Description
Chicken and Dumplings Soup is a hearty, comforting dish featuring tender boneless, skinless chicken thighs, fluffy dumplings, and a savory, slightly creamy broth infused with aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs. Perfect for chilly days, this cozy one-pot meal is easy to prepare, customizable, and loved by both kids and adults alike.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 6 cups good-quality chicken broth
Vegetables and Fats
- 2 tablespoons butter or oil
- 1 cup diced onions (about 1 medium onion)
- 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium carrots)
- 1 cup diced celery (about 2 stalks)
Dumplings
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk or buttermilk
Herbs and Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Prepare the Broth and Vegetables: Heat butter or oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sauté diced onions, carrots, and celery until tender and fragrant, about 5-7 minutes. This creates a gently caramelized base, enhancing the soup’s savory and sweet notes.
- Cook the Chicken: Add chicken thighs to the pot and season with salt, pepper, and thyme. Pour in the chicken broth and bring to a gentle simmer. Let cook for about 20 minutes until the chicken is juicy and tender.
- Prepare the Dumpling Dough: While the chicken simmers, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and milk or buttermilk until a sticky dough forms. Handle the dough gently to keep dumplings light and fluffy.
- Add Dumplings to the Soup: Spoon dollops of the dumpling dough onto the simmering soup. Cover with a lid and cook without lifting for about 15 minutes, until the dumplings puff up and are cooked through.
- Shred the Chicken and Final Touches: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot, shred it with two forks, then return it to the soup. Stir gently and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the soup before serving.
Notes
- Use chicken thighs for extra moisture and richness.
- Mix dumpling dough just until combined to avoid dense dumplings.
- Keep the lid on when cooking dumplings to trap steam and cook evenly.
- Add fresh herbs at the end to brighten flavor without overpowering.
- Simmer gently rather than boiling to keep chicken tender and broth clear.
- For best leftover texture, store dumplings separately if possible.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 600 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg