Chicken Main

Creamy chicken and dumpling soup

Name: Chicken and dumpling soup recipe
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 1.5kg whole chicken; 40g butter; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 large carrots, roughly chopped; 2 celery stalks, roughly chopped; 1 large leek, well washed, halved and roughly chopped; 20.00 ml chopped thyme leaves; 2 heaped tbs plain flour; 1.5l chicken stock; 160ml cream; 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce; Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve; 250g plain flour; 2 tsp baking powder; 2 tsp caster sugar; 1 tsp fine salt; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1/2 tsp bicarb soda; 125ml milk; 80g butter, melted; 50g creme fraiche or sour cream

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by Danielle Alvarez

May 29, 2025

"I grew up in the south of the US, and although we ate more Latin American-style foods, being Cuban, we certainly learned to appreciate classic Southern foods, like biscuits and gravy, chicken fried steak and chicken and dumplings. This is a simple soup, made luscious with a splash of cream and easy little scoop-and-drop dumplings, which cook right in the soup. It’s the best comfort food I can think of." - Danielle Alvarez

Recipe note: You’ll need a large cast-iron saucepan with a lid.

1.5kg whole chicken
40g butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 large carrots, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, roughly chopped
1 large leek, well washed, halved and roughly chopped
1 tbs chopped thyme leaves
2 heaped tbs plain flour
6 cups (1.5L) chicken stock, preferably homemade (or just use water)
2/3 cup (160ml) pure (thin) cream
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
Flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve

Dumplings (makes 22)

12/3 cups (250g) plain flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tsp fine salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp bicarb soda
1/2 cup (125ml) milk
80g butter, melted
50g creme fraiche or sour cream

Method

1.

Season chicken all over with salt flakes. Heat a large cast-iron saucepan with a lid over medium-high heat and add butter. Brown chicken on all sides, then remove chicken from pan and set aside.
2.

Add vegetables and thyme to the pan with a good pinch of salt flakes and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until softened (reduce the heat if the vegetables start to brown before they soften). Add flour and stir to cook for about 1 minute. Slowly whisk in stock until well combined. Increase heat to high and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium and return chicken to pan. Season broth well with salt flakes and simmer, covered, for 40-50 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from pan and set both pan with broth and chicken aside.
3.

Stir cream and Worcestershire sauce, through broth, then taste for seasoning, adjusting with salt flakes, as needed.
4.

For the dumplings, mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl, then add milk, butter and creme fraiche or sour cream. Stir with a spoon or spatula until it just comes together (it will still look a little rough and shaggy). Bring broth back to a low simmer over medium heat and drop heaped 1 tbs measures of batter into the simmering broth. They will sink to the bottom at first. Once they’ve floated to the top, cook them for a further 5 minutes with the lid on.
5.

Shred chicken, discarding skin and bones. Return all meat to the pan. Return soup to a simmer over medium heat.
6.

Serve garnished with parsley and lots of freshly ground black pepper.