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Light & Bright Chicken and Dumpling Soup to Ease You Into Spring
Here’s the deal – springtime is really weird here in MN. While my mind & body are ready for warmth & sunshine, the reality is we’re still in the throes of wintery weather well into April (…maybe even May! 😭), complete with chilly wind, ice, &, of course, snow.
As far as I’m concerned, this chicken and dumpling soup recipe is the perfect bridge between late winter & early spring. It delivers the type of cozy comfort that’s ideal for a chilly or dreary day, but it also boasts fresh flavors that your body may crave with the promise of warmer weather on the horizon. Every bite is the best of both seasons!
Offering a slightly different take on classic thick & creamy chicken and dumpling soup – but with all the same elements you already know & love! – this spring chicken and dumplings features plenty of seasonal veggies, fresh herbs, & lemon juice to create fresh & bright flavor with lighter texture that feels more suitable for spring.
What takes it to the next level, though, are tender & soft homemade drop dumplings. Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour (my fave!) creates the perfect light & fluffy texture, while a generous amount of fresh herbs folded into the dumpling batter adds an extra touch of freshness. They are so good.
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Highlights
You’ll love this homemade chicken and dumplings with a springtime twist because it’s…
- THE FIRST TASTE OF SPRING. Leeks, pearl onions, sweet peas, carrots, parsley, dill, & chives are the best of the spring harvest. The perfect recipe to enjoy seasonal springtime flavor with plenty of coziness – perfect for chilly early spring temps!
- LIGHT & BRIGHT. Each spoonful of this lightly creamy chicken and dumpling soup is complete with a satisfying burst of bright lemon & fresh herbs. It’s a little lighter & a whole lot brighter than classic homemade chicken and dumplings.
- A ONE-POT WONDER. While there’s a little bit of prep work & inactive simmering time involved, the whole recipe comes together in one pot. Less dishes to wash = major dinnertime win!
There’s nothing better than a spring-inspired bowl of homemade chicken and dumplings to power through the end of winter (especially if you live in Minnesota 🙋🏻♀️). ♡ Read on to learn more about how to make Springtime Chicken and Dumplings with Hella Fresh Herbs, or jump straight to the recipe & get cooking!
Hold Up: What is Chicken and Dumplings?
Chicken and dumplings is all-time classic comfort food with next-level coziness! A soup or hearty stew, classic chicken and dumplings is traditionally made with bites of juicy chicken, tender veggies, & pillowy-soft homemade drop dumplings. The dumplings float on the top of the soup, absorbing the amazing flavor of the creamy chicken broth as they simmer. While the rich creaminess of the soup is delicious all on its own, the tender dumplings are really what makes this dish special!
What’s spring chicken and dumplings, then? The combination of springtime ingredients & fresh flavors in this recipe will make you think of spring. Leeks, carrots, celery, pearl onions, & sweet peas are also some of the best early spring ingredients, while fresh herbs like parsley, dill, & chives & a touch of bright lemon make the chicken and dumpling soup taste fresh & light. It’s the perfect marriage of wintertime comfort with light, bright spring flavors.
Key Ingredients for Spring Chicken and Dumplings
Note: Full ingredients list & measurements provided in the Recipe Card, below.
Lots of veggies & fresh herbs are key to giving homemade chicken and dumplings a spring-inspired twist. Here’s everything you need:
- Chicken – I like to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, though you can also use thighs – they create even richer chicken flavor.
- Spring vegetables – Namely, leeks, carrots, celery, sweet peas, & pearl onions. Leeks, in particular, are one of my favorite spring vegetables in this dish, but if you don’t have them on hand, you can use a yellow onion in their place!
- Fresh herbs & aromatics – Garlic & poultry seasoning (typically a blend of dried marjoram, rosemary, sage, & thyme), plus a TON of fresh parsley, chives, & dill. No bland soup here!
- Lemon – The addition of fresh squeezed lemon adds brightness that feels like warm spring sunshine.
- Half & half – Just a touch! This spring chicken and dumplings soup is much lighter than traditional thicker versions, but adding the littlest bit of half & half creates delicious & crave-worthy creaminess.
- Homemade drop dumplings – These homemade dumplings are made with ingredients you already have on hand for the chicken and dumpling soup, plus a few simple staples: Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour, baking powder, cold butter, eggs, & half & half. The addition of fresh herbs gives the dumplings an extra springtime feel.
Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour for Homemade Dumplings
The quality of all of Bob’s Red Mill products is simply exceptional – one of the key reasons I love their brand so much! Considering quality is especially important when you’re making relatively simple dishes, like homemade dumplings for chicken and dumplings.
Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour is a staple you’ll always find in my kitchen. It’s milled from the highest quality North American wheat & has a 10-12% protein content, which helps create perfectly light & bouncy drop dumplings. Find it in the baking aisle at most conventional grocery stores, or shop online!
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings…with a Touch of Springtime!
With a little bit of prep work involved & a longer simmer required, this one-pot meal is perfect for a cozy springtime Sunday supper. (With a little prep done ahead of time, spring chicken and dumplings is also relatively weeknight-friendly– check the Recipe Notes, below, for meal prep guidance!)
