Chicken & Dumplings Soup

INGREDENT

• 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked chicken (shredded)
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 tsp dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• Salt & black pepper, to taste

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp butter, cold and cubed
• ½ cup milk

Instructions

1. Heat olive oil or butter in a large pot. Add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic.
2. Pour in chicken broth, add shredded chicken, thyme, parsley, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
3. While soup simmers, prepare dumplings: In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in milk until dough forms.
4. Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough into simmering soup (don’t stir). Cover with a lid and cook for 15 minutes, until dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
5. Remove bay leaf, adjust seasoning, and serve hot.

Would you like me to make this a classic creamy chicken & dumplings version (with a thicker broth), or keep it as a lighter soup style?