Bisquick Dumplings: Our Best Recipe for Chicken Stew

Bisquick dumplings are soft, tender drop dumplings made from baking mix and milk, cooked under a lid on a bubbling chicken-and-vegetable stew. This one-pot version keeps the stew savory and hearty while the dumplings steam on top, so you get a comforting dinner without rolling or shaping dough.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced, about 1 cup (150 g)
2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced, about 1½ cups (200 g)
2 celery ribs, sliced, about ¾ cup (80 g)
2 garlic cloves, minced, about 2 teaspoons (6 g)
¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
6 cups (1.4 L) low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon (1 g) dried thyme
1 bay leaf
1½ pounds (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into ¾-inch (2 cm) pieces
1 teaspoon (5 g) fine salt, or to taste
½ teaspoon (1 g) ground black pepper
1 cup (145 g) frozen peas
½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
2 tablespoons (8 g) chopped fresh parsley, plus more for serving
2 cups (about 240 g) Bisquick baking mix
⅔ cup (160 ml) milk
1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh parsley for the dumpling dough (optional)

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables and chicken. Dice the onion, slice the carrots and celery, mince the garlic, and cut the chicken into evenly sized pieces so it cooks at about the same rate. Measure out the remaining ingredients. Keep raw chicken and its cutting board separate from the vegetables and ready-to-eat ingredients, and wash your hands and utensils after handling it.
Soften the vegetables. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots, and celery with a small pinch of the measured salt. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring now and then, until the onion is translucent and the vegetables begin to soften. They do not need to be fully tender yet.
Make the stew base. Stir in the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute so it coats the vegetables and loses its raw taste. Pour in the broth gradually while stirring to break up any flour lumps. Add the thyme, bay leaf, remaining salt, and black pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cook for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Cook the chicken. Add the chicken pieces and stir to separate them in the broth. Keep the pot at a steady, gentle simmer rather than a hard boil, and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once or twice. Check the thickest chicken pieces with a food thermometer; USDA FSIS lists 165°F (74°C) as the safe minimum internal temperature for poultry. If any pieces have not reached that temperature, simmer a little longer and check again.
Finish the stew and mix the dumplings. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the peas, cream, and 2 tablespoons (8 g) parsley; simmer for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, stir together the baking mix, milk, and optional dumpling parsley just until the dry mix is moistened. The dough should be thick, sticky, and a little lumpy. Avoid beating it smooth, which can make the dumplings dense.
Drop the dough onto the stew. Make sure the stew is gently bubbling. Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls over the surface, leaving a little space between portions because they will expand. A large spoon or small cookie scoop works. You should get about 12 dumplings. Do not stir them into the liquid; they need to stay on top to steam.
Steam until fluffy. Leave the pot uncovered for 10 minutes, then cover it tightly and cook for another 10 minutes without lifting the lid. The first uncovered period helps the dumplings begin to set; the covered period traps steam so their centers cook through. At the end, cut into the center of one dumpling to check that it is cooked through rather than wet or doughy. If needed, cover and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes.
Serve. Let the pot stand for 2 minutes, then spoon stew and dumplings into bowls, taking care not to mash the dumplings. Finish with extra parsley and serve while hot.

Tips

Keep the dough gentle. Stir only until the baking mix is moistened. A few small lumps are fine; prolonged mixing develops a tougher texture. Mix it right before dropping it on the stew rather than letting it sit while you finish other tasks.
Use a steady simmer and a tight lid. A vigorous boil can break up the dumplings or make the stew catch on the bottom, while a loose lid lets the steam escape. Once the lid is on, resist peeking until the covered cooking time is up.
Adjust thickness before adding dough. If the stew seems too thick, stir in a splash of broth. If it is thinner than you like, let it simmer uncovered for a few minutes before adding the dumplings. Do not try to stir flour into the pot once the dumplings are cooking.
Choose a suitable substitute thoughtfully. If you do not have heavy cream, use whole milk for a lighter, less rich stew. For the dumplings, a similar all-purpose baking mix can stand in for Bisquick; results may vary slightly with its leavening and salt, so avoid adding extra salt to the dough unless you know the mix is unsalted.

