By Amy Rains
⎯ Last updated June 6, 2023
4.5 from 10 votes
Keto
Paleo
Whole30
Gluten Free
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Traditional Chicken and Dumplings is both comforting and delicious. We’re making a healthier variation that is low carb! This simple recipe is loaded with juicy chicken, fresh herbs, vegetables, a creamy broth, and buttery dumplings. Keto friendly with options for a Paleo and Whole30 variation!
It’s time for ultimate comfort food! As a born and raised Californian, Chicken and Dumplings was not a meal I grew up on. But after spending time in the Southern-ish part of the US, I’m all in on these traditional comfort food Southern Meals like this Chicken Divan Casserole, Beef Stroganoff, Instant Pot Creamy Mustard Herb Chicken, or Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie.
As a nutritionist, I love taking decadent comfort food and lightening it up. In this case, we’re making a homemade Chicken and Dumplings that is low carb and still packed with nutrients! The addition of fresh herbs, like sage and Thyme, pack in the flavor and micros. The low carb biscuits are made almond flour to give us that buttery tenderness and protein!
The result is a decadently satisfying broth with tender, melt in your mouth biscuits. Just the kind of dinner to give you all the cozy feels!
How to make Low Carb Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings is essentially a one pot meal that requires a few extra steps that are worth it!
- We start by sauteing herb crusted chicken in a large pot or dutch oven.
- Brown the chicken on both sides for a few minutes and prep your vegetables.
- Remove the chicken and toss in the chopped vegetables.
- After the vegetables saute for 5-7 minutes, add in broth, aromatics, and place chicken back in the pot.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, then remove the chicken to shred.
- While simmering, make the biscuit dough and roll into balls.
- Toss in the heavy cream or cream cheese, chicken, and place the dumplings in the pot.
- Cover and cook another 12-15 minutes, or until the dumplings have doubled in size!
Chicken Breast or Chicken Thighs?
In this recipe, I use chicken thighs because they are more tender and juicy. However, you can also use chicken breast if you prefer. To make this recipe easier, you can also shred a rotisserie chicken! This makes for a nice shortcut.
Dairy-Free adaptation for Paleo or Whole30
As written, this recipe is Keto friendly. I love the addition of parmesan cheese in the dumplings! However, you can easily make this dairy-free for a Paleo version. As for Whole30, with the dairy-free option the recipe would be Whole30 compliant. However, baked goods such as biscuits are discouraged on Whole30 (mainly to get you to break habits of sweetened goods such as pancakes). In this instance, you would have to decide if the dumplings would be a so called “trigger” food, for me it would not and I would appreciate that extra texture and it’s not a sweet. It’s up to you to decide! You can also completely omit the dumplings and just enjoy it as a creamy chicken stew. Here are the other swaps:
- Heavy cream: swap out the heavy cream with full fat coconut milk or use a dairy-free cream cheese from Kite Hill
- Parmesan Cheese: You can omit altogether. For another option, add in 2 tbsp of nutritional yeast.
- Xanthan gum: Use arrowroot starch in it’s place
- Butter: use ghee or coconut butter
Can I make this in the Instant Pot?
Yes! You can make this recipe in the Instant Pot. Select the saute function on the IP, and brown the chicken thighs first. Remove the chicken, then saute the veggies for 4-5 minutes. Select the cancel function. Pour in the broth, aromatics, and chicken. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. While cooking, make the dumplings. Use a quick release. Remove the lid and take out the chicken to shred with a fork. Place back into the pot with the cream, then add the dumplings. Keep the Instant Pot on with the warming function! Cover with a lid and let sit until the dumplings double in size. About 12-15 minutes.
Serving, Storing, and Re-heating
- Serving: serve hot with additional herbs and parmesan cheese. For a complete meal, add my Easy House Salad or my Honey-Garlic Glazed Balsamic Brussels Sprouts.
- Storing: Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze (the dumplings may not hold up as well with this method.
- Re-heating: Re-heat by placing soup in a pot and gently re-heating over medium-low heat.
Other Comfort food recipes you will love!
- Bacon Cheeseburger Soup (dairy-free)
- Braised Beef Short Ribs
- Creamy Maple Dijon Chicken with Bacon
If you make this recipe, be sure to give it a rating below and tag me @wholesomelicious on Instagram!
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Low Carb Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and Dumplings is the ultimate comfort food! Creamy and so deliciously loaded with fresh herbs. You'll love the tender dumplings that are low carb, Paleo, Keto, and Whole30 friendly!
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 527 kcal
Author Amy Rains
Ingredients
For the Soup:
- 2tbspAvocado oil or olive oil (divided)
- 2lbsboneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2tbspherbes de provence*
- 1/4tspsea salt
- 1largeyellow onion
- 3garlic cloves(minced)
- 3carrots
- 3celery stalks
- 3tbspfresh sage
- 2tbspsherry vinegar or balsamic
- 5cupschicken broth
- 1cupheavy cream**
For the Dumplings:
- 3/4cupblanched almond flour
- 1/4cupcoconut flour
- 1tspxanthan gum***
- 1/2tspbaking powder
- 3tbspfreshly grated parmesan cheese
- 1/4tspsea salt
- 1tbspbutter****(melted)
- 1large egg
Instructions
Heat a large soup pot or dutch oven over medium high heat. Once hot, coat with 1 tbsp oil. Meanwhile, season the chicken thighs with herbes de Provence and sea salt. Place chicken inside the pot. Brown the chicken on both sides for just a few minutes (it's okay if the chicken is not cooked through). Set the chicken aside, turn the heat down to medium.
Add in remaining oil, then toss in the vegetables: onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and fresh sage. Saute for 4-5 minutes. Pour in the sherry and deglaze the pan using a wooden spoon.
Place the chicken back into the pot. Now pour in the broth. Increase the heat to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
While soup is simmering, make the dumplings. In a medium sized bowl, mix together both flours, xanthan gum, baking powder, parmesan cheese, and salt. Now stir in the egg and butter. Batter will be thick! Continue to mix with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Once no dry pockets remain, roll into 1 inch dough balls.
Remove the chicken once cooked and shred with a fork, or fork and knife. Place back into the pot and stir in heavy creamy. Finally, place the dumpling balls into the soup and cover the pot. Let simmer over medium heat for about 12-15 minutes, or until the dumplings have doubled in size.
Serve hot with additional parmesan cheese, salt to taste, and fresh herbs like more sage or thyme.
Recipe Notes
*you can use Italian seasoning in place of herbes de Provence
**Heavy creamy can be replaced with half and half, cream cheese, a dairy-free cream cheese, or coconut cream.
***For a Paleo variation, use arrowroot starch
****You can also use ghee in place of butter
Calories 527kcal
Fat 35g
Saturated fat 13g
Trans fat 1g
Polyunsaturated fat 3g
Monounsaturated fat 10g
Cholesterol 231mg
Sodium 1165mg
Potassium 780mg
Carbohydrates 16g
Fiber 6g
Sugar 4g
Protein 37g
Vitamin A 5848%
Vitamin C 19%
Calcium 197%
Iron 5%
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