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a dutch oven with a creamy chicken and dumplings soup.
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4.97 from 28 votes

Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings Soup

A cozy chicken and dumplings classic in a comforting soup!
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 498kcal
Author Tracy

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs chicken breast cubed
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper divided
  • 3 tablespoons salted butter divided
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • 1/2 large white onion diced, about 1 cup
  • 3 cloves garlic about 1 tablespoon
  • 2 cups celery chopped, about 4 stalks
  • 2 cups carrot chopped, about 4 medium sized carrots
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teasspoon dried sage
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
  • 6 cups chicken stock
  • 1 cup milk 2% or whole
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings

  • 1 cup all purpose flour 140 grams
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 8 grams
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons salted butter cold
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt 8 grams
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley

Instructions

  • Add cubed chicken to a medium-sized bowl and season with 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Mix to coat.
  • Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a dutch oven over medium-high heat and add chicken and sear on one side for 5-6 minutes. Stir and sear on the other side for another 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
  • Turn the heat down to medium and add 2 tablespoons of butter to melt. While it melts, use a spoon to scrape up some of the browned bits (flavor) off of the bottom of the pan. Add 2 tablespoons of flour and whisk to create a roux. Whisk continuously until a roux is formed.
  • Add the onion and garlic and coat with roux, saute for about 1-2 minutes stirring often. Add celery, carrots, celery salt, ground mustard, sage, oregano, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper and saute for another 2-3 minutes.
  • Turn heat up to medium high and slowly add chicken stock, mixing as you add and scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan while adding. Once all of the stock is added, add 1 cup of milk.
  • Return chicken to the dutch oven and bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Add lemon juice. Let simmer for 10 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, sift flour and baking soda into a medium-sized bowl. Add salt and mix. Add cubed cold 2 tablespoons of butter and use a pastry cutter to cut butter into flour until it's all incorporated and you have a crumbly mixture.
  • Add dried parsley and mix, then add milk and mix until a sticky dough / batter is formed. Set aside while soup is simmering.
  • After 10 minutes of simmering, turn the heat back up to a gentle boil. Spray a spoon or dough scooper with oil (optional but will help reduce dough from sticking) and then gather scoops of dough and gently drop them into the soup. Repeat, giving some space between until all of the dough has been used, about 6-8 dumplings.
  • Cover and let boil for another 15 miutes to let the dumplings cook and soup thicken.
  • After 15 minutes, reduce heat, serve and enjoy!

Notes

Storage
Fridge:  Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. 
Freezer: Store in the freezer for up to 3 months, although the dumplings already cooked, don't hold up as well. If you plan to freeze, we suggest making a double batch of dumplings and freezing them uncooked and then you can add them to the thawed soup.  
Make Dumplings in Advance
These dumplings are great to make in advance.  Mix dough and then scoop out onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash freeze (freeze for at least 1 hr). Add frozen dumplings to an airtight container, with parchment paper between layers.  
To Cook From Frozen: Thaw in the fridge overnight and then add to the simmering soup and cook for 10-15 minutes. 
Substitutions
Chicken:  Cubed chicken thighs can be used in place of chicken breasts and you can also use whole chicken breasts if you prefer a shredded chicken in your soup.  Sear the whole breasts and add to the soup at the same time, just remove from the dutch oven, shred the chicken and return to the pot before adding the dumplings. This is also great with some leftover turkey or leftover chicken.  2 lbs of raw chicken is about 4 1/2 cups of cooked chicken.  Add the precooked chicken during the first simmer before adding the dumplings.
Onion: White is our favorite but yellow is a great choice, too.
Stock:  Use your favorite!  Chicken, vegetable, or even turkey if using leftover turkey meat. 
Herbs:  You can substitute fresh sage, oregano, and parsley by using the scale of 1 tablespoon of fresh for 1 teaspoon of dried. 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 498kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 44g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 136mg | Sodium: 1943mg | Potassium: 1194mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 7740IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 199mg | Iron: 3mg