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This chicken and dumplings with Greek yogurt biscuits has about 35 g of protein per serving and takes 70 minutes from first chop to first bite. The protein comes from chicken thighs and Greek yogurt, not powder, so it tastes like the real thing.
Each bowl is about 500 g of food: 2 dumplings sitting on a thick stew with carrots, celery and peas. Roughly 21 g of the protein comes from the chicken and 5 g from the yogurt. The rest comes from flour, milk and peas.
There are trade-offs. Yogurt dumplings are tangier and a little denser than buttermilk ones, and a bowl runs about 600 calories. I think the tang works well against the rich gravy.
Keep the lid on for the first 12 minutes of the dumpling simmer. Lift it early and the steam escapes, leaving pale, doughy tops.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- 35 g protein per bowl, all from real food
- One Dutch oven and no browning step
- Yogurt dough needs no rolling or cutting
- Dumplings finish on top of the stew in 15 minutes
Ingredient Notes
- boneless skinless chicken thighs: Thighs stay tender in a 20-minute simmer. Breasts work too, but pull them at 165 F / 74 C or they turn dry and stringy.
- plain nonfat Greek yogurt: Use thick, plain Greek yogurt straight from the fridge. Flavored or thin ‘Greek-style’ yogurt makes the dough too wet.
- low-sodium chicken broth: Low-sodium lets you control the salt. The 2 tsp of salt in this recipe assumes Diamond Crystal kosher, so use about half as much table salt.
- frozen peas: Add them straight from the freezer in step 4. They cook in the hot stew and keep their color.
- all-purpose flour: Weigh it if you can. Scooped cups of flour vary by 20 g or more, which changes how thick the stew gets.
High-Protein Chicken and Dumplings with Yogurt Biscuits
Ingredients
Method
- Melt 28 g butter in a 6-quart / 5.7 L Dutch oven (28 cm / 11-inch) over medium heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, stirring, until the onion is soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic for 30 seconds, then sprinkle over 50 g flour and stir for 1 minute until no dry streaks remain.
- Whisk in the broth a ladleful at a time so the flour dissolves without lumps. Add the thyme, bay leaf, 1 1/2 tsp salt, pepper and chicken thighs. Bring to a gentle boil, drop the heat to low, partly cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, until the thickest thigh reads 165 F / 74 C. The bubbles should barely break the surface.
- While the chicken simmers, whisk 240 g flour, the baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt in a 3-quart / 2.8 L bowl. Cut in 56 g cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until it looks like pea-sized crumbs. Add the cold plain nonfat Greek yogurt and stir with a fork about 10 strokes, until a sticky, shaggy dough forms. Add 1 to 2 tbsp milk only if dry flour pockets remain.
- Lift the chicken onto a plate, fish out the bay leaf, and shred the thighs with two forks. Return the chicken to the pot with the milk and frozen peas. Bring back to a gentle simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, until the stew coats the back of a spoon. Taste and add salt if needed.
- Drop the dough in 12 heaping 3-tablespoon scoops (about 50 g each) over the surface of the stew, leaving small gaps. Cover tightly and simmer on low for 15 minutes without lifting the lid for the first 12. The dumplings are done when they're firm and puffed and a toothpick comes out clean. Ladle into bowls, 2 dumplings each, and top with parsley and black pepper.
Notes
- Use cold Greek yogurt straight from the fridge for the best rise.
- Wash your hands, board and knife with hot soapy water after handling raw chicken.
- Check that the thickest thigh reads 165 F / 74 C before you shred it.
- Stir the dough only about 10 strokes. Overmixed dough bakes up tough.
- Make the dough while the chicken simmers so the dumplings go on the moment the stew is ready.
Tips for Success
- Check the thickest thigh with an instant-read thermometer and pull the chicken from the broth at 165 F / 74 C.
- Keep the butter and Greek yogurt cold until the moment you mix the dough so the dumplings stay tender and puff.
- Scoop the dough with a 3-tablespoon scoop or two large spoons, leaving small gaps so the dumplings have room to swell.
- Taste the stew for salt before the dumplings go on, because the dough is only lightly seasoned and the lid stays shut afterward.
- Stir leftovers gently when reheating so the dumplings hold together, and add a splash of broth to loosen the gravy.
Variations
- Stir 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh dill or chives into the dumpling dough for a greener, more herbal biscuit.
- Use 700 g boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of thighs and simmer 15 to 18 minutes, which adds roughly 4 g protein per serving.
- Add 1/2 tsp smoked paprika and a pinch of cayenne to the flour in step 1 for a mildly warm, smoky stew.
Storage and Reheating
Chicken and dumplings keeps for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container in the fridge. Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking. The dumplings soak up broth and the stew thickens overnight.
Reheat a bowl in the microwave at 70% power for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring halfway, with 2 tablespoons of broth or milk. For bigger batches, warm it in a 20 cm / 8-inch saucepan over medium-low heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Either way, heat it until it reaches 165 F / 74 C.
Freeze the stew base before the milk, peas and dumplings go in. It holds for up to 3 months in zip bags, and I keep a few in the chest freezer in the garage. Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, then finish with milk, peas and a fresh batch of dumplings.
Serving Suggestions
Ladle the stew into wide bowls and set 2 dumplings on top of each. Finish with cracked black pepper and a spoonful of chopped parsley.
Roasted broccoli or green beans with lemon cut through the gravy without adding much starch. A crisp apple and cabbage slaw dressed with cider vinegar works as a cold, sharp side.
FAQ
How do I know when the Greek yogurt dumplings are done?
Greek yogurt dumplings are done after 15 minutes covered on low heat, when they feel firm and puffed and a toothpick pushed into the center comes out clean. Wet batter on the pick means they need 2 to 3 more minutes. Keep the lid shut for the first 12 minutes so the steam can cook the tops.
Can I use full-fat Greek yogurt instead of nonfat in the biscuits?
Yes, 2% or full-fat Greek yogurt works in a 1:1 swap at 300 g. The dumplings come out a little richer and softer, and you lose roughly 3 g of protein across the whole pot, about 0.5 g per serving. Skip flavored or thin ‘Greek-style’ yogurt, because the extra liquid makes the dough too wet to hold its shape.
Can I freeze chicken and dumplings made with Greek yogurt biscuits?
Freeze the stew, not the dumplings. The stew base keeps for up to 3 months in zip bags, but cooked yogurt dumplings turn spongy after thawing. Thaw the stew overnight in the fridge, reheat it, stir in milk and peas, then mix a fresh batch of dough and simmer the dumplings for 15 minutes.
What vegetable goes with chicken and dumplings without making it heavier?
Roasted broccoli or green beans with lemon cut through the rich gravy without adding much starch. A crisp apple and cabbage slaw dressed with cider vinegar works too. The bowl already has about 52 g of carbs, so bread on the side is optional.
Is chicken and dumplings with Greek yogurt biscuits gluten free?
No, the roux and the dumpling dough both use all-purpose flour. A 1:1 gluten-free baking flour should work in the roux, but I haven’t tested it in the dumplings, so I can’t promise the texture. The recipe also contains dairy from the butter, milk and yogurt.
What’s the difference between Greek yogurt dumplings and buttermilk biscuit dumplings?
Greek yogurt dumplings are tangier and a bit denser, with a tender, cakey crumb, while buttermilk dumplings are lighter and fluffier. Yogurt is also much higher in protein, adding about 5 g per serving here. The yogurt dough is stickier, so use a scoop or two spoons instead of your hands.
