Easy No-Fail Flat Dumplings
These Easy No-Fail Flat Dumplings are soft and tender and they have a secret ingredient that makes them perfect every time. You’ll be making a double or triple batch of these yummy dumplings!
I posted this recipe for Easy No-Fail Flat Dumplings a couple of years ago. However, I’m reposting it today for two good reasons…I haven’t met a person yet that hasn’t loved these dumplings, and I also wanted to share this recipe with anyone who thinks they can’t make dumplings. If you think for a second that you can’t make dumplings, you are so wrong. You have my word that you cannot flop this recipe. In fact, you will turn out the most tender, soft, and flavorful dumplings ever! I promise!!
Allow me to share with you, how to make perfect and easy no-fail flat dumplings that are soft and tender and full of flavor…and oh yes, perfect every time!
Lets’s start by talking about flavor…
You don’t want to waste your time making a delicious dumpling if you don’t have a good broth to cook it in. Right? On the other hand, you don’t want to have a good broth and a dumpling that has no flavor. So what do you do?
- Start by picking the right part of the chicken to make your broth. The thigh produces more flavor than any part of the chicken. I cook several thighs (skin on) in a large pot. I add a couple of chicken bouillon cubes and salt and pepper. As you can see in the picture above, the broth is very rich.
- Next, you want to make sure that your dumplings are infused with flavor themselves. Don’t just rely on the broth they cook in to give them flavor. To achieve this add some rich broth to the dumpling dough.
Now let’s talk about how to make a tender dumpling…
Are you ready for me to reveal my secret ingredient that makes these dumplings super tender no matter what? First of all, you might think these dumplings contain eggs like most flat dumpling recipes, but they don’t. Okay…time to reveal my secret ingredient. Sour cream! That’s right, sour cream is the secret ingredient to these super tender dumplings. Even if you overcook these dumplings, they will still be tender if you roll them thin as suggested.
Here are some additional tips for making perfect flat dumplings, whether you are using this recipe or another one.
- Don’t overwork the dough. Knead the dough as little as possible,
- Roll the dough twice as thin as you want the cooked dumplings to be. If you want the cooked dumplings to be about 1/4″ thickness, then roll the dough to about 1/8″ thickness. Once the dumplings cook in the broth, they begin to soak up the broth, causing them to expand.
- Don’t go overboard with making dumplings. One batch of dough may not look like much when you’re cutting it into dumplings, but once again the dough will expand as it cooks. If you try to cook too many dumplings, such as tripling the recipe, the dumplings will end up absorbing all of the broth and you will end up with lots of dumplings and no broth. Note: I usually double this recipe, but I never triple it, because I want plenty of broth. If you do triple the recipe, add at least 1 can of chicken broth to the pot to ensure you will have enough broth.
- Don’t be afraid of using too much flour. When you roll and cut the dumplings, dip them in flour before transferring them to a plate. This not only keeps them from sticking together, but the added flour helps to somewhat thicken the broth.
- Don’t overcrowd the dumplings. Roll out and cut the dumplings. If you are doubling the recipe, only cook 1/2 of the dumplings at a time. Once the first batch is done, transfer them to a bowl and cook the second half. Once the second batch is done, transfer them to the bowl too, while you make the sauce.
- Divide the cut dumplings between two plates before cooking them. You don’t want too many dumplings on one plate or the ones on top will weigh down the ones on the bottom, making them stick together. Although they are dipped in flour, they will stick together if there are too many on top of each other.
How to turn your broth into a thick creamy sauce…
Once the dumplings are done and transferred to a bowl, whisk 1/4 cup of cornstarch into a cup of milk and add it to the hot broth. Stir the broth over medium heat until it has thickened. This only takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Taste the broth and add additional salt & pepper as needed and return the dumplings to the pot.
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Chicken and Fluffy Dumplings with Gravy
PrintEasy No-Fail Flat Dumplings
- Prep Time: 30 Minutes
- Cook Time: 1 1/2 hours
- Total Time: 25 minute
- Yield: 4 Servings 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cook
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Easy No-Fail Flat Dumplings are soft and tender and they have a secret ingredient that makes them perfect every time. You’ll be making a double or triple batch of these yummy dumplings!
Ingredients
Chicken
- 1 package chicken thighs with skins, at least 6
- 2 chicken bouillon cubes
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, more for work surface
- 1/2 cup fresh chicken broth, from cooked chicken
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
White Sauce
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
Chicken
- Add the chicken to a large pot of water. Add the bouillon cubes, salt & pepper and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium, cover with a lid, and cook under chicken is tender, at least one hour. Turn off heat under the pot and transfer chicken to a bowl. Once chicken has cooled, remove skin and bones and tear chicken into bite size pieces and set aside.
Dumplings
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the chicken broth and sour cream. Mix just enough to combine. The mixture will be wet.
