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Chicken and dumpling soup with fluffy drop dumplings, shredded chicken, carrots and celery

Chicken and Dumpling Soup (One Pot, 50 Minutes)

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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 510
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Soup
  • 4 Tbsp butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 cup sliced carrots
  • 1 cup sliced celery
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
  • 2 tsp dried sage
  • 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves or ½ tsp dried
  • 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
  • 1 cup evaporated milk 12 oz can
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Kosher salt + black pepper to taste
  • Fresh chopped parsley to serve
Dumplings
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 Tbsp fresh thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • 4 Tbsp melted butter

Equipment

  • Large Dutch oven wide not tall
  • Cookie scoop or two spoons
  • wooden spoon
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Kitchen shears for the biscuit shortcut

Method
 

  1. Melt 4 Tbsp butter in a wide Dutch oven over medium heat; sauté the onion, carrots and celery 5 minutes until soft.
  2. Add the garlic, Italian seasoning, sage and thyme; cook 1 minute.
  3. Sprinkle in 3 Tbsp flour, stir to coat, and cook 1 minute (the roux).
  4. Pour in the broth in small splashes, scraping the bottom, then stir in the evaporated milk; add the chicken, peas and bay leaves and bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Whisk the dumpling dry ingredients in a bowl; make a well, pour in the milk and melted butter, and stir just until a dough ball forms — do NOT over-mix.
  6. Cookie-scoop the dumplings onto the surface of the simmering soup, about 2 Tbsp each, spread in one layer; gently press each one down so the soup runs over just the tops.
  7. Put the lid ON and simmer gently for 15 minutes — DO NOT PEEK.
  8. Test one dumpling with a toothpick (clean = done) or cut one in half; fish out the bay leaves, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

Notes

Keep the lid on for the full 15 minutes — the dumplings need steam, and lifting it drops the temperature and makes them dense.
 
Stir the dumpling dough just until it comes together; over-mixed dough is dense dough.
 
Stir rotisserie chicken in near the end so it doesn't dry out.
 
Use a wide Dutch oven, not a tall pot, so the dumplings spread in one layer and steam evenly.
 
Store the dumplings and the soup separately — together they soak up broth overnight and get mushy.