Description
This comforting Chicken and Dumplings recipe features tender chicken simmered in a savory broth with fresh vegetables, topped with fluffy sour cream dumplings steamed to perfection. A classic soul-warming dish that’s perfect for cozy family dinners.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 lbs. bone-in skinless chicken breast or thighs
- Salt/Pepper, to taste
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup carrots, diced
- 2 sticks celery, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Frank’s)
- 1/3 cup flour
- 4 ½ cups chicken broth
- 1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
- 1 ½ cups half and half
- ¾ cup frozen peas
Seasonings
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon dried basil
- ½ teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground sage
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper
Dumplings
- 2 cups cake flour or all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- ¾ cup cold sour cream
- ¼ cup cold milk
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Sear the chicken: Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a 4 ½-quart soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the chicken and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until lightly browned but still mostly uncooked inside. Remove and allow to rest for 10 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces, discarding bones.
- Make the soup base: Combine all the seasoning powders and herbs in a small bowl and set aside. In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat and use a silicone spatula to scrape up any browned bits from searing. Add diced onion, carrots, and celery and sauté for 5 minutes until softened. Stir in minced garlic, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, and the prepared seasonings. Cook for 1 more minute to release their flavors.
- Thicken the soup: Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat evenly. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring continuously to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Add liquids: Gradually add chicken broth in small splashes while stirring constantly, scraping any bits from the bottom. Add half and half the same way to ensure a smooth sauce. Add the chicken bouillon cube if using, and stir until dissolved.
- Add peas and simmer: Stir in frozen peas and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to let it simmer uncovered while preparing the dumplings.
- Prepare dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, garlic powder, and sugar. Add cold sour cream, cold milk, and melted butter. Fold ingredients together gently just until a dough forms, being careful not to overmix to keep dumplings light and fluffy.
- Add chicken and dumplings to soup: Return the cut chicken pieces along with any juices to the soup and stir to combine. Reduce heat to low. Using a small cookie scoop or spoon, carefully drop dumplings evenly over the surface of the simmering soup. Spoon a little broth over each dumpling.
- Steam dumplings: Cover the pot tightly and increase heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook undisturbed for 15 minutes to allow dumplings to steam and become fluffy.
- Check doneness: Remove the lid and insert a toothpick into a dumpling center. If it comes out clean, dumplings are cooked through. If not, cover and simmer for a few more minutes until done.
- Finish and serve: Garnish the finished soup with fresh parsley if desired. Ladle into bowls and serve hot for a cozy, satisfying meal.
Notes
- Bone-in chicken breasts or thighs provide more flavor to the broth; boneless can be substituted but may reduce depth of flavor.
- Leftover cooked chicken may be used and should be added just before placing dumplings on the soup.
- Mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce act as subtle flavor enhancers, not directly noticeable but enrich the broth.
- To reduce sodium, omit the bouillon cube and use unsalted butter and low or no sodium chicken broth.
- For a similar variation, try Chicken Stew with potatoes instead of dumplings.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approximately 1 cup)
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 780mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 9g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 25g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
