Chicken and Dumpling Soup

4.80 from 5 votes

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Make the Chicken and Dumpling Soup that everyone’s talking about with this easy, foolproof recipe with creamy soup + pillowy-soft dumplings.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Servings:

Author: Jennifer Pallian BSc, RD

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

US Customary - Metric

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.

Video

Notes

Soy Sauce is a go-to secret ingredient of mine for gravies, soups and sauces. It adds umami-packed flavor as well as salt and browning. In small quantities like this, you'll never know it's there except that your dish tastes really good. Shh!

If using unsalted chicken broth, you'll definitely need more additional kosher salt to season it properly. I used 1 tbsp soy sauce + 1 more tsp salt.

Use boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the best flavor and juiciness.

Add the frozen peas near the end to prevent overcooking and maintain their bright color and texture.

Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat gently on the stove or in the microwave.

When forming the dumplings, aim for consistent sizes to ensure even cooking. Use a small cookie scoop or a spoon to measure out the dough, and roll them gently between your hands. This helps the dumplings cook uniformly and prevents some from being undercooked while others are overcooked.

For a thicker, heartier soup, you can increase the amount of flour used or even add a touch of cornstarch slurry (1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water) towards the end of cooking. Make sure to cook the flour thoroughly when adding it to the vegetables to avoid a raw flour taste.

Nutrition