Need a good chicken and dumplings recipe.

I've never made dumplings, but I know I'd find oregano overwhelming. I don't use it in anything. Even a little is too much for me. If you like it, though...

Bryan Roof on America’s Test Kitchen calls the dish “Chicken and Pastry.” Dumb, yes?

White or black pepper is fine OP, same with bay leaf. I would use thyme rather than oregano. Perhaps a bit of marjoram and sage as well. These are all traditional 'poultry seasonings'... though Bell's does contain oregano. Too dominant a taste IMHO.

A wee bit of dried Rosemary would be nice as well... just be sure it's pulverised, if not ground. Same goes for the thyme, but fresh would be ideal, and you can simply remove the sprigs after cooking.a

The key is to make sure you're using lots of aromatics (celery, onions and carrots) when making the broth and that you're not just salting and peppering at the end of the process. If you want an "herby" flavor I would agree with R3. Go with thyme, bay and maybe a bit of tarragon. Oregano would just overpower everything.

I didn’t know there were ingredients beyond chicken and Bisquick.

R6 This is probably why yours doesn't turn out so well. R5 is spot on with the aromatics. I would sautée them in chicken fat.

R7, I’ve never cooked them, just eaten them. But I’ve always enjoyed the standard Southern dumplings.

R8 This is one of those dishes many refer to as simple, yet there are many more complicated steps involved to getting the flavour to develop. Even if the resulting sauce has no visible aromatic vegetables, chances are they were blended in, dissolved, or removed before serving.

I've read many different versions of this recipe, and all the really good ones are a bit complicated... not so much regarding technique or ability, but prep time. Many will utilise homemade broth or stock too.

Pastry!? WTF, Bryan?

Thank you all. Excellent suggestions.

If you find that the dumplings fall apart during cooking, reduce the heat.