Homemade Easy Stovetop Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe - Perfect Meal For Busy Days
Deliciously rich and creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup has been warming hearts and soothing souls for generations.
From the tender chicken pieces to the fluffy dumplings and the flavorful broth, this easy chicken and dumpling soup is comfort food at its best.
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This chicken and dumpling soup is a delightful way to use up leftover chicken, and it has become a much-loved family favorite, especially during the cold winter months.
In addition, it's incredibly simple to prepare this soup from scratch with just a few easy steps.
Homemade Easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe
The secret to a winning Chicken and Dumpling Soup recipe that everyone loves is to have a solid foundation: Homemade Chicken Stock (Bone Broth).
It adds a special savory goodness to every single spoonful that you won't find in store-bought options.
While store-bought broth can work in a pinch, nothing compares to the rich depth of flavor achieved by simmering your own broth.
For tender and juicy chicken in your soup, opt for bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a combination of thighs and breasts to enhance the flavor.
Alternatively, you can use up any leftover chicken meat.
To create fluffy dumplings, form a soft dough and drop spoonfuls of it into the simmering soup, spaced evenly.
Cover the pot and let the dumplings steam for 15 minutes without peeking.
Afterward, uncover and admire perfectly cooked, doubled-in-size dumplings ready to soak up the soup's deliciousness.
Ingredients You'll Need
Please scroll down to the recipe card below for the full ingredients list with measurements, complete recipe method, recipe notes, and nutritional information.
Ingredients for Soup
- Shredded Chicken - You can prepare shredded chicken using leftover cooked chicken meat from Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Legs, store-bought shredded rotisserie chicken, or by cooking bone-in and skin-on chicken thighs and/or breasts from scratch.
- Vegetables - I use diced celery, onion, carrots, finely chopped garlic, and frozen peas to add a flavorful and colorful touch to the dish, enhancing the overall taste and texture.
- Chicken stock/broth - I prefer using my homemade Easy Chicken Stock (Bone Broth) recipe to create a flavorsome base for the soup. However, you can use a good quality low-sodium store-bought broth.
- Butter - Use good quality unsalted butter. To make the white sauce, make sure it is totally melted before adding the flour.
- Flour - Plain flour or all-purpose flour is perfect for making cakes, cookies, pastries, and thickening sauces.
- Flavorings - Bay leaf, thyme, salt, freshly ground black pepper, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Heavy cream - It is also known as double cream and is used to make the soup rich and creamy.
Ingredients for Dumplings
- Flour - You can use self-raising flour or add a tablespoon of baking powder to all-purpose flour.
- Melted Butter - Gently melt unsalted butter on low heat and let it cool down a bit before adding to the flour.
- Milk - Full-fat whole milk or semi-skimmed milk is necessary to form a soft, pliable dough. You can substitute it with buttermilk.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making this creamy and comforting "Easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe" is very easy and straightforward.
However, to achieve the best results you need to follow a few simple steps:
Prepare the Soup Base
In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-based large pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Add the diced onions and sauté until soft and translucent.
Stir in the carrots, and celery, and sauté until they are tender and fragrant.
Add the garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper, and cook for an additional minute, allowing the flavors to meld.
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat.
Cook for a couple of minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
Add the bay leaves, chopped thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Add the double cream along with frozen peas and shredded chicken to the pot. Stir well to combine.
Allow the soup to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the chicken to heat through.
Prepare the Dumplings and Mix in the Soup
In the meantime, prepare the homemade dumplings. In a mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour and salt to make the dumpling batter.
Pour in the melted butter and milk. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the simmering soup, making sure to space them evenly.
I sometimes shape them into small balls for presentation purposes, but that's completely optional.
Cover the pot with a lid and let the dumplings cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes. They should become light and fluffy.
Once the dumplings are cooked, remove the bay leaves from the soup.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
Ladle the delicious Chicken and Dumplings Soup into bowls and serve hot.
You can garnish the soup with fresh herbs like dill, fresh parsley, or chives for an extra burst of flavor.
Top Tips From the Chef
- Use homemade chicken broth - Making your own chicken broth from scratch will add a depth of flavor that store-bought alternatives cannot replicate. Simmering chicken bones and aromatic vegetables for a few hours will create a rich and flavorful base for your soup.
- Opt for bone-in, skin-on chicken - Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, a combination of chicken thighs and breasts, or a whole chicken will result in tender and juicy meat. The bones and skin add extra flavor and help retain moisture during cooking.
- Drop dumplings evenly - When adding the dumpling dough to the simmering soup, make sure to drop spoonfuls evenly spaced apart. This will ensure that the dumplings cook uniformly and have enough space to expand and become light and fluffy.
- Resist the temptation to peek - Once the dumplings are in the pot and simmering, avoid lifting the lid or peeking underneath. This can disrupt the cooking process and prevent the dumplings from achieving their desired fluffiness.
- Adjust seasoning to taste - Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or other spices to achieve a well-balanced and savory flavor.
How to Serve Chicken and Dumplings?
Here are some serving suggestions to complement your Chicken and Dumpling Soup:
- Salad - Pair the soup with a fresh green salad for a balanced and refreshing combination. Choose your favorite salad greens, such as mixed greens, spinach, or arugula, and toss them with a light vinaigrette dressing.
