Keto Chicken and Dumplings
Published October 13, 2019 • Updated March 12, 2026
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Keto chicken and dumplings with big, fluffy almond flour dumplings in rich chicken bone broth. I use a rotisserie chicken shortcut so this entire pot comes together in about 30 minutes.
When it’s freezing outside and I want real comfort food on keto, this is what I make. Not a quick stir-fry or a throw-together salad. A pot of rich chicken bone broth loaded with vegetables, shredded rotisserie chicken, and big fluffy dumplings made from almond flour.
I’ve been making this recipe since 2019, and the dumplings are the part I’ve tested the most. The combination of almond flour and unflavored whey protein powder is deliberate. I tried swapping in collagen peptides once and the dumplings completely dissolved (a reader named Joe had the same experience). Whey protein is what gives these dumplings their structure and that soft, biscuit-like center.
The base of the soup is simple. Butter, leeks, celery, onion, and carrots get softened in a stockpot, then I add the shredded chicken with bone broth and bring it to a simmer. The whole pot goes from cold ingredients to ready-to-eat in about 30 minutes. I use a store-bought rotisserie chicken because it saves a full hour of cooking and the seasoned skin adds flavor you can’t get from plain poached chicken.
What I love about this recipe is that the dumplings actually hold together. I’ve made chicken and dumplings from other low carb sites where they turned to mush the second they hit the broth. The secret is heat control. Once you drop the dumplings in, you have to keep it at a bare simmer (I go into detail below). On my gas stove, I turn the burner to its lowest setting and they come out perfect every time.
This soup is filling on its own, but if you want more comfort food options, I also make a keto chicken noodle soup with egg noodles, a chicken pot pie with a flaky almond flour crust, a slow-simmered beef stew I batch cook on Sundays, a warming soup with cauliflower rice that comes together even faster, and an Italian wedding soup with mini meatballs.
Each serving comes in around 7.9g net carbs, which is low enough to fit most daily macros with room to spare. I make a double batch early in the week and reheat bowls through Thursday. The broth gets more flavorful as it sits in the fridge.
How to make keto chicken and dumplings?
This recipe uses two shortcuts I rely on every time. I grab a pre-cooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store and shred it into bite-sized pieces. The dark meat from a rotisserie bird has tons of flavor, and it cuts out a full hour of cooking time.
For the broth, I use a premade chicken bone broth. It gives you all the richness and collagen of homemade without simmering bones for hours. If you want the broth even thicker, stir in 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese near the end of cooking. I used to recommend arrowroot powder for thickening, but cream cheese works better. It blends right into the broth and gives it a silky body without changing the flavor.
The whole pot comes together in about 30 minutes, and with around 7.9g net carbs per serving, it fits comfortably into a keto day. If you want to use raw chicken instead of rotisserie, just cook it in the stockpot as your first step before adding the vegetables.
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Chicken Soup Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter -
1/2 leek, sliced
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4 celery stalks, chopped
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1/2 onion, chopped
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1/4 cup chopped carrots (optional)
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3 cups cooked shredded chicken
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1 zucchini, cut into half moons
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32 oz chicken broth
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1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt, to taste
Almond Flour Dumplings Ingredients
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1 cup almond flour
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1/2 cup unflavored whey protein powder
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1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
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1 teaspoon xanthan gum
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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1/4 teaspoon onion powder
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1/2 cup hot boiling water
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Get a pot
In a large stockpot, melt butter over medium heat. Add leek, celery, onion and carrots and cook until softened.
Add chicken
Add chicken, zucchini, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low and simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
Begin dumplings
While the chicken soup is cooking, start making the dumplings. In a small bowl, mix together almond flour, protein powder, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and onion powder.
Add boiling water
Pour in hot boiling water and stir with a spatula until just combined.
Roll into balls
To form the biscuits, it’s best to use wet hands to keep the dough from sticking to your hands. Grab a chunk of dough and roll into the ball. Repeat until you have 6-8 dough balls.
Add the dumplings
Evenly place the dumpling balls on top of the chicken soup. Cover and let simmer on low for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and serve.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my dumplings dissolve in the broth?
I've done a lot of testing on this. The number one reason is that the broth is too hot when you add them. After the soup comes to a boil, you have to turn the heat to the lowest setting or pull the pot off the burner entirely. I've tested on both gas and electric stoves, and electric runs hotter because it heats the entire bottom of the pan. A reader named Mike found that turning his burner as low as it goes and covering the pot for a full 20 minutes (in cast iron) gave the best results on electric. Drop the dumplings in at a bare simmer, cover, and don't touch the lid. Also make sure you're using whey protein powder, not collagen or another protein supplement. A reader named Phil also found that chilling the dough for 10 minutes before rolling helps them hold their shape, which I've started doing.