- Transfer dough to a heavily floured work surface. Sprinkle additional flour on top of the dough. Lightly knead dough, adding additional flour as needed, until dough is no longer sticky. Divide dough in half and roll one half at a time. Roll dough out to a thickness of about 1/8 inch in thickness. When dumplings cook, they will double in thickness.
- Using a pastry or pizza cutter, cut dough into long vertical strips, about 1 inch wide. Cut the dough horizontally, cutting pieces about 1 1/2 inches or as desired. Dip 2-3 pieces at a time in flour and transfer to a large plate.
- Bring pot of broth back to a boil over medium heat.
- Drop a few floured dumplings into the broth at one time, making sure they are not sticking together as you drop them.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cover pot with a lid. Allow dumplings to cook for about fifteen minutes until they are tender and done. Check by forking one. Transfer dumplings to a bowl and repeat steps 2 through 6 with the second half of dough.
- Once all dumplings have been cooked and transferred to a bowl, make the white sauce.
White Sauce
- Whisk the cornstarch into the cup of milk. Add the milk to the hot broth and stir constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens. This takes about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and taste the broth. Add additional salt and pepper to taste, then transfer the dumplings and the chicken back to the pot.
- Refrigerate any leftovers. Once dumplings are reheated, if there’s not much sauce, add a little bit of milk or chicken broth.
Notes
Once dumplings are refrigerated, they will soak up more of the broth. To reheat the following day, add a little bit of canned chicken broth or milk to the dumplings before heating. Place over medium-low heat and gently mix frequently with a large spoon until the broth has thinned.
Keywords: dumplings, chicken dumplings, flat dumplings, no-fail dumplings,
Made these dumplings .had to use about a cup and quarter chicken broth.it calls for half a cup but it was really dry. And I also added baking powder a tablespoon. They really came out delicious.
★★★★★
Penny,
I’m so glad they turned out for you!! Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Can plain yogurt be used instead of sour cream?
Hi Sharman, I have not tried yogurt, but I don’t see why not.
made these esy flat dumplins for my chicken dumplings,,as usual I gotta add pepper garlic powder,,parsley flakes and some Webrs kickin chicken seasoning..turned out quite well…perfect chew….
★★★★★
Love the recipe perfect everytime thank
★★★★★
Hi Jennifer,
I’m so glad you love the dumplings. I love this recipe because you really can’t flop them. I’m going to make them with Turkey after Thanksgiving if I have leftover turkey broth. Happy Thanksgiving!! 🙂
I fixed this tonight and it was wonderful! I thought the way you laid out the recipe with ingredients of each part was really smart. I loved your tips too. The white sauce really made it taste so good. The recipe was so easy to follow. I love a soft, limp, thin dumpling and to get that I had to cook the dumplings a longer time. I think I was probably cooking it on a lower setting although it was on a low boil. I think I should have rolled it out even thinner than I did?. The dumplings at one time was starting to foam out the top so I placed a wooden spoon across the top to stop that and lowered the temp. This was so easy, but I have some improvement on making them thinner! They tasted so great I ate three bowls of them!’! I’m a work in progress, but I’m so excited I actually made dumplings!!!!!
★★★★★
Hi Teresa,
I’m so glad you had success with dumplings! Now you’ll be making them all the time! 🙂 Happy Thanksgiving!
Can I use bisquick instead of flour? Would it change the recipe?
Hi Susan,
I don’t recommend using Bisquick for this recipe. My experience with Bisquick is just ok but not as good as flour in dumplings. Cindy
I like this recipe….I’ve tried lots…..
I have read over it many times and I don’t see when you add back your chicken. I normally add mine back when boiling for my dumplings. Did I miss something???
Hi Melissa,
Add the chicken back in with the dumplings after you make the white sauce. Sorry for the confusion. Happy Holidays!! 🙂 Cindy
FOLLOWED THE RECIPE TO A T, AND THEY ARE THE EASIEST AND BEST TASTING DUMPLINGS I HAVE EVER HAD, THE ONLY DUMPLINGS I WILL MAKE NOW. THANKS FOR SHARING
Hi Tracy,
I’m so glad you liked them! They’re my go-to recipe! Happy Holidays!!
Cindy
Thanks for sharing this recipe. It was my first time making this kind of dumpling and it was really easy to follow your instructions. I was very happy with the results!
Have you ever made them ahead? If so, how long can they be refrigerated or frozen?
★★★★★
Hi Kerrie,
So glad you liked them. You can refrigerate them for 2 to 3 days. However, the dumplings will begin to soak up more of the broth over time making the dumplings a little thicker, and you won’t notice quite as much broth. If you do refrigerate them for 2 to 3 days, I recommend adding a little more chicken broth when you reheat them. I’ve never tried to freeze them. Happy Holidays!
