Chicken Soup Dumplings (Printable)

Tender chicken and vegetables combine with fluffy dumplings in a savory, warming broth.

# What You'll Need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 garlic cloves, minced
06 - 2.2 pounds bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
07 - 2 bay leaves
08 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
09 - 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
10 - ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
11 - 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 cup frozen peas
13 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, plus extra for garnish

→ Dumplings

14 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour
15 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
16 - ½ teaspoon salt
17 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
18 - ¾ cup whole milk
19 - 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 to 6 minutes until softened. Add minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
02 - Add chicken pieces, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until chicken is fully cooked.
03 - Remove chicken from the pot. Use two forks to shred the meat, discarding the bones. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
04 - Stir in frozen peas and chopped fresh parsley. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter, whole milk, and optional parsley just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
06 - Drop tablespoon-sized spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering soup, spacing them evenly.
07 - Cover the pot tightly and simmer without removing the lid for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
08 - Remove bay leaves and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with additional parsley, and serve hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like home without requiring any culinary school credentials.
  • The dumplings cook right in the pot, so there's no juggling multiple pans.
  • One bowl feels like a complete meal, and it actually is.
  • Leftover soup tastes even better the next day.
02 -
  • Overmixing dumpling dough is the number one mistake; stop stirring the moment everything comes together or you'll regret it.
  • Don't lift the lid while the dumplings cook—the steam is doing everything, and letting it escape means they won't rise properly.
  • Frozen peas stay bright and don't turn to mush if you add them at the very end.
  • Homemade broth makes a genuine difference; it's worth saving chicken bones if you roast a bird.
03 -
  • Cold milk straight from the fridge makes dumpling batter easier to work with and less likely to get overworked.
  • Shred the chicken while it's still slightly warm; it comes apart more easily and more evenly.
  • If your dumplings seem to be sinking, raise the heat just slightly so the broth is at a proper simmer, not just barely steaming.

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