Let me teach you how to make Southern Chicken and Pastry just like Grandma. In this post, I bring together everything we love about old-fashioned Southern cooking. Tender chicken, rich broth, and homemade pastry are simmered into a from-scratch meal that has been passed down through generations.
Simple ingredients, time-honored technique, and plenty of love come together to create a meal that feels like home in every bite.
There is an ongoing debate across the South, depending where you live, that this dish is either called, "chicken and pastry," as we do, or "chicken and dumplings." Not to be confused with the Northern-style version made with doughy balls simmered in broth, this Southern classic uses simple pastry rolled thin and cut into strips.
While the dish is time consuming, it's not difficult, and worth every bit of time and patience. I promise. And if you'd rather skip the fuss of making pastry by hand, I give you a short-cut option at the end of the post. I hope you love it as much as we do. Enjoy! Xoxo -Katie.
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Ingredient notes and substitutions
You will need the following ingredients to make homemade chicken and pastry.
- whole chicken- You can use bone-in chicken pieces.
- chicken bouillon- For the best flavor, I recommend the chicken flavor "Better than Bouillon" brand. However, you can use any type of chicken bouillon for a richer, deeper flavor.
- onion - You can substitute with 2 teaspoons of onion powder.
- celery- You can substitute with 1 teaspoon of celery powder.
- carrots
- all-purpose flour
- cream of chicken soup- This is optional. Aunt Molly did not add cream of chicken soup. However, a friend taught me this addition and I have found it added flavor, and made it more rich and creamy. You can also substitute with cream of celery soup.
Steps
Follow these simple steps to make chicken and pastry from scratch.
- Remove the bag of organs and chicken neck from inside the cavity. You can discard them or remove the organs from the bag and add both the organs and neck to the pot for extra flavor.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, add the chicken, onion, celery, carrots, and chicken bouillon. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 1 hour.
- Once it is cooked, remove the chicken from the stock. Debone and shred the chicken.
- Strain the chicken stock, discarding the solids. Set aside ¾ cup of broth, and return the remaining chicken broth to the pot.
- In a mixing bowl, mix flour, ¾ cup of chicken broth, salt, and pepper. Shape the dough into a ball and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll the dough thin, but thick enough to hold together when cooking. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into strips or squares.
- Bring chicken broth back to a low boil, then stir in cream of chicken soup until smooth.
- Carefully add in pastry, one piece at a time, until they float to top.
- Once all of the pastry is added and cooked, gently fold in the shredded chicken. Remove from the heat, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes, then serve.
Watch how tomake
Cooking short-cut
If you don't want to make the pastry from scratch use Anne's Old Fashioned Flat Dumplings. You can find them in the frozen section in the grocery store by the biscuits.
I honestly can't tell a big difference between the homemade version of the pastry or Anne's. They cook lovely.
Flavor tip
Aunt Molly cooked 3 boiled eggs, then sliced them, and added them to her chicken and pastry. They gently thickened the broth and added protein and flavor. While this isn't traditional, it was her way - and its the way we love it in our home. You are welcom to add them in also.
About the recipe
In our home, this wasn't just dinner, it was Aunt Molly's Chicken and Pastry. When Aunt Molly came to visit, she arrived with big platters of Eleven-Layered Cake, homemade pimento cheese sandwiches, field peas, and my husband's favorite… chicken and pastry. She was something of a local celebrity among her church and friends known for her incredible cooking.
I knew if I wanted to win my husband's heart, I better learn how to make it. Aunt Molly patiently taught me all her tips and tricks, and after plenty of practice, my chicken pastry almost comes out as good as hers. Sadly, Aunt Molly is no longer with us, but every time we make this, we are reminded tof the love and care she poured into feeding the people she cherished. We miss her dearly.
If you liked this chicken and dumpling recipe, please leave me a comment and tell me how it went. I would love to hear back, and so would my readers.
Also post your picture of your homemade chicken and pastry on Instagram or Facebook, and tag @aforkstale with #aforkstale hashtags! I will share with my followers! xoxo!
📖 Recipe
How to Make Southern Chicken and Pastry Just like Grandma
Ingredients
- 3 pound Whole Chicken
- 5 Quarts Water
- 2 carrots
- 3 celery stalks
- 1 onion
- 2 tablespoons chicken boullion
- 10.5 ounces can Cream Of Chicken Soup
- 2 cups flour
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the bag of organs and chicken neck from inside the cavity of a 3 pound Whole Chicken. You can discard them or remove the organs from the bag and add both the organs and neck to the pot for extra flavor.
- In a large, heavy-bottomed stockpot, add the chicken, 1 onion, 3 celery stalks, and 2 carrots. Fill with 5 Quarts Water and mix in 2 tablespoons chicken boullion. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once it reaches a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is fully cooked, about 1 hour.
- Once it is cooked, remove the chicken from the stock. Debone and shred the chicken.
- Strain the chicken broth, discarding the solids. Set aside ¾ cup of broth, and return the remaining chicken broth to the pot.
- In a mixing bowl, mix 2 cups flour, ¾ cup of chicken broth, Salt and Pepper to taste. Shape the dough into a ball and roll it out on a floured surface. Roll the dough thin, but thick enough to hold together when cooking. Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut into strips or squares
- Bring chicken broth back to a low boil, then stir in 10.5 ounces can Cream Of Chicken Soup until smooth.
- Carefully add in pastry, one piece at a time, until they float to top.
- Once all of the pastry is added and cooked, gently fold in the shredded chicken. Remove from the heat, allow it to rest 5-10 minutes, then serve.
Catalina says
The chicken was tender and the pastry cooked perfectly in the broth. It reminded me of my grandma's home cooking!
Ben says
This is a great recipe. I grew up in the south, and this really is authentic.