Description
A comforting and hearty Chicken and Dumplings recipe featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy vegetable broth, topped with fluffy, soft dumplings cooked directly in the soup. Perfect for a warming family meal ready in just 45 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Soup:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for thickening)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works great)
- 1 tsp salt (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley
- 1/2 cup heavy cream or whole milk (optional for extra creaminess)
For the Dumplings:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (optional, for flavor)
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley or thyme (optional, for herby flavor)
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Melt Butter and Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add diced onions, sliced carrots, and sliced celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables are softened.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Incorporate Flour: Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly for 1 to 2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste and to slightly thicken the base.
- Add Chicken Broth: Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring to keep the mixture smooth and prevent lumps from forming.
- Add Seasonings and Chicken: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add Creaminess: Stir in heavy cream or whole milk, if using, to add extra richness and creaminess to the soup.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder (if using), and dried herbs. Stir in the milk and melted butter until just combined; be careful not to overmix—the dough should be soft and slightly sticky.
- Drop Dumplings into Soup: Using a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup, spacing them evenly.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the pot and allow the dumplings to cook for 12 to 15 minutes. Check one by cutting it open to ensure it’s fully cooked with no raw dough inside.
- Serve: Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Serve hot for a delicious, hearty meal.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and extra flavor.
- Adjust seasoning to taste before adding dumplings.
- Do not overmix the dumpling dough to keep it light and fluffy.
- Heavy cream is optional but adds richness to the soup.
- Check dumplings for doneness by slicing one open before serving.
