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Creamy Chicken and Dumpling Soup

Rich and creamy one-pot soup with fluffy homemade dumplings, bacon, tender vegetables, and shredded chicken in a velvety broth.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 545
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for dumplings
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp kosher salt for dumplings
  • 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper for dumplings
  • 3 tbsp minced fresh chives
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp whole milk for dumplings
  • 3 tbsp reserved bacon fat or melted butter
  • 5 strips bacon diced
  • 4 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 small yellow onion diced
  • 1 leek white and light green parts only, sliced
  • 3 carrots peeled and diced
  • 3 ribs celery diced
  • 1/4 cup flour for soup base
  • 1 tsp dried rubbed sage
  • 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 6 cups chicken stock homemade is best
  • 3 cups shredded cooked chicken
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • kosher salt to taste
  • freshly cracked pepper to taste

Equipment

  • 4-quart Dutch oven
  • mixing bowls
  • Cookie scoop or spoons
  • whisk

Method
 

  1. Place Dutch oven over medium-low heat and add diced bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8-10 minutes until crispy and golden. Transfer bacon to a plate using a slotted spoon and pour 3 tablespoons of bacon fat into a heat-proof bowl.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and chives for dumplings. In the bowl with bacon fat, whisk together sour cream and milk until smooth. Pour wet ingredients into dry and fold gently until no streaks of flour remain. Cover and set aside.
  3. Melt butter in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion, leek, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables begin to soften. Add sage and thyme, cooking 1 minute more. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and stir constantly for 2-3 minutes to create a roux.
  4. Add chicken stock one cup at a time, stirring well between each addition to prevent lumps. Bring to a simmer. Add shredded chicken, heavy cream, and reserved bacon. Bring to a gentle simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste.
  5. Using a cookie scoop, drop rounded portions of dumpling dough into simmering soup, leaving space between each. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15-17 minutes without lifting the lid. Dumplings should be fluffy and cooked through.
  6. Ladle soup into bowls, ensuring each serving gets several dumplings. Garnish with additional fresh chives if desired.

Notes

Storage: Store soup and dumplings separately in airtight containers for up to 5 days. Soup can be frozen for up to 3 months without dumplings. Reheating: Reheat soup on stovetop over medium-low heat. Warm dumplings on baking sheet at 350°F for 5-7 minutes for best texture. Avoid microwaving dumplings as they can become rubbery. Substitutions: Use melted butter instead of bacon fat. Substitute half-and-half for heavy cream for lighter version. Dried chives work but use 1 tablespoon instead of 3 tablespoons fresh. Tips: Don't overmix dumpling dough—fold just until combined. Add stock gradually when making roux to prevent lumps. Rotisserie chicken saves significant prep time.