Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you thicken chicken and dumplings without flour? ›

Place cornstarch and cold water or milk in mason jar. Shake until well combined and then add to boiling chicken and dumplings to thicken.

When cooking the dumplings, keep the pot at a gentle simmer. An aggressive simmer or boiling will break them apart. Keep the heat low and keep your pot covered so that they steam.

Use Cornstarch to Thicken Chicken and Dumplings

To give that a little thicker texture we're going to add 1 cup of cool water to 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and stir it up well. Make sure the soup is brought back to a good boil and go ahead and stir in the cornstarch mixture.

Don't Overwork the Dumpling Dough

Stir everything together until the wet and dry ingredients are combined and you don't see any more dry flour. The dough might look a little lumpy, but that's okay! Overworking the dough is one of the easiest ways to end up with tough dumplings.

All-purpose flour: You can thicken sauces with all-purpose wheat flour. For every tablespoon of cornstarch, use three tablespoons of flour. Combine raw flour with cold water in a small bowl to form a paste, then add it into the sauce as it's simmering.

The cornstarch will absorb excess water, which will then convert to steam, allowing the bottoms to form that crisp crust.

Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover and peek while the dumplings are cooking! In order for the dumplings to be light and fluffy, they must steam, not boil. Uncovering the pan releases the steam.

To test if dumplings are done, stick a toothpick or skewer into the dumpling after the specified cook time. If the skewer comes out clean, the dumplings are done.

It will sink at first, but once it is cooked, it will float to the top. Continue to form thick, flat dumplings and drop each piece into the stock pot of broth until you have used up all of the dough.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour. If you need to substitute cornstarch to thicken liquid in a recipe that calls for ¼ cup (four tablespoons) flour, you only need two tablespoons cornstarch.

Should chicken and dumplings be thick or thin? ›

Old-fashioned chicken and dumplings is a thick, creamy, and flavorful chicken stew made with dumplings cooked right on its surface via steaming. For maximum flavor, we make a really rich and hearty base that just screams comfort food. Additionally, this is packed with tender chicken, fresh veggies, herbs, and spices.

A teaspoon of sugar adds an extremely subtle hint of sweetness. It also helps the dumplings retain their moisture through the cooking process and slows gluten development, which ensures tender dumplings. A pinch of salt seasons the dumplings and enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.

Lower your heat so that your broth is just barely barely barely boiling and drop these pieces in one at a time. It is important that you DO NOT STIR. We are not going to stir these as we don't want our dumplings cooking up. If you do stir, you will basically cause your dumplings to dissolve.

Hand-mincing meat and adding more pork belly results in the juiciest dumplings. Traditionally, some Chinese cuisine uses hand minced meat for their dishes. For example, lots of dim sum items like siu mai, pork buns, beef meatball, and more use hand minced meat to control the texture and fat content of the dish!

Egg yolks, arrowroot, tomato paste or butter can thicken sauce in place of flour or cornstarch.

Cornstarch can be subbed in for wheat flour at a 1:2 ratio. Because it's a durable thickener, you only need half the amount of cornstarch to create the same effect. Also, adding cornstarch to a gluten free recipe is a great way to add softness and texture to baked goods while keeping them grain free!

If you find that your filling has too much liquid, I recommend draining the entire mixture in a colander. Another trick that I learned from my mother is to add a teaspoon of cornstarch or breadcrumbs to help soak up the liquid.

Contrary to popular belief, you don't need to buy flour produced in China or flour specifically labeled as “dumpling flour”. You can produce excellent dumpling wrappers using regular flour sold in your local shop. The most common all purpose flour works just fine!