With this easy recipe, you can make creamy, savory, and super satisfying chicken and dumpling soup. It’s the ULTIMATE comfort food.
A chicken dumpling soup recipe like this quickly becomes an intergenerational treasure.
Its homey, hearty flavors and textures are just so darn perfect.
Why You’ll Love This Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe
Here is why this winter warmer is going to be on your list going forward:
- SO satisfying: It’s the epitome of comfort food, warming you from the inside out on chilly days and providing a hearty, satisfying meal. It’s like my best homemade chicken noodle soup, but creamy and with pillowy dumplings.
- Rich taste: The tender chicken, veggies, and aromatic herbs create a rich and savory broth that’s simply irresistible.
- Simple yet super impressive: With a few simple ingredients and straightforward steps, you can whip up a pot of delicious soup that has a restaurant-quality edge to it.
Related: Crockpot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe + Instant Pot Chicken Soup Recipe
Here’s What You Need
Here’s what to gather to make your batch of homey chicken dumpling soup:
Ingredients
Check out the recipe card for a complete list of ingredients:
For the soup:
- Olive oil: Use another neutral oil, like avocado oil, if necessary.
- Boneless chicken thighs: These have more flavor than chicken breasts and turn out tender when cooked in liquid.
- Veggies: Carrots, celery, onion, and garlic make a deliciously savory base.
- Chicken broth: The base liquid for the soup; use homemade or high-quality store-bought for best results.
- Fresh thyme and rosemary: I recommend fresh versus dried herbs in this recipe. Fresh oregano or parsley is also delicious.
- Soy sauce: Adds umami depth and brings out the the savory yummy elements.
- Frozen peas: For a pop of color, sweetness, and texture.
For the dumpling batter:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder: helps the dumplings rise, making them light and fluffy.
- Whole milk
- Unsalted butter
Substitutions and Variations
Here are a few swaps to make in this chicken soup:
- Chicken swap: Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts or leftoverrotisserie chicken. Try using turkey or even tofu for a vegetarian version.
- Veggies: Vegetable or beef broth can be used; water with bouillon cubes or paste can also work. Use a mushroom broth for a richer umami flavor.
- Soy sauce: Try tamari for a gluten-free option or coconut aminos for a soy-free swap.
- Frozen peas: Use fresh peas or substitute with green beans or corn. I don’t recommend canned peas.
- Heavy cream: Add a splash of fresh cream for an even richer soup.
Tools to Grab
All you’ll need to make this stovetop recipe is a large pot (or Dutch oven) and a bowl to mix your dumplings in.
How to Make Chicken and Dumpling Soup: An Easy Guide
Follow these steps to making this classic chicken soup recipe:
To make the soup base
Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the chicken, onions, carrots, and celery and season with salt and pepper. Season with salt and black pepper.
Cook until the chicken is no longer pink and the vegetables have softened about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.
Thicken the soup
Sprinkle flour over the chicken and vegetables. Cook this mixture for 3-5 minutes, stirring it constantly. The flour will start to brown.
Pour in the chicken broth, thyme, and rosemary. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring it occasionally until the stew thickens. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with soy sauce or additional salt.
To make the dumpling dough
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir in the milk and melted butter to form a simple dough.
Cook the dumplings
Form small balls of dough and drop them into the simmering stew. Cover the pot and simmer for 10-12 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked and rise to the top.
Add the frozen peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking. Taste and season if necessary.
Make Ahead and Storage
The soup base (without the dumplings and peas) can be made up to 2 days in advance. After cooking, let the soup cool to room temperature, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
When ready to serve, reheat the soup over medium heat until it simmers before adding the dumplings and peas.
The dumpling dough can be prepared a few hours ahead of time. Mix the dough, cover it tightly and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook the dumplings. Form the dough into balls just before adding them to the soup.
Storage
Leftover soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The dumplings may absorb some of the broth and become softer over time.
If you want to freeze leftovers, pop the soup base without the dumplings and freeze it. The dumplings don’t freeze well.
To reheat the soup, warm it gently on the stove over medium heat until hot. Make a fresh batch of dumplings in this case.
