This Chicken and Dumpling Soup warms you up from the inside out. Packed with chunks of chicken, fresh veggies, and soft, puffy dumplings floating in rich broth. Perfect when you want something filling that tastes like home.
Why Make This Soup
When you need something that sticks to your ribs, this soup's it. Tastes like grandma made it but you don't need her skills. The dumplings cook right in the soup, soaking up all the good chicken flavor. Make extra - everyone wants seconds. Great for cold nights or when someone's feeling under the weather.
What You Need
- Butter: 4 tablespoons real butter
- Onion: 1 big one, cut small
- Carrots: 3 big ones, chopped up
- Celery: 3 stalks, sliced thin
- Garlic: 3 cloves, chopped tiny
- Chicken Broth: 8 cups
- Chicken: 3 cups cooked, torn up
- Salt: 1 teaspoon
- Black Pepper: Fresh ground
- Bay Leaves: 2 whole ones
- Dried Parsley: 1 tablespoon
- Cornstarch: 3 tablespoons
- Water: 1/4 cup cold
- Flour: 2 cups plain
- Baking Powder: 1 tablespoon
- Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Cold Butter: 4 tablespoons
- Milk: 1 cup cold
For Dumplings:
How to Make It
- Start the soup:
- Melt butter in biggest pot over medium heat. Drop in onions, carrots, celery. Cook 10 minutes till onions look clear. Add garlic, cook 1 minute.
- Make soup base:
- Pour in broth. Add chicken, salt, pepper, bay leaves, parsley. Let it start bubbling, then turn heat low.
- Mix dumpling stuff:
- Put flour, baking powder, salt in bowl. Mix good. Grate cold butter into flour using big holes on grater. Mix with fingers till looks like bread crumbs.
- Make dumpling dough:
- Pour cold milk in flour mix. Stir with fork just till wet - don't mix too much or dumplings get hard.
- Cook dumplings:
- Drop dough by spoons into bubbling soup. Make them size of golf balls. Put lid on pot. Don't peek for 15 minutes.
- Make soup thick:
- Mix cornstarch with cold water in cup. Stir till smooth. Pour into soup while stirring. Let bubble 2 minutes till thick.
- Check it's done:
- Cut dumpling in half - should be cooked through, not doughy. Fish out bay leaves.
- Fix the taste:
- Try soup. Need salt? More pepper? Add now. Want it thicker? Add more cornstarch mix.
- Serve it up:
- Put couple dumplings in each bowl. Pour hot soup over. Some folks like extra black pepper on top.
Making Perfect Dumplings
Keep butter real cold - straight from fridge. Don't mix dumpling dough too much - makes them tough. Drop dumplings in spots where soup's bubbling. Don't stack them - they stick together. Once lid's on, no peeking or dumplings get heavy.
Fixing Common Problems
Soup too thin? Mix more cornstarch with cold water. Dumplings falling apart? Mixed dough too much. Dumplings doughy inside? Need more cooking time. Soup needs more flavor? Add pinch of salt, not more herbs. Bottom burning? Heat's too high - turn it down.
Making It Quick
Use rotisserie chicken to save time. Cut veggies while soup starts cooking. Make dumplings while broth bubbles. Want to make ahead? Make soup base early, add dumplings when ready to eat. Some folks buy biscuit mix for dumplings - works in a pinch.
Saving Leftovers
Keep soup and dumplings separate if saving. Soup keeps 4 days in fridge. Freezes good without dumplings. When reheating, warm up slow on stove. Add splash of broth if too thick. Make fresh dumplings next time - old ones get mushy.
Make It Your Way
Like more veggies? Throw in peas or corn. Want it richer? Use cream instead of some broth. Need it faster? Make smaller dumplings - cook quicker. Like herbs? Add fresh thyme or rosemary. Some folks add dash of hot sauce. Make it how your family likes it.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will this work in an Instant Pot?
Sure will! Brown the veggies on 'saute' mode first.
Add everything else except dumpling mix. Cook on high pressure 8 minutes. Release pressure, then drop in small dumpling spoonfuls. Set for 2 minutes more.
Some tips: Don't fill pot more than halfway - dumplings need room to puff up. Make dumplings a bit smaller than normal since they swell more under pressure. If soup's too thin after pressure cooking, use 'saute' mode to thicken it up.
- How do I make it without wheat?
Get a good gluten-free flour mix - Bob's Red Mill or King Arthur work great for dumplings. Add 1/4 spoon xanthan gum if your mix doesn't have it.
The dumplings might be a bit more delicate, so make them small. Check your broth and seasonings too - sneaky gluten hides there! Some folks like using cornmeal dumplings instead. Just don't stir the soup much once dumplings are in - they break easier than wheat ones.
- Best way to keep leftovers?
Store soup and any uncooked dumpling mix separate.
Soup's good in the fridge 3 days in a tight container. For longer, freeze just the soup part (no dumplings) up to 3 months. When reheating, warm it slow on the stove. Make fresh dumplings when you heat it up - they're best fresh. If you already cooked the dumplings, they'll be soft but still good next day. Just don't microwave them - gets tough!
- Can I use rotisserie chicken?
Perfect shortcut! Pull meat off a hot chicken - about 3 cups. Add it near the end since it's already cooked.
Save the bones to make broth next time. Want it even quicker? Those pre-cooked chicken strips work too. Just warm it in the soup till hot. Bonus: rotisserie gives great flavor! Some stores sell just the meat pulled off - super handy.
- How about making it vegetarian?
Easy switches make it meatless: Use veggie broth (mushroom broth adds nice flavor).
Instead of chicken, try: 2 cans chickpeas, cubed firm tofu (brown it first), or mushrooms. Add extra veggies like peas or corn for more filling power. Season well - maybe add some poultry seasoning for that comfort food taste.
The dumplings are already vegetarian - just check your broth. Makes a hearty meal even without meat!
Some More Ideas
Love these flavors? Try chicken pot pie - same good stuff under a crust.
Or make classic chicken noodle soup when you want something lighter. Both use the same chicken and veggies you already bought.