Chicken & Dumplings Soup

Ingredients

For the soup:

• 2 tablespoons butter or oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken (rotisserie chicken works well)
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or milk (optional, for creaminess)

For the dumplings:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, cold and cut into small pieces
• 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

1. Prepare the soup base:
   In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions, carrots, and celery. Cook until vegetables are tender (about 5–7 minutes). Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
2. Add broth and chicken:
   Pour in the chicken broth and add the shredded chicken, thyme, parsley, salt, and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for 10 minutes to blend the flavors.
3. Make the dumpling dough:
   In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter using a fork or fingers until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in milk until a sticky dough forms (do not overmix).
4. Cook the dumplings:
   Drop spoonfuls of the dough into the simmering soup (about 1 tablespoon each). Cover the pot with a lid and reduce heat to low. Simmer gently for 15–20 minutes, without lifting the lid, until dumplings are puffed up and cooked through.
5. Optional finish:
   Stir in the cream or milk to make the soup extra rich and creamy. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
6. Serve warm:
   Ladle the soup with dumplings into bowls and enjoy!

Let me know if you’d like a shortcut version using biscuit dough or a slow cooker version!