Description
This comforting Chicken and Dumpling Soup is a hearty, homemade classic perfect for chilly days. Tender vegetables, savory chicken, and fluffy dumplings simmer together in a flavorful broth, creating a rich and satisfying meal that’s easy to prepare and serves the whole family.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 large onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
- 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 1 1/2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth or stock
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups cooked chicken, cut into small cubes
- 1 cup frozen peas
Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup milk (2% or whole)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: In a Dutch oven or stockpot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add Aromatics and Seasonings: Reduce heat to low and stir in the finely minced garlic, dried parsley, and poultry seasoning. Cook for 1 minute to release their flavors without browning the garlic.
- Make Roux and Simmer Broth: Sprinkle 1 1/2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir constantly for 1 minute to cook the flour. Gradually pour in 6 cups of low sodium chicken broth along with 1 bay leaf, stirring continuously to prevent lumps. Increase heat and bring the soup to a simmer, cooking gently for 25 minutes to blend flavors.
- Season and Add Chicken & Peas: Remove the bay leaf from the pot, then season the soup with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in 2 cups of cooked chicken cubes and 1 cup of frozen peas. Allow the soup to simmer for another 5 minutes to heat through.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a separate mixing bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in 1/2 cup milk to form a soft dough.
- Add Dumplings and Cook: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough carefully into the simmering soup. Cover the pot with a lid and cook without lifting the lid for 15 minutes, allowing the dumplings to steam and cook through.
- Serve: Once the dumplings are cooked and fluffy, ladle the soup into bowls and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use low sodium chicken broth to control the salt content.
- For a richer dumpling, whole milk is recommended, but 2% milk works well too.
- Do not lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking as this can prevent them from rising properly.
- Leftover soup can be refrigerated for up to 3 days; dumplings may soften over time.
- To make it gluten-free, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend and adjust baking powder accordingly.
