Main Dish- Chicken Soup with Herb Dumplings

Chicken Soup with Herb Dumplings

So, when I think of Chicken & dumplings I think of the ultimate comfort food.  I actually didn't grow up on it, but after I was married and after many trial and error, I've finally come up with our very own and favorite Chicken & dumpling recipe.  It seems that a lot of the different recipes I have tried over the years have different ideas of what a dumpling truly is.  According to Wikipedia, Dumplings are cooked balls of dough. Some of the recipes I have had "dumplings" in the name but were more like thick noodles.  This dumpling recipe below is an actual Mennonite recipe and we have loved it!  They ARE little clouds of heaven floating around in golden broth.  Mmmmm.... :)  I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!


Chicken soup:



6-8 cups water


Season salt


Pepper

1 tbsp Thyme


Chicken bullion (I use the loose stuff, not cubes & just add to my taste)


Turmeric (just a pinch)


2-3 chicken breasts


1 med sweet onion, chopped


1 ½ c. Celery heart & stalk, sliced


2 large carrots, grated


2 bay leafs


2 tsp butter


2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil


¼ cup Heavy cream


-Boil chicken breasts, seasonings, & bullion in 6-8 cups water. Remove chicken when cooked through reserving cooking liquid in pot. Shred chicken and add back to pot. Saute’ celery, onion, carrots, & bay leaf in 2 tbsp oil/2 tbsp butter mix with lid on, stirring and cooking through until veggies are soft. Add cream to soup pot along with sauteed veggies, taste to be sure seasonings are to your liking, adjust as needed. Bring soup to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 15-20 minutes; prepare dumplings (directions below) and drop into low boiling soup by spoonful’s. Turn down to med-low or low boil and cover for 18 minutes to cook dumplings. Remove bay leafs, serve & Enjoy!

Dumplings:

2 c. flour


1 tsp salt


4 tsp baking powder


2 tbsp parsley


1 egg


2 tbsp melted butter


2/3 c. milk


Sift first 4 ingredients into bowl, then mix in dried parsley, then combine remaining ingredients and stir in quickly with a wooden spoon until smooth. Drop by spoon evenly around boiling soup. Cover tightly and simmer 18 minutes until done…no peeking, keep the lid on! YUM!!!