Chicken and dumplings made with flour tortillas is a great shortcut for making this popular and cozy comfort food!

Making creamy chicken and dumplings with tortillas is so simple and is the perfect substitute for handmade dumplings when time is short.

close-up view of a white bowl filled with chicken and dumplings made with tortillas

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I absolutely love chicken and dumplings. It’s pure comfort food that’s wholesome, warm and filling. It’s the perfect meal on a cold day or anytime your spirit needs a pick-me-up.

Everyone has their opinion on how to make chicken and dumplings. Some stand by hand-rolled dumplings made using a recipe passed down from their grandmother.

Some make it super easy and simply toss in a bag of egg noodles, while others top theirs with fluffy biscuits or something more akin to pie crust.

No matter your connection to or method for making chicken and dumplings, we can all agree that the dish is calming, cozy and utterly heartwarming.

There are so many different ways to make chicken and dumplings that there really is no need to declare a “right way” or “wrong way” to do so.

The best method is the one that puts this cozy dish on your dinner table.

Replacing traditional dumplings with flour tortillas may make you do a double-take. But stick with me!

Making this creamy chicken and dumplings with tortillas is so simple, and the results are fantastic. I’ll certainly be adding this recipe to my list of best chicken and dumpling recipes.

More Chicken and Dumplings Recipes To Love:

a dutch oven filled with a batch of creamy chicken and dumplings made using flour tortillas. A wooden spoon stirs the dish.

Using Flour Tortillas As Dumplings

If you love the flavor and texture of classic chicken and dumplings, you may be questioning chicken and dumplings made with flour tortillas. I understand.

When I first came across this method, I was in the “I won’t believe it until I taste it” camp. But to be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the results, and you will be too.

Traditional dumplings are made with flour and milk, with the fat in the milk lending to the tenderness of the dumplings.

Tortillas are also made with flour but use water and lard instead of milk.

The ingredients differ slightly but the principles behind them are the same which is why using flour tortillas as dumplings can work as a substitute.

When added to the broth, tortillas will soften and absorb some of the cooking liquid. They take on flavor and develop that slick exterior that makes people love traditional dumplings.

The main difference is in their thickness. Homemade dumplings usually aren’t rolled as thin as tortillas are, so you can expect your tortilla dumplings to be a little thinner than you’re probably used to.

Is it an exact match? No, but it’s close enough to make it a worthwhile shortcut on busy nights.

How to Make Creamy Chicken and Dumplings with Tortillas

It’s really easy to make this simple recipe for chicken and dumplings!

Ingredients You’ll Need:

Chicken Broth
Cooked Chicken
Celery
Carrots
Onion
Salt and Black Pepper
Ground Thyme
Flour Tortillas
Heavy Cream or Half and Half
All-purpose Flour
Frozen Peas

overhead view of a white bowl filled with chicken and dumplings made using flour tortillas as the dumplings

How to Make It:

(Full printable recipe is available below)

Build the soup base. First, you’ll combine chicken broth, cooked chicken, celery, carrots, onions, salt, pepper, and thyme in a Dutch oven or stock pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

two photos; one shows onions, celery, carrots, chicken, chicken broth, and seasonings in a dutch oven. The other shows a wooden spoon mixing the ingredients together.

Make the tortilla dumplings. Next, you’ll cut the tortillas using a pizza cutter and add them to the boiling liquid. Be sure to submerge them completely.

Cook until the tortillas and the carrots are soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

two photos; one shows flour tortillas cut into squares on a cutting board with a pizza cutter. The other shows the tortilla pieces added to the boiling broth mixture in the dutch oven.

Make the slurry. Next, you’ll whisk together flour and cream and add to the soup.

slurry of flour and cream being poured into the simmering broth mixture in the dutch oven

Add the peas. Last, you’ll stir in the frozen peas. Remove from the heat and let the chicken and dumplings sit for 5-10 minutes to thicken before serving.

frozen peas added to chicken and dumpling mixture in the dutch oven

Notes and Adaptations:

Flour tortillas are typically rolled thinner than most dumplings, so you can expect that the final dumplings in this recipe will be thinner than homemade or frozen dumplings. They are not going to be exactly the same in texture, but they make a fine shortcut or an easy way to use up extra tortillas.
I have not tested this recipe with corn tortillas, low-carb tortillas, or any other variety besides plain flour tortillas.
I like using heavy cream for the richness it provides, but you can use half-and-half or milk if you prefer.
Feel free to add more or different frozen veggies if you’d like–green beans, corn, etc. are all fine choices!
Check out our favorite side dishes for chicken and dumplings, too!

close-up view of tortilla dumplings with chicken, carrots, peas, and celery in a creamy broth

Recommended Equipment:

Dutch oven or other stockpot
Pizza cutter

Yield: 6 Servings

Chicken and Dumplings with Tortillas

Name: Chicken and Dumplings with Tortillas
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 4 cups chicken broth; 2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken; 2 ribs celery, sliced; 2 large carrots, sliced; 1/2 medium onion, diced; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1/2 tsp ground thyme; 3 flour tortillas, cut into 1.5-inch squares (I used Mission brand Soft Taco size); 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half; 1 TBSP all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup frozen peas

If you need an easy shortcut dinner, try making chicken and dumplings with flour tortillas for a simple meal.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Additional Time 5 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

4 cups chicken broth
2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 large carrots, sliced
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp ground thyme
3 flour tortillas, cut into 1.5-inch squares (I used Mission brand Soft Taco size)
1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
1 TBSP all-purpose flour
1/2 cup frozen peas

Instructions

In a Dutch oven or stockpot, combine chicken broth, cooked chicken, celery, carrots, onions, salt, pepper, and thyme.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Add tortilla pieces and stir gently to combine, making sure the tortillas are submerged in the liquid.
Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes, until tortillas soften to the consistency of noodles and carrots are tender.
In a small bowl or mug, whisk together cream or half and half with flour to create a smooth slurry. Pour slurry into the simmering broth mixture and stir to combine.
Add frozen peas and stir.
Remove from heat and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. This will allow the peas to warm up and the broth will thicken as it cools.

Notes

Flour tortillas are typically rolled thinner than most dumplings, so you can expect that the final dumplings in this recipe will be thinner than homemade or frozen dumplings. They are not going to be exactly the same in texture, but they make a fine shortcut or an easy way to use up extra tortillas.
I have not tested this recipe with corn tortillas, low-carb tortillas, or any other variety besides plain flour tortillas.
I like using heavy cream for the richness it provides, but you can use half-and-half or milk if you prefer.
Feel free to add more or different frozen veggies if you'd like--green beans, corn, etc. are all fine choices!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 58mgSodium: 993mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 16g