Can I use collagen peptides instead of whey protein?
I wouldn't. I've had readers try this and the dumplings dissolve right into the broth. A reader named Joe used peptide collagen and his completely disintegrated. Whey protein has binding properties that collagen doesn't. It's what gives the dumplings structure and keeps them from falling apart during the steam. Stick with unflavored whey protein powder for this recipe.
Can I substitute coconut flour for almond flour in the dumplings?
I haven't done a full side-by-side test yet, but coconut flour absorbs significantly more liquid than almond flour. If you try it, I'd start with roughly 1/3 cup coconut flour and add an extra egg to help with binding. The texture will be denser and less biscuit-like than the almond flour version. If you give it a shot, leave a comment so I can update this with your results.
Can I use sunflower seed flour instead of almond flour?
I haven't tested sunflower seed flour in these dumplings yet, but the whey protein is what keeps them together, not the flour. A reader named Morgan is trying it for a tree nut allergy and I told her a 1:1 swap should work. Keep the broth on the absolute lowest setting when you drop them in, since an unfamiliar flour might release differently in the simmer. If you try it, leave a comment so I can update this with real results.
Can I add an egg to the dumplings to make them denser?
A reader named Mia asked me about this. I haven't tried adding an egg to the dumpling batter myself yet, but a reader named Dave added chicken schmaltz to the mix and said it came out almost like a matzoh ball. I think an egg plus the whey protein base gets you that denser, chewier texture. I'm going to have my recipe testers try it on the next batch and update this answer.
Is this recipe dairy-free?
The only dairy in the base recipe is the butter I use to saute the vegetables. I'd swap it for olive oil or avocado oil if you need dairy-free. The dumplings themselves are already dairy-free. If you're using my cream cheese thickening method, obviously skip that addition and the broth will still taste great on its own.
Can I freeze this soup?
I freeze the broth base all the time, and it holds up great for about 3 months. But I don't freeze the dumplings. The almond flour texture gets grainy and crumbly after thawing. My approach is to freeze just the broth with chicken and vegetables, then make a fresh batch of dumplings when I reheat it. Takes 5 extra minutes and the result is much better.
How do I thicken the broth?
I used to recommend arrowroot powder, but I've found that stirring in 2-3 tablespoons of cream cheese works much better. A reader named Sarah confirmed this for me. Add it near the end of cooking and stir until it melts into the broth. It gives the soup a silky, rich body without changing the flavor. You won't even taste it as cream cheese, just a thicker, more satisfying broth.
One thing that tripped me up a few batches in: the water for the dumpling dough has to be at a genuine rolling boil, not just hot from the tap (made that mistake, grainy texture, they started falling apart before they even set up in the broth). Full boil is what gets the almond flour to actually bind.
Made this in the middle of a heat wave. The craving wouldn't quit. Dumplings came out way fluffier than I expected, nothing like the dense almond flour lumps I've gotten from other keto recipes. Fair warning: stir too aggressively once they're in the pot and they'll fall apart. Give them a couple minutes to set first. The rotisserie chicken shortcut is the whole reason this is weeknight-realistic.
The fluffy texture comes from the whey protein, and stirring too early collapses that structure before it can set. Two minutes untouched. Then if you need to move them, just fold gently. I should have flagged that more clearly in the recipe notes. A heat wave soup craving is a very specific kind of determination, and 95 degrees with a bowl of this over AC is not the worst way to spend an evening.
Made this for Sunday dinner with a few friends and probably should have doubled the batch. The almond flour dumplings were gone before I even sat down. One friend who avoids anything low-carb kept asking what kind of flour I used. Told her. She looked skeptical, then went back for the last one anyway. That look is my whole reason for making this again.
The skeptic going back for the last dumpling. That's the whole thing. Double it next time - the broth base scales easily.
Stirred a heaping tablespoon of fresh thyme directly into the dumpling dough on my second batch. Good call. The dumplings released all that herbiness into the broth while they simmered and the whole pot picked up this depth it didn't have before. Also pulled in about 1/4 cup of heavy cream right at the end instead of leaving it straight broth (thickened on its own, no xanthan gum needed). The base recipe's already fast enough for a weeknight with the rotisserie shortcut, but those two tweaks moved it into something I'd make when someone's coming over. Double-batching this Sunday. Pretty sure the thyme-cream version is the one I'm keeping.
Heavy cream right at the end is smart. I usually reach for cream cheese to thicken but that's more effort. Thyme in the dough is going in my next batch.
The broth came out really rich, which carried the whole bowl. The dumplings softened up more than I expected after sitting in the soup for a bit, so I'd serve it right away next time. Used leftover rotisserie chicken and had it on the table in under 30 minutes on a Tuesday night.
