Fluffy Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings (Discard or Fermented)
Fluffy sourdough chicken and dumplings made from scratch with tender chicken, vegetables, and soft sourdough discard dumplings. A hearty, one-pot dinner perfect for cozy nights.
Servings: 8
Calories: 372kcal
Equipment
- 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with lid I recommend this Dutch oven.
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Wooden spoon or spurtle These are the best spurtles.
- Knife and cutting board
- Small cookie scoop (1 tablespoon) Here’s the cookie scoop I use.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Stew:
- 3 large or 5 small boneless chicken breasts (pounded to even thickness if thick)
- Salt and pepper, to taste (for seasoning raw chicken)
- 1-2 tablespoons bacon grease or high-heat oil for browning chicken in
- 1 and 1/2 cups 3 stalks celery, diced
- 2 cups carrots, diced
- half of an onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
Seasonings (for sautéing with veggies)
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt I use sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried
For the Sourdough Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder regular works, too
- 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon rubbed sage
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup sourdough starter discard or active
- 2/3 cup milk or buttermilk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Instructions: Chicken and Gravy
- Pat chicken dry and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat bacon grease or oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Brown chicken on both sides (about 3–4 minutes per side), then remove and set aside.
- In the same pot, add diced celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Sauté for 4–5 minutes, then stir in the seasoning blend.
- Add butter and let it melt. Sprinkle flour over the veggies and stir to make a roux. Cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Slowly pour in chicken broth while stirring to avoid lumps. Bring to a low bubble to thicken.
- Shred or dice the browned chicken and return it to the pot. Stir to combine and let the mixture gently simmer.
Instructions: Sourdough Dumplings
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, garlic powder, sage, and pepper.
- Add sourdough starter, milk, and melted butter. Stir just until a wet, sticky dough forms—do not overmix.
- Use a 1-tablespoon cookie scoop to gently drop dumpling dough onto the simmering gravy.
- Cover the pot and simmer gently for 15 minutes—don’t lift the lid during this time.
- Check that dumplings are cooked through by inserting a toothpick; it should come out clean. Serve hot.
Notes
Storage Tips
- Refrigerate: Store leftover dumplings and gravy separately to prevent sogginess. Keep both in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Reheat: Warm dumplings in a 300°F oven, toaster oven, or microwave until heated through. No need to steam—these reheat like biscuits!
- Freezer Friendly: Cool completely, then freeze dumplings and gravy in separate containers. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat gently.
Nutrition
Calories: 372kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 85mg | Sodium: 1274mg | Potassium: 502mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 6050IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 131mg | Iron: 2mg