Chicken and Dumpling Casserole Bake

One of the most popular recipes on the site, this no-stir chicken and dumpling casserole, made with self rising flour, cream soup, and chicken broth, is reminiscent of the flavor of the real deal, but in an easy casserole form.

Chicken and Dumpling Bake Casserole

This Chicken and Dumpling Casserole bake may not be real photogenic but it is simply delicious and another one of those foods that proves you can't judge a book by its cover. It's also become one of the most stolen borrowed recipes on the net, however I do believe that this is the original one published first.

While the name may be the same, this version is of course, a casserole, and not technically exactly like good ole old fashioned chicken and dumplings. To me, however, it provides a consistency and flavor similar to the more labor-intensive homemade version, but in a super-easy form, especially if you are using leftover chicken or a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. If you are cooking fresh chicken, especially if you are using boneless, skinless chicken you want to just slightly under cook it when you poach it, since it will essentially continue cooking in the oven.

You'll note that there is very purposely no salt included in this recipe. That's because between the cream of chicken soup and the chicken stock, there is really plenty of salt to flavor the dish, so don't add any to the recipe until you taste it. When substituting rotisserie chicken, they are usually very highly salted, so keep that in mind with other ingredients that you use containing salt - chicken broth, cream soup and bouillon if using that with water. I also prefer to use the original "made for cooking" cream soup, so if you substitute a lower fat cream soup, your results will differ. I find that they make casseroles watery.

When using the original cream soups, I also don't find it to need any other seasonings either, but certainly add any of your favorites that you like either in the casserole or in the broth if you're adding in vegetables. Some suggestions are poultry seasoning, dried thyme and/or dried sage. To make a chicken pot pie casserole, add in some veggies - frozen, thawed, canned, drained or fresh that you first blanch to start the cooking process.

I generally prefer mixed chicken in most chicken casseroles, but I'm still working through an abundance of chicken breasts from my freezer, so that's what I used for this post. Use whatever you have. This casserole is a great family pleaser - hope you give it a try.

Here's how to make it. Enjoy!

First things first, if you're using raw chicken, you'll need to bring 2-1/2 cups of chicken stock to a boil. If you're using a rotisserie chicken or precooked chicken you'll skip these first few steps of course, and don't forget... those chickens are usually very salty, so keep that in mind with other ingredients you are using such as the cream soup and broth and use lower sodium products when using a rotisserie chicken.



Add the chicken breasts (or whatever pieces you are using) to the stock, bring back up to a boil, cover, reduce to simmer and cook for about 15 minutes, or until cooked through.



Remove chicken and set aside to cool. Reserve the stock - you'll need it in a second.



Melt 1/2 a stick of butter and pour into a 9 x 13 inch baking pan.



When the chicken has cooled down, shred it. I usually use two forks to do this.



Spread the chicken on top of the butter in the baking pan.



Combine 1 cup of milk with 1 cup of self-rising flour. You can also substitute regular all purpose flour - simply add in 1-1/4 teaspoons of baking powder plus 1/8 teaspoon of salt and whisk that together before mixing with the milk. Some folks are substituting an equal amount of baking mix like Bisquick for the self rising flour, with no other adjustments.  I have also seen this recipe made for the 9 x 13 inch pan, but doubling the butter, flour (or Bisquick) and milk. I assume this is done to stretch the casserole, but I also have not done this either.



Whisk the milk and flour together.



Pour the flour mixture very slowly over the chicken so not to move the chicken around.



Don't stir!



Now strain the chicken stock that you used to cook the chicken in. You need 2 cups, so add chicken broth to this if needed to bring it up to 2 cups.



Add the cream of chicken soup to that. This, as all casseroles, works best with the original cream soup concentrates, rather than the green label version such as Healthy Request lower fat, which tend to make it watery.



Whisk the broth and soup together until it's well blended.



Pour that very slowly and carefully over the flour and milk mixture.



Again, do not stir!



Bake at 400 degrees F about 35 to 45 minutes or until top begins to brown. Remember all ovens vary in hot spots and temperature fluctuations so your time may be different. Also if you double the ingredients (butter, flour and milk) for the same size casserole dish, you'll need to cook it longer.



Allow the casserole to rest and settle before serving.

Recipe: Chicken and Dumpling Bake

©From the Kitchen of Deep South Dish

Prep time: 15 min |Cook time: 45 min |

Yield: About 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of cooked chicken
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) of unsalted butter
• 1 cup of self-rising flour
• 1 cup of milk
• 2 cups of chicken stock/broth (low sodium is best)
• 1 (10.75 ounce) can of Campbell's original condensed cream of chicken soup

Instructions:

If you are using fresh, raw chicken, please see cook's notes at the bottom of the recipe. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Melt 1/2 stick of butter and pour into the bottom of a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Shred the chicken and spread it on top of the butter. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk and the flour and slowly pour that over the chicken taking care not to disturb the chicken too much. Do not stir. Whisk together the chicken broth and the cream of chicken soup. Slowly pour that over the flour and milk mixture. Do not stir.

Bake uncovered at 400 degrees F for 35 to 45 minutes, or until top is light golden brown. All ovens vary. Let casserole rest before serving.

Cooks Notes: Use rotisserie chicken, leftover precooked chicken, canned chicken or 3 to 5 pieces of raw chicken - chicken breasts, mixed chicken parts. When using other sources of chicken other than freshly cooked, such as canned or a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken, they are already fairly salty, so keep that in mind with the other products you are using containing sodium (broth, soup). To substitute all purpose flour, use 1 cup of flour and add 1-1/4 teaspoon of baking powder plus 1/8 teaspoons of salt. Leftovers reheat nicely, but casserole does not freeze well.

How to Poach Raw Chicken: Heat 3 to 4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts and 2-1/2 cups of chicken broth or stock in a medium sized saucepan. Cook on a low simmer for about 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is mostly done. It will finish cooking in the oven. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool but reserve the broth from the saucepan. Once cooled, chop or shred. May also use water and bouillon in place of the broth.

Chicken Pot Pie Casserole: Make this an all-in-one meal by adding drained canned mixed veggies, or cooked/steamed frozen or fresh veggies. Cook 2 sliced carrots, 2 sliced celery stalks, a diced potato and a chopped onion, in about 3 cups of chicken broth. If using water and bouillon, may season the water with bay leaf, herbs or other non-salt seasonings. When the veggies are tender, drain but reserve the broth. Put the veggies on top of the shredded chicken and add about 1-1/2 cups of frozen peas. Finished as above, using the reserved broth from the veggies.

Source: http://deepsouthdish.com

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