Chicken Soup with Fluffy Dumplings (Printable)

A comforting classic featuring tender vegetables, succulent chicken, and light fluffy dumplings—the perfect warming meal.

# What You'll Need:

→ Soup Base

01 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
07 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
08 - 1 bay leaf
09 - 1 teaspoon salt
10 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
11 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
13 - 1 cup frozen peas
14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

→ Fluffy Dumplings

15 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
16 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
17 - ½ teaspoon salt
18 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
19 - ½ cup whole milk
20 - 1 large egg

# How to Make It:

01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery; sauté for 5 minutes until vegetables are softened and translucent.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, dried thyme, dried parsley, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Cook for 1 minute until the mixture becomes fragrant.
03 - Pour chicken broth into the pot and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes to develop flavors.
04 - Add shredded chicken and frozen peas to the simmering broth. Continue cooking for 5 minutes.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk melted butter, milk, and egg until combined. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined without overmixing.
06 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dumpling batter onto the simmering soup surface. Cover the pot and cook for 18-20 minutes without lifting the lid until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in fresh chopped parsley. Taste the soup and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle soup with dumplings into bowls and serve immediately while hot.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The dumplings are cloud-like pillows that soak up just enough broth to become flavor bombs without getting soggy or dense.
  • You can make the soup base a day ahead, which somehow deepens all the flavors and makes the final dish even more restorative when youre feeling under the weather.
02 -
  • Never vigorously boil the soup once youve added the dumplings or theyll break apart and turn into soggy bread bits instead of fluffy clouds.
  • Letting the soup rest for 5 minutes after cooking allows the dumplings to set completely and makes the first bite absolutely perfect.
03 -
  • If you have parmesan rinds tucked away in your freezer, toss one into the simmering broth for an incredible depth that will have everyone wondering about your secret ingredient.
  • Use a cookie scoop rather than a spoon for the dumpling batter to ensure they cook evenly and look beautifully uniform when served.

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