Chicken Soup with Dumplings (Printable)

Tender chicken and vegetables blend with soft, fluffy dumplings for a comforting meal.

# What you'll need:

→ Soup

01 - 2 tbsp 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 lbs bone-in, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
07 - 2 bay leaves
08 - 1 tsp dried thyme
09 - 1 tsp salt, or to taste
10 - ½ tsp ground black pepper
11 - 10 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 - 1 cup frozen peas
13 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

→ Dumplings

14 - 1½ cups all-purpose flour (190 g)
15 - 2 tsp baking powder
16 - ½ tsp salt
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
18 - ¾ cup whole milk (180 ml)
19 - 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add diced onion, sliced carrots, and celery; sauté until softened, about 5-6 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook for 1 minute.
02 - Add chicken, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper to the pot. Pour in the chicken broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
03 - Remove chicken from pot and shred meat using two forks, discarding bones. Return shredded chicken to the soup.
04 - Stir in frozen peas and chopped parsley. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Fold in melted butter, whole milk, and optional parsley until just combined, avoiding overmixing.
06 - Spoon tablespoon-sized mounds of dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering soup, spacing them evenly.
07 - Cover pot tightly and simmer without removing the lid for 15 minutes, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
08 - Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with additional parsley, and serve warm.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The dumplings are soft and pillowy without being heavy, soaking up all that savory broth in the best way.
  • It comes together in just over an hour, making it perfect for weeknight dinners or last-minute gatherings.
  • One pot means less cleanup and more time actually enjoying the meal with people you care about.
02 -
  • Never lift the lid while dumplings cook, no matter how curious you are—they need that steam to puff properly and stay tender.
  • Overmixing the dumpling dough is the quickest way to end up with dense, heavy dumplings instead of fluffy clouds.
  • Use bone-in chicken; boneless chicken won't give you that silky, gelatin-rich broth that makes this soup truly special.
03 -
  • Brown your vegetables slightly in the butter before adding liquid; those caramelized edges add depth that raw vegetables simply cannot.
  • Keep your soup at a gentle simmer, not a rolling boil, so the broth stays clear and the chicken stays tender instead of shredding into tough fibers.

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