Description
This Best Ever Chicken Dumpling Soup is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender chicken simmered in a flavorful broth with aromatic vegetables and fresh herbs, topped with soft, fluffy herbed dumplings. It’s perfect for chilly days or whenever you need a satisfying, cozy meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
- 2 ribs celery, finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 sprigs thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried thyme)
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1½ pounds chicken tenderloins (or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt (more to taste)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped
Dumpling Ingredients
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup fresh herbs (a mix of chives and dill, finely chopped)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the soup base: Heat a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the finely diced onion and sauté for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Add vegetables: Stir in the diced carrots and celery, cooking for another 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute more to release its aroma.
- Incorporate herbs and create roux: Add thyme and oregano to the vegetables, stirring to combine. Add the butter and flour, cooking over low heat until the mixture turns golden brown, about 2 minutes, creating a flavorful roux.
- Add stock and chicken: Slowly pour in the chicken stock while stirring. Add the chicken tenderloins or breasts and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is fully cooked—about 10-15 minutes for tenderloins or 25 minutes if using breasts. Season with kosher salt and adjust to taste.
- Shred chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
- Add cream and boil: Stir in the heavy cream and bring the soup back to a gentle boil.
- Prepare dumpling dough: While the chicken cooks, in a medium bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add chopped herbs and combine. Pour in buttermilk and heavy cream, folding gently until a dough forms. The dough may appear slightly dry initially but will come together without overmixing.
- Drop dumplings into soup: Use a cookie scoop or two tablespoons to drop tablespoon-sized dumplings one by one into the simmering soup.
- Cook dumplings: Cover the pot and let the dumplings simmer for 8-10 minutes until they are puffy and cooked through.
- Finish and serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt if desired. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with chopped dill, and serve hot for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Use chicken tenderloins for quicker cooking; if substituting with chicken breasts, increase simmer time to 25 minutes.
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough to keep the dumplings light and fluffy.
- Fresh herbs in the dumplings add brightness; feel free to adjust herb types based on availability.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, you can slightly reduce the amount of chicken stock or cook the soup uncovered for a few minutes before adding dumplings.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: chicken dumpling soup, comfort food, homemade soup, chicken soup, easy dinner recipe, herb dumplings
