CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS SOUP FROM SCRATCH
This classic Chicken and Dumplings Soup uses a whole chicken to create a flavorful broth. Full of vegetables and topped with fluffy homemade dumplings, this dish can be served as a meal in itself or as a complement to a full dinner.
INGREDIENTS Soup
1 whole 3- to 4-pound chicken, thawed
4 cups water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 celery sticks, thinly sliced
4 large carrots, thinly sliced
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 to 4 cups chicken broth
3 chicken bouillon cubes
½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning chicken
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for
seasoning chicken
½ teaspoon ground thyme
1½ cups frozen peas
Dumplings
1¾ cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
¾ cup buttermilk
1 egg
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Place the whole chicken in a large 4- to 6-quart baking dish with water. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover with foil and bake 25 minutes for each pound, or until internal temperature reaches 165°F. So, if your chicken weighs 3 pounds, bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
3. Once done, remove the chicken from the baking dish and let cool enough to handle. Remove meat from bones and shred. While the chicken is cooling, strain the liquid from the baking dish into a large bowl. Measure how many cups you have and set aside.
4. Add oil, onion, celery and carrots to a 6-quart or larger Dutch oven or stockpot. Cover and cook on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables just start to become tender.
5. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and mix to combine. Let cook for 1 minute, and then slowly add the liquid from the chicken, mixing to combine. Add enough extra chicken broth to make a total of 10 cups of liquid in the pot. Add chicken bouillon, salt, pepper and thyme to the pot, and stir to combine. Bring to a rolling boil for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. Cover and reduce heat to a low simmer for 30 minutes.
6. While soup is simmering, make the dumpling batter. In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together buttermilk, egg and parsley (optional). Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix or the dumplings will become dense.
7. After soup has simmered for 30 minutes, mix in the shredded chicken and peas.
8. Using a spoon, gently drop dumpling batter into the soup to create about 8 to 10 dumplings. Don’t make them too large, as the dumplings will double in size as they cook. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 18 to 20 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked through. Do not remove the lid while the dumplings are cooking, as they need the steam to cook properly. To make sure dumplings are cooked through, cut one in half. If it’s not done, cover and cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.
9. Serve warm and enjoy!