Serving Suggestions

This stew is filling enough to serve as a complete meal, with chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings in every bowl. For a fresh contrast, pair it with a crisp green salad dressed with vinaigrette or a simple side of steamed green beans. A spoonful of extra parsley adds color and a clean, herbal note against the creamy broth.

For serving a group, bring the pot to the table and use a wide spoon to lift each dumpling gently before ladling stew around it. If you are serving children or anyone who prefers smaller portions, cut a dumpling in half in the bowl and let the steam escape briefly before serving. Warm, crusty bread is optional, though it is useful for soaking up any broth left at the bottom.

Variations

Use chicken breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breast works in place of thighs. Cut it into similar-sized pieces and check it with a thermometer; breast can dry out if it simmers much longer than necessary. Thighs tend to remain more forgiving and give the broth a richer flavor.

Add other vegetables: Stir in sliced mushrooms with the onion, or add diced potatoes with the carrots and celery. Potatoes need enough time to become tender, so cut them into small cubes and simmer them in the broth before adding the chicken. You can also swap the peas for frozen corn, added with the cream at the end.

Change the herbs: Replace the thyme with 1 teaspoon (1 g) dried poultry seasoning, or use 1 tablespoon (4 g) chopped fresh thyme. For a brighter finish, add a little more parsley. Keep the bay leaf in the stew while it simmers, but remove it before the dumplings go in.

Make it less rich: Leave out the cream and add an extra ½ cup (120 ml) broth if needed. The stew will be lighter and a little less silky, while the dumplings still provide a soft, satisfying topping. The broth may also look less thick, which is normal.

Storage and Reheating

Cool leftovers promptly and refrigerate them within 2 hours, in a covered container. For best quality, store dumplings with enough stew to keep them from drying out; if practical, keep them in a separate shallow container. Refrigerate for 3 to 4 days. Dumplings soften as they sit and absorb broth, so the leftovers will be less airy than when freshly cooked.

Reheat a portion gently in a covered saucepan over low to medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth or water if the stew has thickened. Turn the dumplings carefully and heat until the center is steaming hot. For food safety, USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the stew with a food thermometer and make sure the dumplings are hot throughout. A microwave also works: cover the bowl loosely, heat in short intervals, and rotate or stir the stew between intervals so it warms evenly.

Freezing is possible, but the dumplings may become softer or slightly crumbly after thawing. Freeze cooled portions in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat thoroughly. Do not leave the pot at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Bisquick dumplings tough?

The most common causes are overmixing the dough, boiling the stew too vigorously, or cooking the dumplings for too long. Stir only until the baking mix is moistened, keep the stew at a gentle simmer, and follow the uncovered-then-covered cooking time. The dough should look rough rather than smooth before it goes into the pot.

Can I make the dumpling dough ahead?

It is better to mix the dough just before cooking it. Once the milk meets the leavening in the baking mix, the dough can lose some of its lift as it sits. You can measure the dry mix and milk in advance, then combine them while the finished stew simmers.

Can I cook the dumplings in soup instead of chicken stew?

Yes. The same dumplings can be steamed on a thick vegetable soup or another gently simmering soup, provided there is enough liquid in the pot to create steam and enough surface area to hold the dough portions. If the soup is very thin, the dumplings may sink or become waterlogged, so simmer it uncovered first to reduce it slightly.

How do I know when the dumplings are done?

They should look puffed and set on the outside, and a cut through the middle should show a soft, cooked interior without a wet strip of dough. If the center is still raw, put the lid back on and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes before checking again. Keep the lid closed as much as possible because escaping steam slows cooking.

Can I use water instead of milk in the dumplings?

Water can replace milk in the same amount, but the dumplings will usually taste less rich and may have a slightly plainer texture. If you have it, unsweetened plain milk or an unsweetened, unflavored nondairy milk is a closer substitute. Avoid sweetened or flavored varieties, which can give savory dumplings an unexpected taste.

Can I make this recipe without chicken?

For a meatless version, omit the chicken and use vegetable broth. Add hearty vegetables such as mushrooms or extra potatoes, and simmer them until tender before dropping on the dumplings. The cooking time will depend on the vegetables, but the dumplings still need the same covered steaming time and a check that their centers are cooked through.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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