Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits

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Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits is an easy stovetop version of the Southern comfort-food classic made with seared chicken, mixed vegetables, a creamy seasoned broth, and canned biscuit dough for the dumplings. You still get tender chicken and soft dumplings in a rich broth without having to make dumpling dough from scratch.

The chicken is seared first for extra flavor, then the frozen vegetables help loosen those browned bits from the pot before the broth is built with butter, flour, chicken broth, seasonings, and evaporated milk. The canned biscuits are lightly floured, cut into small pieces, and cooked directly in the broth until tender.

chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits served in bowl with spoon

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Easy shortcut dumplings. Canned biscuits give you soft, tender dumplings without making dough from scratch.

Classic comfort-food flavor. Seared chicken, poultry seasoning, chicken broth, butter, and evaporated milk create a rich, savory base.

One-pot stovetop meal. Everything comes together in a Dutch oven or large pot, so there’s no need for a slow cooker.

Simple biscuit prep. There’s no need to roll out the dough. Lightly flour the biscuits, cut them into small pieces, and add them straight to the broth.

Built-in vegetables. Frozen mixed vegetables keep the recipe convenient while making it feel like a complete meal.

Shortcut without sacrificing the classic dish. You still get chicken, creamy broth, vegetables, and dumplings without the extra step of making dumpling dough from scratch.

Ingredient Tips

Chicken breast: Use 1½–2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken breast. Season it with salt and pepper, then sear it just until golden on the outside. It will finish cooking later in the broth. Boneless chicken thighs also work if you prefer them.
Canned biscuits: Use 16 ounces of refrigerated biscuit dough. The exact style matters less than how you cut it. Smaller pieces expand as they cook without leaving you with oversized bites of dumpling.
Flour for the biscuits: Lightly coating the biscuit dough with 2 tablespoons of flour makes it easier to cut and helps keep the pieces from sticking together before they go into the pot.
Frozen mixed vegetables: A 12–16 ounce bag keeps the recipe simple. The moisture they release also helps loosen the browned bits left behind after searing the chicken.
Butter and flour: 2 tablespoons butter and ⅓ cup flour help thicken the broth into the creamy base for the chicken and dumplings.
Chicken broth and bouillon: Use 4½ cups chicken broth plus 1 chicken bouillon cube for a deeper chicken flavor.
Seasonings: Garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper give the broth its classic savory flavor.
Evaporated milk: 12 ounces adds creaminess without making the broth overly heavy.
Cooking oil: Use 3 tablespoons for searing the chicken and creating the browned flavor on the bottom of the pot.

Chef’s Tips

Control the heat throughout the recipe. Use medium-high heat to sear the chicken, then lower it to medium before adding the butter and flour so the flour does not scorch. Once the broth goes in, raise the heat again so the 4½ cups of liquid can come to a simmer. After adding the evaporated milk, reduce the heat to medium-low for the final cook.

Don’t cook the chicken through while searing. You only want to brown the outside and build flavor on the bottom of the pot. The chicken finishes cooking later in the broth.

There’s no need to roll out the canned biscuits. Lightly coating them in flour makes the dough easier to handle and keeps the cut pieces from sticking together.

Cut the biscuits small. Divide each biscuit into 4 strips in one direction, keep the strips together, rotate the biscuit 90 degrees, then divide across into 3 rows. This creates about 12 small pieces per biscuit that expand as they cook without becoming oversized dumplings.

Don’t worry when the pot looks crowded. The biscuit pieces will float when they first go into the broth and can make the pot look very full. As they cook, they will settle into the chicken and broth.

Add the biscuits gradually. Drop in the cut pieces a little at a time and stir between additions so they do not clump together.

Keep the final simmer gentle. Once the evaporated milk is added and the broth returns to a simmer, lower the heat and cook for about 15 minutes. This gives the chicken and dumplings time to finish cooking without keeping the dairy over aggressive heat.

close-up of spoon removing a serving of the chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits

How To Make Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits

Prepare the Canned Biscuits

Add 2 tablespoons of flour to a plate.
Lightly coat each biscuit in the flour, then shake off the excess. The flour makes the dough easier to cut and helps keep the pieces from sticking together.
Keep one biscuit flat and make your first cuts to create 4 strips. Keep the strips together, rotate the biscuit or cutting board 90 degrees, then make 3 cuts across the first cuts to create about 12 small pieces.
Repeat with the remaining biscuits and set the cut dough aside.

Sear the Chicken

Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper.
Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat.
Sear the chicken until golden on both sides. You do not need to cook it through at this stage.
Remove the chicken from the pot and place it on a plate to cool slightly.

Build the Creamy Broth

Reduce the heat to medium and add the frozen mixed vegetables. As they release moisture, stir them around the pot to loosen the browned bits left from the chicken.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper.
Once the excess water from the vegetables has evaporated and they have picked up a little color, add the 2 tablespoons of butter.
When the butter melts, sprinkle in the ⅓ cup flour and stir everything together for about 1 minute.
Increase the heat to medium-high and gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring.
Crumble in the chicken bouillon cube and allow the broth to come to a simmer, stirring occasionally as it begins to thicken.

Add the Chicken and Dumplings

While the broth is heating, cut the seared chicken into bite-size chunks.
Add the chicken to the simmering broth.
Begin adding the cut biscuit pieces a little at a time, stirring between additions. The dumplings will initially float and the pot may look very full, but they will settle as they cook.
Continue until all of the biscuit dough has been added.

