🌾 Chuckwagon Chicken & Dumpling Stew

🌾 Chuckwagon Chicken & Dumpling Stew

Serves: 6–8Prep Time: 15 minutesCook Time: 45 minutes

A cowboy classic — rich broth, tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy dumplings just like the old trail cooks made after a long ride. Comfort in a pot!

🐔 Ingredients

For the Stew

• 2 tbsp butter or bacon grease

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 celery stalks, chopped

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 3 cups cooked shredded chicken

• 4 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup milk

• ½ tsp thyme

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp salt (to taste)

• Optional: peas or corn

For the Dumplings

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tbsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• 1 cup milk

• 2 tbsp melted butter

🍳 Instructions

1. Build the Stew Base

Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Cook until tender and fragrant.

2. Add Chicken & Broth

Stir in shredded chicken, broth, milk, thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

3. Mix the Dumplings

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, milk, and melted butter until a thick batter forms.

4. Drop the Dumplings

Using a spoon, drop small dollops of dough gently onto the simmering stew.Do NOT stir. Let them sit on top.

5. Cover & Cook

Cover the pot and simmer for 15–18 minutes, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.

6. Serve

Spoon stew into bowls, making sure everyone gets a fluffy dumpling or two.

🤠 Chuckwagon Tip

Trail cooks often stretched meals with dumplings because flour was easier to carry than vegetables — add extra dumplings for a heartier cowboy supper!