Final Notes, Pro Tips + Science-Based Secrets
Want to know what a pro knows about the science behind this soup? Here’s my insight:
- Umami enhancement: Adding soy sauce not only seasons the soup but also boosts its umami flavor due to the presence of glutamates. This deepens the savory taste, making the soup more satisfying.
- Gentle simmering: Cooking at a gentle simmer, rather than a boil, ensures that the chicken proteins and the dough structure of the dumplings don’t toughen. This gentle heat allows for even cooking and tender, moist results.
- Frozen peas: Adding frozen peas at the end of cooking ensures they retain their vibrant color and firm texture. Overcooking peas can cause them to become mushy and lose their bright green visual.
FAQs About Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Just skimming through? Here’s how what you need to know:
Absolutely! While chicken thighs have a richer flavor and tenderness, chicken breast can be used as a leaner swap.
It’s best to make the dumplings just before adding them to the simmering soup. However, you can prepare the dumpling dough a few hours in advance and refrigerate it until ready to use. Form the dough into balls just before dropping them into the soup.
Absolutely! Simply leave out the chicken and use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth. You can add extra vegetables like mushrooms, bell peppers, or spinach to enhance the flavor and nutritional profile. Add a cup of chickpeas for some vegetarian protein.
Handle the dough gently to ensure light and fluffy dumplings and avoid overmixing. Also, make sure the soup simmers gently when you drop in the dumplings. Cooking them at too high a heat can result in dense, heavy dumplings.
Yes! Feel free to customize the soup with your favorite vegetables. Just be mindful of the cooking times and add firmer vegetables, like potatoes or squash, earlier in the cooking process, while softer vegetables, like spinach or peas, can be added towards the end.
Other Favorite Soup Recipes To Try
Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Video
Ingredients
For soup
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 2 cups finely-chopped onion 1 large or 2 medium
- 1 cup carrots diced (2 medium)
- 1 cup celery diced (2 medium stalks)
- 2 tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp minced garlic 3 large cloves
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbsp minced fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tbsp minced fresh rosemary or 1 tsp dried rosemary
- 2 tsp soy sauce and/or more salt to taste
- 1 cup frozen peas
For dumplings
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup whole milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter melted
Instructions
To Make Soup
- Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add chicken, onions, carrots, and celery. Sprinkle with the salt and black pepper and cook until chicken is no longer pink and vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.
- Sprinkle flour over the chicken and vegetables. Cook for 3-5 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste. It’ll smell nutty and start to brown.
- Pour in chicken broth, thyme, and rosemary. Bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally until the stew thickens. Taste and season with soy sauce or more salt as needed.
To Make Dumplings
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 3/4 cup whole milk and melted butter to form dough.
- Form small balls of dough and drop them into the simmering stew. Cover the pot and simmer for about 10-12 minutes, until dumplings are cooked through and rise to the top.
- Add frozen peas during the last 3 minutes of cooking.
- Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I’m a recipe follower… but trying new things. This one had way too much rosemary and thyme for my taste. That’s all that I tasted. Going with 1/4 the amount specified for both. Figure I can always add more.
Hi Rick, the recipe quantities are listed for fresh herbs first. 1 tbsp of dried rosemary or thyme would indeed be too much. I hope you didn’t do that! You need only 1 tsp each if using dry herbs.
Absolutely delicious!! This had a bit of a nostalgic feeling for me with the dumplings and my kids LOVED it!! Thank you 😊
Love this recipe so much! So cozy, can’t stop eating it.
This chicken and dumpling soup was the perfect comfort food on a rainy day. The dumplings were so fluffy! Can you recommend a good side to serve with this soup?
I would serve a simple green salad! Because the dumplings already offer a carb component, I don’t typically serve this soup with additional bread.
Your chicken and dumpling soup is the ultimate comfort food! It’s so hearty and flavorful. Thanks for the recipe!
This was my first time cooking chicken and dumplings and it turned out delicious! I don’t have peas, so I may add some canned corn, but may not (just waiting for husband to come home to serve and eat).
Hi Jenn (name twins!), I would totally add corn. My mom used to, and it’s super nostalgic for me. Love the sweet little pops of flavour. Enjoy!