Finish the Chicken and Dumplings

Pour in the 12 ounces of evaporated milk and stir.
Once the broth returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low.
Simmer for about 15 minutes, allowing the biscuit dumplings and chicken to finish cooking.
Turn off the heat and allow the chicken and dumplings to cool slightly before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do you use canned biscuits for chicken and dumplings?

Lightly coat the biscuits in flour, shake off the excess, then cut each biscuit into small pieces before adding them directly to the simmering broth. There’s no need to roll the biscuit dough out first.

How many cans of biscuits do you need for chicken and dumplings?

For this recipe, use 16 ounces of canned biscuit dough. Package sizes can vary, so going by total weight is more useful than relying on a specific number of cans.

What kind of canned biscuits are best for chicken and dumplings?

The exact style of canned biscuit is less important than how you cut the dough. I use 16 ounces total and cut each biscuit into small pieces so the dumplings expand without becoming oversized.

What are common mistakes when making chicken and dumplings?

One of the biggest mistakes is not adjusting the heat as the recipe cooks. Keep the heat lower when adding the flour so it doesn’t scorch, raise it after adding the broth so the liquid can reach a simmer, then reduce it again after adding the evaporated milk. Cutting the biscuit pieces too large can also leave you with oversized dumplings.

Why are my biscuit dumplings floating on top?

That’s normal when the biscuit pieces are first added. The pot may look crowded because the dough floats and expands as it begins cooking. As the dumplings finish cooking, they settle into the chicken and creamy broth.

overhead of serving bowl of chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits

Desserts To Serve After Chicken and Dumplings

After a warm, hearty bowl of chicken and dumplings, I’d go with an easy Southern-style dessert rather than adding more sides to the meal.

Cinnamon Roll Peach Cobbler – A warm peach cobbler with cinnamon-roll topping that keeps the comfort-food theme going.
Sweet Potato Honey Bun Cake – A soft, spiced cake that fits especially well with a Southern comfort-food meal.
Sweet Potato Pecan Pie Cobbler – A richer option for fall or holiday dinners when you want the entire meal to feel extra cozy.
Upside Down Pecan Pie Dump Cake – An easy pecan dessert that works well when you want something simple after dinner.

More Comforting Chicken Recipes

Chicken Cobbler – A creamy chicken casserole with a biscuit-style topping that hits a very similar comfort-food craving.
Smothered Chicken and Rice – Tender chicken and rice cooked in a rich, comforting sauce for another hearty Southern-style dinner.
Crockpot Chicken and Gravy – An easy slow-cooker chicken dinner with plenty of savory gravy.
Chicken Pot Pie Soup – Creamy chicken-and-vegetable comfort food with a similar cozy, one-pot feel.
Baked Chicken Spaghetti with Velveeta – A cheesy baked chicken dinner that fits the same easy Southern comfort-food lane.

Chicken Cobbler

Smothered Chicken And Rice

Crockpot Chicken And Gravy Recipe

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

Chicken And Dumplings with Canned Biscuits

Easy chicken and dumplings with canned biscuits made with seared chicken, mixed vegetables, and a creamy seasoned broth for a simple Southern comfort-food dinner.

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Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken And Dumplings with Canned Biscuits

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 35

Total Time: 55

Servings: serving

Calories: 664kcal

Equipment

Dutch oven or large pot

Ingredients

1.5-2 pound chicken breast sub with boneless chicken thighs
salt and pepper to taste for the chicken
3 tablespoon cooking oil
16 ounce canned biscuits
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour coating for the biscuits
12 ounce mixed vegetables frozen
2 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4.5 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon cube
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
12 ounce evaporated milk

Instructions

Add the 2 tablespoons of flour to a plate. Lightly coat each biscuit in flour and shake off the excess.
Keep each biscuit flat and divide each biscuit into 4 strips, rotate, then divide across into 3 rows to create about 12 small pieces. Repeat with the remaining biscuits and set aside.
Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper.
Heat the cooking oil in a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken until golden on both sides without cooking it completely through. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool slightly.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the frozen mixed vegetables. Stir as they release moisture, using it to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the garlic powder, onion powder, poultry seasoning, and black pepper. Cook until the excess water from the vegetables has evaporated and they begin to pick up a little color.
Add the butter. Once melted, stir in the ⅓ cup flour and cook for about 1 minute.
Increase the heat to medium-high and pour in the chicken broth. Crumble in the chicken bouillon cube and stir occasionally as the broth comes to a simmer and begins to thicken.
Cut the seared chicken into bite-size pieces and add it to the broth.
Add the cut biscuit pieces gradually, stirring between additions. The dumplings will initially float and the pot may look crowded, but they will settle as they cook.
Pour in the evaporated milk and stir.
Once the broth returns to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the biscuit dumplings are cooked.
Turn off the heat and allow the chicken and dumplings to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Boneless chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breast.
There is no need to roll out the canned biscuit dough.
Cutting each biscuit into roughly 12 small pieces helps prevent oversized dumplings.
Adjusting the heat throughout the recipe is important: higher heat for searing and bringing the broth to a simmer, then gentler heat once the evaporated milk is added.
The dumplings floating when first added is normal; they will settle as they cook.