boxed mix for the recipe and my family always enjoys it. Thank you again!
Megan Mayol says
Any recommendations on an alternative for corn starch? I have a corn allergy as well as gluten.
Thanks ????
Audrey says
Hi Megan! Can you use arrowroot powder? You could also try using gluten-free flour instead of the cornstarch. I whisk it right in with the milk when I make my cream soups. I hope this helps and you are able to try the recipe!
Tricia says
Potato starch or Tapioca starch may work as an alternative as well.
Audrey says
Hi Tricia! Thank you for the alternative search recommendations. I hope you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings.
Jenna Edwards says
Which milk alternative do you think taste best or you use for this recipe?
Audrey says
Hi Jenna! I like either almond or cashew milk the best. I hope you enjoy it!
Janet says
Awesome. Making it for the second time. I did use a cup less water this time but not for any reason just our preference.
Audrey says
Thank you so much Janet for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed the chicken and dumpling and that you are making it a second time. It’s one of my family’s favorites. Thank you again!
Debbie Rinehart says
Of all the recipes for Chicken & Dumplings I can tell you this is the VERY BEST one of all!! I used Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 – 1 all purpose flour and my own homemade chicken broth. But it was so easy, fast and wonderful. I have been doing Paleo for about 4 years and I’ve never found anything that tasted like my old comfort food but without cheating!! BRAVO!!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Debbie for the wonderful 5-star recipe review! I am so happy that you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings. I bet your homemade chicken broth was really amazing in the recipe. Chicken and dumplings are one of my family’s all-time favorite meals. Thank you again!
Joansy says
This was such a great comfort food meal! I will be making it all winter long! This is by far the best gluten free chicken and dumplings recipe I have tried over the past 7 years. Thanks for sharing this!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Joansy for the amazing 5-star recipe review! I can’t tell you how happy it makes me hear that you enjoyed the chicken and dumplings. Thank you so much for your kinds words on your blog post about the recipe, it really made my heart happy when I read it! Thank you so much for the encouragement. You are so welcome, I love sharing what I make for my family. Thank you again!
Jennifer says
Wondering if soy milk can be used as we have a gluten free, dairy free, nut free child in the house!
Audrey says
Hi Jennifer! Yes, soy milk will work as a dairy-free alternative. I cannot use soy milk because I have a sensitivity to soy but, I have lots of food allergy blogger friends that use soy milk. I hope you enjoy the chicken and dumplings.
Missy says
Amazing recipe. New favorite. Whole family loved it!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Missy for the wonderful recipe review! I am so happy that your family enjoyed the chicken and dumplings. They are one of my family’s favorite meals. Thanks again!
Dez says
Is there no salt in this recipe?
Audrey says
Hi Dez! The gluten-free chicken broth is pretty salty, so I only use 1/2 teaspoon but you could always up the amount to 1 teaspoon. Thank you so much for catching that. I added it to the recipe. I hope you enjoy the chicken and dumplings.
Micki says
I have tried several recipes for chicken and dumplings since going gluten free seven years ago, but this is the only one that tastes like REAL dumplings! Delicious! Thanks for the recipe! I will be making this again!
Audrey says
Thank you so much Micki! It makes my heart so happy to hear that you enjoyed them. Chicken and dumplings are one of my family’s favorite meals.
Teri says
Thank you for sharing! Chicken and dumplings is one of our favorite meals. Excited ro give gluten free dumplings a try. I do want to point out that Wal-Mart rotisserie chicken is not gluten free. I found that out the hard way! My son has Celiac and became ill after eating it. When I looked at the ingredient list they coat the chicken in flour and spices. His diagnosis is new and I am learning everyday. Costco is a safe bet!
Audrey says
Hi Teri! I hope you enjoy the chicken and dumplings. I am so sorry to hear that your son got sick after eating the Walmart rotisserie chicken. What flavor did he eat? The Walmart traditional rotisserie chicken (has the purple label) is gluten-free and has no gluten-containing ingredients listed on it’s label (no flour-wheat, barley or rye). Spices are also safe. Some packaged spice blends include flour in them, so that’s why they are not safe. Walmart is very good about listing any food allergens on their labels. I have been eating their chicken for years and I have never had any problems and I am super reactive. I actually had one for dinner last night. I do prefer the Costco chickens. Here’s a website that confirmed that the traditional rotisserie chicken is safe, but always read your labels because they change all of the time. https://theglutenfreebar.com/blogs/gluten-free-food-list/are-marketside-rotisserie-chickens-walmart-gluten-free Thanks again!
Jeannette says
Does this recipe freeze well?
Audrey says
Hi Jeannette! I have not frozen the chicken and dumplings. I have reheated leftovers and it reheated up perfectly. If you freeze it will you please let me know if it freezes well? Thank you for asking.
Dave says
Are the thyme and sage fresh or dried. I’m assuming fresh because it seems like a lot for dried. Making this for sick friend who wants comfort food.
I have no rating for it yet, but it looks good.
Audrey says
Hi Dave! It’s dried thyme and sage. I hope that your friend feels better and enjoys the chicken and dumplings.
Kasey Schwartz says
This Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings looks like an amazing, healthy twist on a classic recipe I grew up with! Excited to try it out!!
Audrey says
I hope you enjoy it Kasey! Thank you so much for the wonderful 5-star recipe rating.
Wilhelmina Wessel says
One of our favorite comfort meals!
Audrey says
It’s one of my family’s favorite meals also. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe rating Wilhelmina!
Esther says
When do you add the vegetables? Directions do not include.
Audrey says
Hi Esther! You add the vegetables at the same times as the chicken. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I have updated the recipe. I hope you try it and enjoy it!