Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Chicken and dumpling soup was the first thing I made in my dutch oven as soon as I convinced myself it was okay to use it for more than just sourdough bread. This soup has tasty parmesan cheese dumplings and works well when doubled for larger batches.
The ratios for the vegetables are not set in stone. Add more or less depending on what your family enjoys more. For example- Mr. Payne cannot have onions, so while I include them in recipes you won’t see them in my photos. Instead I tend to go heavier on garlic to help balance the dish back out.
Works With Rotisserie Chicken
Soups featuring chicken are very forgiving with which type of meat you’re including. Both dark and light meat work here, so this is a great way to use up rotisserie chicken in multiple ways. If you separate the meat from the chicken a day or two before, you can use the rest of the chicken to create a flavorful chicken stock in a pot, slow cooker, or pressure cooker. It’s a great way to save some money on this recipe by getting both your meat and stock handled for cheap.
New to Dumplings?
There are so many different recipes for dumplings out in the world. Much like biscuits, every dumpling recipe is simply a mix of flour, liquid, and a leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda. Understanding the science behind them can help you develop your own favorite dumpling recipe. This is my go-to dumpling, but feel free to substitute if you find another way of making them that’s more to your family’s tastes.
Creamy Chicken Soup Variations
This soup recipe works on its own without the dumplings if that’s your preference. It also works great with a thick noodle as well as in a bread bowl. The recipe calls for diced fresh parsley because I’ve found it works the best in regards to texture in the soup, but dried works fine too if that’s what you have in your kitchen.
Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Ingredients
- 1-2 lb chicken (cook's preference)
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 cup flour
- 3 Tbsp olive oil
- 2 Tbsp fresh parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 cups flour
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 Tbsp grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp parsley
Method
- Cook chicken in olive oil over medium heat in a dutch oven or deep pot until browned.
- Remove chicken and dice. It is okay if the chicken is not currently cooked all the way through. Set aside.
- Add butter to pot and scrape the bottom. Add garlic and diced vegetables and cook for 3-5 minutes.
- Add flour and stir until dissolved. Add chicken stock and parsley and let simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the soup base is simmering, prepare the dumplings. Fully mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and add the wet ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Add diced chicken and heavy cream to soup and stir well.
- Scoop dumplings into soup by the spoonful trying not to let them touch.
- Place a lid on the dutch oven or pot and leave to simmer for 15 minutes. (It's crucial that you don't lift the lid at all during this time. No peeking!)
- Serve immediately or the next day. The soup itself will freeze nicely but the dumplings do not, so if making this ahead and freezing then make sure to freeze the soup only and plan to add fresh dumplings or noodles when it's served.
Private Notes
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