Chicken and Dumpling Soup

A closeup of a dumpling being split open, revealing its fluffy, tender interior, with the soup in the background

5 from 1 vote

This chicken and dumpling soup recipe is made with tender chicken thighs, vegetables, a creamy broth, and homemade Parmesan dumplings.

Prep Time10

Cook Time45

Total Time55

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: cups

Calories: 369kcal

Author: Jocelyn Delk Adams

Equipment

Dutch Oven

Ingredients

For the Soup

1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
1 ½ cups yellow onion diced
1 ½ cups celery diced, about 5 ribs
1 cup carrots diced, about 4 medium carrots
4 cloves garlic minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
7 cups chicken stock
1 1/3 cup half and half
Kosher salt
Black pepper

For the Parmesan Dumplings

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup Italian parsley finely chopped
4 tablespoons Parmesan cheese grated
¾ cup buttermilk
1 large egg
3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted

Instructions

Season the chicken thigh pieces with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper.
Then melt 1 tablespoon butter in large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add seasoned chicken. Cook for 3-4 minutes until it starts to brown, then flip on the other side and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Brown bits should appear at the bottom of the pot.
Remove the chicken onto a plate and set aside. Add in remaining 3 tablespoons butter, diced onion, celery, and carrot along with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and another ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Cook for about 3-4 minutes until vegetables become translucent around the edges. Do not overcook the vegetables. (Reduce heat if the brown bits start to get too dark to avoid burning.)
Add in minced garlic, thyme, and turmeric and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Slowly pour in chicken stock while scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pan, incorporating them into the soup. Bring to a boil, then add chicken back to the pot and 1 teaspoon kosher salt. Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking until chicken is cooked and broth is flavorful, about 8-10 minutes.
Meanwhile, start preparing your dumplings by whisking together the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, parsley, and Parmesan into a medium bowl. Stir in the buttermilk, egg, and melted butter until a wet dough forms.
Scoop 2 tablespoon-sized spoonfuls (#40 scoop) of the dumpling dough into the simmering broth. Cover and cook for 15 -18 minutes until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. (To test the doneness of dumplings, remove one and cut into it to see that it’s fully cooked inside. If not, continue cooking for a couple more minutes.)
Gently stir half and half into soup and let cook another 5 minutes, not allowing the soup to come to a boil. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if needed, then serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

How to Store

Fridge: Let the soup cool down first, then scoop it into an airtight container and slide it into the fridge. It will stay good for about 3 days.
Freezer: I suggest y'all freeze the soup and dumpling dough separately. The broth freezes good for up to 3 months. The dumpling dough freezes for about a month. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before scooping it into the hot broth.
Reheating: Warm it up on the stove over medium low heat until it's hot. No wild boiling boos, or the dairy will curdle and the dumplings might fall apart. The microwave works too, just heat it in short bursts and stir between each one.

Nutrition