Yeah, the longer they sit the more they absorb. Good call serving right away. Rotisserie is the only way I do it on a weeknight too.
Made a double batch on Sunday and split it into four containers for the week. The almond flour dumplings actually hold their shape overnight, which I did not see coming (they usually turn to mush after a day in broth). Reheated on the stovetop with a splash of extra broth and they came right back. This is going in the permanent rotation.
Microwave kills them. Stovetop with a splash of broth every time. The meal prep angle on this one is underrated.
Figured out if you let the dumpling dough sit for 2-3 minutes before rolling, it firms up just enough that you barely need the wet hands trick. Mine were falling apart the first time and I thought I messed something up, but that little rest fixed it completely. The soup itself tastes like it's been simmering all afternoon, which is wild given the rotisserie shortcut.
That rest trick is worth keeping. Mine gets sticky the second it warms up from your hands, so a firmer start saves a lot of fussing.
One thing I figured out on my second batch (first one had cracked, uneven dumplings) was to keep a small bowl of water right next to the pot and re-wet my hands every few balls. The recipe actually says this but I skimmed past it the first time and paid for it. Makes a real difference, the dumplings come out smooth and hold their shape through cooking instead of falling apart. Also found that if you let the broth come back to a gentle simmer after adding the chicken before dropping the dumplings in, they cook more evenly than going into hard-boiling liquid. The rotisserie chicken shortcut is as fast as she says, grabbed one from the deli on my way home and had soup on the table in about 35 minutes. Thinking about adding mushrooms next time.
The wet hands thing trips everyone up the first time. And yes to mushrooms, creminis hold up well and add some good body to the broth.
Tried probably four other keto chicken and dumpling recipes before this. The almond flour dumplings actually hold their shape in the broth, not dissolve into mush like all the others.
Whey protein is what holds them together. Collagen peptides don't bind the same way. Lost count of how many readers found that out the hard way.
Added a teaspoon of xanthan gum to the broth right before dropping in the dumplings and it made a real difference. The soup went from thin to that thick, glossy texture that actual chicken and dumplings has. The dumplings still cooked up fluffy, nothing changed there. If the broth consistency is bothering you, try it.
Cream cheese thickens it but never gets that glossy finish. Never tried xanthan at that stage. Good to know the dumplings still held up.
One change I won't go back on: cream cheese in the dumpling dough. Just a tablespoon. You notice it right away. The dough is less fussy, and the dumplings hold up in the broth instead of going soft at the edges. That's why I keep making this. I also keep pre-shredded rotisserie chicken portioned in the freezer for this specifically, which makes 25 minutes actually doable. The bone broth has more depth than I expected from a weeknight recipe. And the dumplings are genuinely filling. First time I made it I thought I'd need a side dish.
I've done cream cheese in the broth but not the dough. The edges going soft has always been my one complaint. Next batch.
Tip for anyone who struggles with sticky dough: I grabbed a small cookie scoop to portion the dumplings instead of rolling them by hand, and it was so much easier. No almond flour stuck to everything, and they dropped into the broth in pretty consistent little rounds. This was my first time making it and I was honestly bracing for the dumpling part to go sideways, but they actually puffed up the way they're supposed to. The broth with the leek and celery is really good, more depth than I expected from something that came together so fast.
Cookie scoop is a great call for that dough. And the leek is what makes this broth taste like it simmered all day.
The almond flour dumplings are genuinely impressive (I've made enough failed versions to have an opinion on this). My one note: the broth thickens unevenly on reheat if you're not stirring constantly, so I've started pulling the dumplings out before storing them separately. Small fix, not a dealbreaker.
Pulling them out first is the right call. Broth keeps thickening even after it's off the heat. Mine's basically stew by morning if the dumplings stay in.
Tried chilling the dumpling dough for 10 minutes before rolling and they held their shape in the broth instead of dissolving like my first batch did. The almond flour mixture just needed that time to firm up. That one fix made this recipe.
Yeah that tracks. Almond flour dough gets sticky fast at room temp, ten minutes in the fridge is an easy fix.
My husband is allergic to tree nuts so almond flour is always off the table, and I've been wanting a good keto chicken and dumplings all winter. I finally have most of the other ingredients ready and I'm making this Sunday. The part I'm stuck on is the dumplings since the only nut-free keto flour I have on hand is sunflower seed flour. I've used it in keto muffins before with okay results, but I honestly don't know how it behaves when you're simmering dough in hot broth instead of baking it. Would it hold together or just fall apart into the soup? And would it be a 1:1 swap for the almond flour or does the ratio need to change?
Haven't tested sunflower seed flour in these, but the whey protein is what keeps the dumplings together, not the flour. 1:1 swap should work. Just keep that broth on the lowest setting when you drop them in.