This is the Best Chicken and Dumplings Soup because it’s ultra cozy and creamy! Featuring drop dumplings made from scratch and a comforting, herbaceous chicken soup, you’ll have a hard time stopping after one bowl.
Jump to Recipe
Easy creamy chicken and dumpling soup
The Best Chicken and Dumplings Soup is making its way toward the top of my list of top 10 most comforting recipes, right next to my Chicken Noodle Soup and Chicken Mushroom Pot Pie. The moist and tender dumplings nestled into a creamy chicken soup are absolutely divine! Comfort food doesn’t get much better than this.
Chicken and dumpling soup may seem complicated, but it actually comes together seamlessly. First, the soup base is made with plenty of vegetables, herbs, and chicken. Next, scratch-made dumplings are dropped in the pot and simmered with the soup. It’s finished with a glug of heavy cream to give it a velvety smooth and irresistible texture.
I made this soup with drop dumplings as opposed to rolled dumplings or biscuit dumplings because they’re easy to make with 6 common ingredients. They’re the right choice for this recipe because all you have to do is pinch off a piece of dough, drop it in the pot, and let it simmer in the soup.
Give this chicken and dumplings recipe a try the next time you need a flavor-packed and extra comforting family-friendly dinner. You and the kids will be begging for more!
Watch How To Make Chicken and Dumplings Soup Recipe
What is chicken dumpling soup made of?
- Olive oil
- Onion – Feel free to use white or yellow onions, or shallots or leeks instead.
- Carrots and celery – You can add more fresh or frozen vegetables to the soup if you’d like, such as potatoes, green beans, peas, bell peppers, and spinach.
- Garlic
- Thyme and oregano – Fresh is preferred, but dried works in a pinch. Feel free to add a bay leaf or two for extra flavor.
- Unsalted butter
- Flour – You need all-purpose flour to help thicken the soup and to make the dumplings. I haven’t tested it, but a gluten-free flour blend should work just as well.
- Chicken stock
- Chicken tenderloins – Or replace these with two boneless, skinless chicken breasts. You can make this recipe even easier by stirring in a shredded storebought rotisserie chicken when you add the dumplings.
- Salt
- Heavy cream – The cream gives the soup its luxuriously creamy texture. It’s also used in the biscuit dough for added moisture. Feel free to use whole milk as a substitute.
- Baking powder
- Fresh herbs – Fresh chives and dill are folded right into the dumplings for an herby, savory flavor. Extra dill on top of the soup is the perfect garnish!
- Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk at home, make it yourself! All you need is milk and vinegar or lemon juice.
How to make chicken and dumplings soup
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the hot oil before adding the carrots, celery, and garlic.
Stir in the thyme, oregano, butter, and flour. Cook for 2 minutes.
Now you can pour the chicken stock into the pot. Add the chicken, then bring the soup up to a boil. Keep boiling until the chicken is cooked through.
Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside. Shred the meat with two forks.
Pour the heavy cream into the pot and bring it up to a boil.
While you wait for the chicken to cook, prepare the dumplings. Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and chopped herbs together in a bowl. Pour the buttermilk and heavy cream over the dry ingredients, and gently mix until a dough forms.
Use a spoon to scoop tablespoon-sized dumplings from the dough. Drop them into the pot of chicken soup one by one.
Once all of the homemade dumplings are in the soup, cover the pot with a lid and leave it to simmer until the dumplings look puffy and are cooked through. Season with more salt if needed, then ladle into bowls and top with fresh dill. Enjoy!
Tips and tricks
- The flour should be enough to thicken the dumpling soup. If it still isn’t quite thick enough, make a cornstarch slurry by stirring 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of water. Stir the slurry into the soup during the last 3 minutes of simmering.
- Are the dumplings taking a while to puff up? Keep the lid on and keep simmering until they become fluffy.
- To make a vegetarian version of this soup, omit the chicken and use vegetable stock instead of chicken stock.
Storing leftovers
Store: The leftover chicken and dumplings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Just know that the longer it’s stored, the more liquid the dumplings will absorb.
Reheat: Warm the leftovers on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little extra chicken stock or broth if the texture needs to be thinned a little.
I don’t recommend freezing leftover chicken and dumplings, as the texture of the dumplings changes as they freeze and thaw.
Looking for more comforting soups to try?
- Tomato Bisque with Fresh Tomatoes
- Loaded Creamy Cauliflower Soup
- Sausage Tortellini Soup with Kale
- Easy Lasagna Soup
- Roasted Tomato Soup
Did you try the Best Chicken and Dumplings Soup? Let me know what you think by leaving a comment below and giving this recipe a rating! Don’t forget to take a picture tag me on Instagram or use #lenaskitchenblog to be featured in my stories! I love seeing what you come up with!
Best Chicken and Dumplings Soup
Equipment
- 1 peeler
Ingredients
For the soup
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large onion finely diced
- 2 medium carrots peeled and finely diced
- 2 ribs celery finely diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 sprigs thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 1 ½ pounds chicken tenderloins or 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt more to taste
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons dill finely chopped
For the dumplings
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ cup fresh herbs use a mix of chives and dill (finely chopped)
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Instructions
For the soup
- Heat a heavy bottomed pot to medium heat, add olive oil and onions. Sautee for 5 minutes.
- Add carrots and celery and cook for another 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 1 minute.
- Add thyme and oregano, and mix to combine. Add in the butter and flour and cook on low until golden browned about 2 minutes.
- Slowly add chicken stock and then add the chicken, bring to a boil and cook the chicken until fully cooked (about 10-15 minutes, cook for 25 minutes if using chicken breast). Add salt and taste for seasoning.
- Once the chicken is cooked through, remove it from the pot & carefully shred it with two forks.
- Add heavy cream and bring to a boil.
For the dumplings
- While chicken cooks, prepare the dumplings mixture. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, mix to combine. Add the chopped herbs and mix to combine. Pour in the buttermilk and heavy cream, fold the ingredients into each other until a dough forms. It may look a little dry at first, but it will come together. Don't over mix.
- To drop the dough, use a cookie scoop or 2 tablespoons, freeform the prepared herbed dumpling dough into tablespoon-sized dumplings, dropping the dumplings into the pot one by one.
- Once all the dumplings have been added to the pot, cover & simmer for 8-10 minutes or until the dumplings are puffy & cooked through. Taste and season with additional salt as desired.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and top with chopped dill. Serve hot.
Video
Lori
You did it again Lena! This was amazing! Such great flavor and pretty easy to make. Thanks!
https://www.wonderfulcook.com/
This chicken and dumplings soup was so delicious and creamy! I made this recipe twice already, and my family and I loved it. Thank you for posting such a lovely recipe!
lena
I am delighted that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for trying it out!
Dana
Wow this recipe is delicious made it for dinner tonight. Love the addition of fresh herbs into the dumplings so creative and tasty.