Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Updated Mar 30, 2026, Published Jan 22, 2014
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Easy One-Pot Comfort Food That’s Cozy, Hearty, and Weeknight-Friendly
If you’ve been missing classic comfort food, this Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings recipe brings it all back—rich, savory broth, tender chicken, and soft, pillowy dumplings. Even better, it’s designed to be approachable, using simple shortcuts so you can enjoy a cozy, homemade meal without spending hours in the kitchen.
This is the kind of recipe that works just as well for a comforting family dinner as it does for meal prep, and once you make it, it’s likely to become a regular in your rotation.
Table of Contents
- Easy One-Pot Comfort Food That’s Cozy, Hearty, and Weeknight-Friendly
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- What You’ll Need
- What Makes This Recipe Special
- Tips for Perfect Gluten-Free Dumplings
- Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Tips
- Easy Variations
- Frequently Asked Questions
- When to Serve This Recipe
- The Last Bite
- Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Classic Comfort Food—Made Gluten-Free
This dish delivers everything you love about traditional chicken and dumplings, just without the gluten. It’s warm, satisfying, and full of nostalgic flavor.
Easy Enough for Weeknights
Using shortcuts like rotisserie chicken and prepared broth keeps this recipe practical and doable any night of the week.
Hearty and Filling
With protein-rich chicken, vegetables, and dumplings, this is a complete meal in one pot—no sides required (unless you want them!).
Customizable for Dietary Needs
You can easily make this recipe dairy-free and adjust ingredients based on what you have on hand.
What You’ll Need
To make this gluten-free chicken and dumplings recipe, you’ll need:
Olive oil
Carrots, onion, and garlic
Gluten-free chicken broth
Cooked shredded chicken (such as rotisserie)
Bay leaves
Bacon, mushrooms, and green onions (optional topping)
Salt and black pepper
For the dumplings:
Gluten-free flour blend
Baking powder and baking soda
Sugar
Butter or dairy-free alternative
Buttermilk or dairy-free buttermilk substitute
These pantry-friendly ingredients come together to create a rich, flavorful dish with minimal effort.
What Makes This Recipe Special
A Shortcut That Actually Works
Using a store-bought rotisserie chicken saves time without sacrificing flavor, making this recipe especially practical for busy days.
A Flavor-Packed Topping
The addition of crispy bacon, sautéed mushrooms, and green onions adds a savory, slightly smoky finish that takes this dish to the next level.
Soft, Pillowy Dumplings
The dumplings cook in the broth, soaking up flavor while becoming tender and fluffy, exactly what you want in a classic chicken and dumplings recipe.
Tips for Perfect Gluten-Free Dumplings
Don’t Overmix the Dough
Mix just until combined to keep the dumplings light and tender.
Keep the Soup at a Gentle Simmer
Too much heat can break down gluten-free dumplings—low and steady is key.
Cover While Cooking
Letting the dumplings steam in a covered pot helps them cook through and stay soft.
Make-Ahead & Meal Prep Tips
This recipe is perfect for meal prep and actually tastes even better the next day.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 3–4 days
- Reheat gently on the stovetop with a splash of broth
- Make a double batch for easy lunches throughout the week
Easy Variations
Make It Dairy-Free
Use dairy-free milk and butter substitutes to keep the recipe completely dairy-free.
Add More Vegetables
Peas, celery, or green beans are great additions for extra texture and nutrition.
Skip the Bacon
The topping is optional, feel free to leave it out or replace it with a plant-based alternative.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make gluten-free chicken and dumplings dairy-free?
Yes! Simply swap in dairy-free milk and butter alternatives, and use a dairy-free buttermilk substitute.
Can I freeze chicken and dumplings?
You can, but the dumplings may soften slightly when reheated. For best texture, enjoy fresh or refrigerated leftovers.
What’s the best gluten-free flour for dumplings?
A high-quality all-purpose gluten-free flour blend works best for structure and texture. We like THIS ONE.
When to Serve This Recipe
This dish is perfect for:
- Cozy weeknight dinners
- Cold weather comfort meals
- Family gatherings
- Meal prep lunches
It’s filling, satisfying, and always a crowd-pleaser.