Cindy
All this time I thought making the dumplings from scratch would be allot of work and time. Dumplings is one of my go to comfort foods and this just took them up a notch. And I’ll be making allot. I made a big batch of my chicken dumplings using these dumplings and shared with some neighbors. Got all around raves and begging for me. 2 Thumps Up!
★★★★★
Hi Alicia,
I’m so glad they were a hit. I love this no-fail recipe! Happy Holidays!
Cindy
Have been wanting a delicious recipe for flat dumplings. This recipe has delicious flavor and I SO loved the detail and hints. Here’s my question, after the 15 minutes, are they supposed to be “white” in color? And, what is the cause of a slightly chewy texture? The flavor is good, tender but, I didn’t thing it should be on the chewy side. Maybe I didn’t roll out thin enough?, Or, maybe noodles need to be cooked longer than the 15 minutes. Definitely want to try again!!
★★★★★
Hi Kay,
You guessed right. Roll them really thin and cook for 15 minutes and test one. The dumplings will soak up the broth and become thicker. Yes, they will look white. If you roll any thicker you will need to cook them longer. Also, only cook 1/2 at a time. Good luck and Merry Christmas!
Cindy
When I lived in the South, I could buy ready made frozen dumplings and just drop them in the broth. Now I live in Nevada and couldn’t find them. This recipe is perfect and so easy. I had to get a head start so I made the dumplings the day before. Put them between layers of waxed paper and froze them. So easy to handle the next day. Thanks for a great recipe.
★★★★★
Hi Joan,
I’m so glad they turned out great and thanks for the info on freezing them.
Oh my gosh! These dumplings are so delish. I made the chicken in my Insta pot and used the broth for the sauce. This recipe is Barry close to the one my dad and aunt used to make. They didn’t use sour cream, but did use the broth for the dumplings.
I followed all of the steps except rolling out the dough. In a hurry to get dinner on the table. I dipped a spatula into the hot broth and scooped up a small amount of dough and dropped it into the broth. I will definitely make this again. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Cheryl, I’m so glad they were a hit! 🙂
If you want to use the dumplings, with black berry for blackberry dumplings, how would you go about making it. Blackberry juice in the place of the chicken broth?
Hi Walterlene, Yes you would have to replace all the broth with blackberry juice and I don’t recommend doubling the recipe. Check out my recipe for Blackberry Dumplings on my blog for the juice but use this flat dumpling recipe. My recipe on the blog is for the fluffy ones.
Oh my, this recipe was sooooo delicious! I have ibs, so I substituted a few things. Lactose free milk and lactose free sour cream. I’ll have to play more with gluten free flour though. Everything came out so good! My family loved it! Definitely making this many times in the future. I will use more chicken, 6 thighs wasn’t enough for us, but that’s ok. I about melted, with my first bite! Thank you for this recipe!
★★★★★
Hi Summer, I’m so glad they were a hit!! You just can’t flop this recipe!! 🙂
First off am a man that’s a blue collar electrician. I cannot cook the fancy meals but play around trying. My grandma made dumplings and I have missed them for many many years. This is the closest and best tasting dumplings I have found and I have tried a few. Thank you for posting this recipe. You are awesome!!!
Hi Bari, Thank you! I’m so glad you like the recipe! Now you can keep making dumplings! 🙂
Can I use baking powder or whipping cream for the white sauce
Hi Kelly, Unfortunately, you can’t use baking powder. If you don’t have cornstarch you can substitute flour. I don’t recommend using whipping cream either.
Hello Cindy, I,’m using your recipe to make an old family favorite potato soup and dumplings. Would you cook the dumplings separate and add to the soup and do you or can you let these dry before u cook them?
Hi Michael, No do not dry out the dumpling dough before making them. I don’t cook them separately but I double the batch and cook one batch and transfer to a bowl, then a second batch. You can cook them separately and add them to the soup if you have broth to cook them in. I hope this helps!
tried printing out your no fail dumplings with 3x’s amounts to use for this recipe, but every time I would select to print it, it would show the 1x. amount. very frustrating! did anyone else have this problem. I guess I will have to whip out the old pen and paper!! :-}
Great recipe. Easy and delicious! Best ever dumplings.
Only problem I had was I wound up with twice as much (thickened) broth as I needed – just scooped out meat, dumplings, and veggies with a spider spoon until better ratio. Maybe you could measure the water amount and include that (vs “a large pot of water”).
However…
The extra broth tastes like the best ever cream of chicken soup. And I could even freeze and make more chicken n dumplings later!
Great recipe. Easy and delicious! Best ever dumplings.
Only problem I had was I wound up with twice as much (thickened) broth as I needed – just scooped out meat, dumplings, and veggies with a spider spoon until better ratio. Maybe you could measure the water amount and include that (vs “a large pot of water”).
However…
The extra broth tastes like the best ever cream of chicken soup. And I could even freeze and make more chicken n dumplings later!
★★★★★