- Crusty Bread - Serve the soup with warm, crusty bread such as Dutch Oven Sourdough Bread, Japanese Hokkaido Milk Bread, or Black Pepper Sourdough Focaccia on the side. The bread is perfect to soak up the flavorful broth and adds an extra element of comfort to your meal.
- Side Vegetables - Add a side of steamed or roasted vegetables to your meal. Air Fryer Asparagus, Air Fryer Brussel Sprouts, or Honey Roasted Carrots and Parsnips would complement the soup nicely.
- Homemade Croutons - Make homemade croutons by cubing and toasting bread in the oven with some olive oil, garlic powder, and herbs. Serve them alongside the soup for added crunch and flavor.
Reheating and Storage Instructions
Storage
To store the chicken and dumpling soup, let it cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container.
Refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3-4 days or freeze them for up to 3 months.
Reheating
When reheating the creamy soup, you can do so on the stovetop or in the microwave.
If using the stovetop, heat the soup over low heat, stirring occasionally, until it reaches the desired temperature.
If using the microwave, transfer the soup to a microwave-safe bowl and heat in 1-minute intervals, stirring in between, until thoroughly heated.
Ensure the soup is piping hot before serving. You may need to add a splash of water or broth to adjust the consistency if it thickens upon refrigeration.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can definitely use a slow cooker or Instant Pot to make the chicken and dumpling soup.
For the slow cooker, simply combine all the ingredients, including the shredded chicken and dumplings, in the slow cooker and cook on low heat for 6-8 hours or on high heat for 3-4 hours.
If using an Instant Pot, set it to the "Soup" mode and adjust the cooking time to around 20 minutes.
Both methods will result in a flavorful and comforting chicken and dumpling soup with minimal effort.
Yes, you can use unsweetened almond milk or soy milk as a substitute for regular milk in the dumpling recipe.
However, it's important to note that the texture and taste of the dumplings may vary slightly.
Regular milk adds richness and moisture to the dumplings, so using alternative milk options may result in a slightly different texture.
Yes, you can make the dumplings ahead of time and refrigerate them. Simply cover and refrigerate the formed dumplings for up to 24 hours before cooking.
When ready, drop them into the simmering soup. Adjust cooking time as needed.
To check if the dumplings are done, look for them to rise to the top of the soup.
Check if the dumplings have puffed up and increased in size.
Gently touch the center of a dumpling to make sure it's cooked through and no longer doughy. The dumplings should be light, fluffy, and fully cooked.
Related Recipes
For more delicious and comforting soup recipes why not try:
Did you make this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @cookingorgeous on Instagram and hashtag it #cookingorgeous.
I hope you enjoy the process of making this Easy Homemade Stovetop Chicken and Dumpling Recipe as much as you enjoy eating it! 🙂
Bon appétit! / Afiyet olsun!
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Easy Chicken and Dumpling Soup Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Soup
- 50 g unsalted butter
- 1 medium onion (diced)
- 1 medium carrot (diced)
- 1 stalk celery (diced)
- 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
- 40 g plain white flour / all-purpose flour
- 1250 ml chicken stock
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 sprigs thyme (chopped, leaves only)
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- ½ cup double cream or heavy cream
- 150 g frozen peas
- 400 g shredded chicken
For the Dumplings
- 250 g self-raising flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 40 g melted butter
- 150 ml semi-skimmed or full-fat milk
- dill, parsley, or chives to garnish (finely chopped)
Instructions
Preparing the Soup Base
- In a large Dutch oven or a heavy-based pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the diced onions and sauté until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the carrots, and celery, and sauté until they are tender and fragrant.
- Add the garlic, salt, and freshly ground pepper, and cook for an additional minute, allowing the flavors to meld.
- Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well to coat. Cook for a couple of minutes to cook off the raw flour taste.
- Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
- Add the salt, freshly ground pepper, bay leaves, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
- Add the double cream along with frozen peas and shredded chicken to the pot. Stir well to combine.
- Allow the soup to simmer for about 15-20 minutes, allowing the flavors to develop and the chicken to heat through.
Preparing the Dumplings
- In the meantime, prepare the dumplings. In a mixing bowl, combine the self-raising flour and salt.
- Pour in the melted butter and milk. Stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Dropping the Dumplings into the Soup
- Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into the simmering soup, making sure to space them evenly.
- Cover the pot with a lid and let the dumplings cook undisturbed for about 15 minutes. They should become light and fluffy.
- Once the dumplings are cooked, remove the bay leaves from the soup. Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
- Ladle the delicious Chicken and Dumpling Soup into bowls and serve hot. You can garnish the soup with fresh herbs like dill, parsley, or chives for an extra burst of flavor.
Notes
- Making your own chicken broth from scratch will add a depth of flavor that store-bought alternatives cannot replicate. Simmering chicken bones and aromatic vegetables for a few hours will create a rich and flavorful base for your soup.
- Using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs or a combination of thighs and breasts will result in tender and juicy meat. The bone and skin add extra flavor and help keep the chicken moist during cooking.
- When adding the dumpling dough to the simmering soup, make sure to drop spoonfuls evenly spaced apart. This will ensure that the dumplings cook uniformly and have enough space to expand and become light and fluffy.
- Once the dumplings are in the pot and simmering, avoid lifting the lid or peeking underneath. This can disrupt the cooking process and prevent the dumplings from achieving their desired fluffiness.
- Before serving, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if needed. Add more salt, pepper, or other spices to achieve a well-balanced and savory flavor.
Nutrition
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