The Last Bite
This Gluten-Free Chicken and Dumplings recipe proves that comfort food doesn’t have to be complicated, or off-limits. With simple ingredients, smart shortcuts, and rich, satisfying flavor, it delivers everything you want in a classic dish.
Whether you’re making it for a cozy night in or prepping meals for the week, this is one recipe you’ll come back to again and again.
Gluten Free Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups gluten free chicken broth
- 1 whole gluten free rotisserie chicken, skin and bones removed and shredded or chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 slices nitrate free bacon
- 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 4 green onions – white and green parts, chopped
- Kosher salt
- Black pepper
- 1½ cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter or dairy free butter substitute, melted
- 1 cup more or less buttermilk or dairy free buttermilk substitute*
Instructions
- In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, chicken, and bay leaves and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- While the soup is simmering, chop the bacon into pieces about ½ inch. Place in a large skillet and cook over medium heat until it has rendered its fat and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon pieces with a slotted spoon, and add the mushrooms. Raise the heat to medium-high and cook the mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until they are browned, about 8 minutes. Take off the heat, add the bacon back to the pan and add the green onions. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve until you serve the chicken and dumplings.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, ¾ teaspoon salt, and the sugar. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork. Starting with about ¾ cup, stir in the buttermilk. Keep adding buttermilk, a little at a time, until the mixture forms into a soft dough.
- Drop tablespoons of the batter onto the top of the simmering soup, cover the pan and let simmer for 15 minutes.
- Serve in bowls topped with the bacon mixture.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These dumplings are awesome!!
I am so glad I found this recipe. I can’t wait to try it! Thank you!
Hi there – I’m considering making this for a party. I’ve made a different recipe (I think found on Martha Stewart – not GF, but I used GF flour) and the dumplings were a bit dense for my liking. How are these dumplings? Do you find them to be more dense than regular flour dumplings? The difference in your recipe and the one on Martha is the use of buttermilk which sounds like it could help with the texture. Thank you for your input!
They might be a tad denser than you are used to but the buttermilk does help. We like our dumplings a little on the denser side so they might not be exactly what you are looking for. Perhaps add a bit more levening? Some baking powder as well as baking soda – about 1 teaspoon should help.
We tried these tonight and everyone loved them. I didn’t have buttermilk, but we’re used to denser breads. Thank you for the recipe. I’ll definitely keep it and try again with buttermilk.
Tried these using Bob’s Red Mill GF flour as that is our go-to for almost every recipe we use. As I suspected, the flavor was not light enough. If I make this again, I will use a rice blend and start by pouring in less than 1 cup of the milk at first since 1 cup proved too much so I had to add more flour. The texture was great (we like a heavier dumpling also). They were devoured by 2 of my 3 boys who have never had gluten-dairy-egg dumplings.
Can these be made with coconut flour, and if so how would you use it. 1:1 or other ingredients needed. Thanks
Hi there! Unfortunately no, coconut flour recies need to be formulated specifically for coconut flour, they’re not interchangeable at all. xo, Carol
I’ve been making chicken and dumplings for forty years, it’s one of my families favorites.
Now that my son has developed a gluten sensitivity, I had to find a good gluten free dumpling recipe… I’m here to tell you, this is it! My dumplings turned out perfectly light and fluffy!
Thanks so much!
Hi Jeanine, I’m so happy you enjoyed it, it is one of my fam favorites as well! xo, Carol
These dumplings just made a wonderful topping to my turkey carcass soup! Though some other time I would like to try your chicken soup recipe also. Just wanted to let you know that I was out of buttermilk ,used the last of it last night in my southern cornbread (no flour) and only had Vanilla Coconut Milk in the frig, so I used a mixture of Kiefer and heavy cream . It worked wonderfully! Thanks for this great recipe.
Yay! I’m happy you enjoyed it Valerie!
xo,
Carol
This is delish! I can’t wait to have it again. My family loved it and asked for seconds! Thanks so much!
That’s great to hear Julie! You’re so welcome. :)
xo,
Carol
DELISH! but my dumplings entirely dissolved when i tried to move them. Really? no eggs? what is the trick?
Diana,
It could depend on what kind of flour you used, and making the dumplings big enough. I never use eggs in mine, but you could check to make sure your flour has guar gum or xanthan gum, and if not you should add ¾ teaspoon.
xo,
Carol