Description
A comforting and hearty Chicken and Dumplings recipe featuring tender shredded chicken simmered in a creamy, flavorful broth with homemade fluffy dumplings cooked right in the pot. Perfect for a cozy family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
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
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie 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
- Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt butter over medium heat. Add diced onions, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add Garlic: Stir in minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until it becomes aromatic.
- Thicken Soup Base: Sprinkle flour over the sautéed vegetables and stir constantly for 1-2 minutes to cook out the raw flour taste, forming a roux.
- Add Broth: Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring to make a smooth base without lumps.
- Add Chicken and Seasoning: Stir in shredded cooked chicken, salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add Cream: Optionally, stir in heavy cream or whole milk to enrich and add creaminess to the soup.
- Prepare Dumpling Dough: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder (if using), and dried herbs. Stir in milk and melted butter until just combined; the dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Avoid overmixing.
- Add Dumplings to Soup: Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough into the simmering soup.
- Cook Dumplings: Cover the pot and let dumplings cook for 12-15 minutes without lifting the lid, until they are puffed up and cooked through. Check by cutting one open to ensure no raw dough remains inside.
- Serve: Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls, garnish with fresh parsley, and serve hot to enjoy a creamy, hearty meal.
Notes
- Use rotisserie chicken for convenience and added flavor.
- Do not overmix the dumpling dough; it should remain slightly lumpy for light dumplings.
- Covering the pot while cooking dumplings traps steam and ensures fluffy dumplings.
- Adjust salt and seasoning according to taste.
- Heavy cream is optional for extra richness but can be substituted with whole milk.