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
Cook the aromatics. Cook the leeks, carrots & celery in a little bit of olive oil or butter. Once softened, add garlic & poultry seasoning & cook a few minutes longer. Important! ⇢ Don’t forget to clean your leeks! Due to the way they grow, there’s often dirt & sand built up in the inner layers of a leek. The easiest way to clean leeks is by slicing them & rising in a colander with cool water. See the Recipe Notes, below, for step-by-step guidance.
Build & simmer. Dust the aromatics with a little flour to build a creamy base, then add in chicken stock & whole chicken breasts straight into the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover & cook for about 15 minutes. Why? ⇢ Poaching the chicken in the flavorful broth infuses it with plenty of flavor & gives the meat a super tender texture.
Shred the chicken & finish the soup. The chicken should be cooked through after 15 – 20 minutes. Remove the chicken breasts from the pot & shred the meat into bite-sized pieces. From there, finish the soup by adding the shredded chicken back into the pot along with pearl onions, sweet peas, & half & half. Bring the soup back to a simmer to let all the flavors meld together. Pro Tip! ⇢ One of my favorite ways to shred chicken is using my stand mixer! Use the paddle attachment & let the mixer do all the work.
How to Make Homemade Dumplings for Chicken and Dumplings + Tips & Tricks
The finishing touch for this chicken and dumpling soup is a batch of homemade drop dumplings. From-scratch warm, tender dumplings are the BEST part of any bowl of spring chicken and dumplings!
*Timing Tip!
Drop dumpling dough is not the type of thing you want to try to prep ahead of time. Over time, it loses the airiness needed to create that super soft & tender homemade drop dumplings. I recommend making the dumpling dough while the chicken and dumpling soup simmers – you’ll have about 15 – 20 minutes, which is all the time you need!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
How to make dumplings for chicken and dumplings:
Mix the dry ingredients. Add the Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour, baking powder, & chopped fresh herbs to a bowl, then season with a little salt & ground black pepper. Use a whisk to mix everything together well.
Add the butter. Run cold butter along the side of a grater, then add the grated butter to the flour mixture. Use your hands to toss everything together, coating the pieces of butter with the flour. Tip! ⇢ To create light, pillowy dumplings, it’s really important the butter stays cold. Do your best to avoid warming it too much with your hands by working quickly to minimize the amount of time spent handling the butter.
Mix the drop dumpling dough. Form a well in the middle of the flour-butter mixture & add beaten egg and half & half into the well. Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a spatula or wooden spoon. Mix just until everything comes together. Tip! ⇢ For light, tender dumplings, it’s important to avoid over-mixing the dumpling dough. (Over-mixing develops the glutens in the flour & results in tough dumplings.) Once a thick, spongy dough forms then it’s good to go!
Full Recipe Directions, including step-by-step photos, are included in the Recipe Card, below.
How to cook the homemade drop dumplings:
The best time to cook the dumplings is after you add the shredded chicken & remaining ingredients into the pot. The soup should be simmering at this point, so the dumplings hold their shape & begin to cook as soon as they’re dropped into the pot.
Form the dumplings. Use two small spoons to prepare the herbed dumpling dough into individual portions & drop them into the pot one by one. Freeform the shapes here – the dumplings do not have to be perfect! What matters most is not overworking the dough too much as you scoop so the dumplings stay light & airy.
Simmer the dumplings. From there, cover the pot & simmer the chicken and dumpling soup for 8-10 minutes, just until the herbed dumplings are puffy & cooked through.
Homemade Chicken and Dumplings FAQs
What veggies go in chicken and dumplings?
A more traditional chicken and dumpling soup includes carrots, celery, onions, & maybe a root vegetable like potatoes, turnips, or parsnips. To make spring chicken and dumplings, I sub in a leek for the onions & add sweet peas & pearl onions for a fun spring flavor. Make sure to properly clean your leeks before using them in this recipe – more detail on how in the Recipe Notes, below!
How to make fluffy drop dumplings?
The key to pillowy soft homemade drop dumplings comes down to how you prepare the dumpling dough. 2 important details make a big difference:
- Cold butter is essential! Like a biscuit dough, keeping the butter cold helps the dough puff up as the homemade drop dumplings cook & the butter melts away. Keep the butter cold until you’re ready to use it & then grate it into small pieces for easy mixing with minimal handling.
- Take care not to overmix the dumpling dough! Over-mixing the dough makes the dumplings dense – the opposite of what we’re aiming for! Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients & then mix carefully until just combined.
How to thicken chicken and dumplings?
This spring chicken and dumplings recipe is not meant to be as thick & creamy as traditional homemade chicken and dumplings. If that’s what you’re looking for, you can swap the half & half with a more generous amount of heavy cream – delicious!
What to serve with chicken & dumplings?
Spring chicken and dumplings is a complete meal all on its own! Ladle the chicken and dumpling soup into a bowl & garnish with some more fresh herbs or a spritz of lemon juice.
If you want to add sides, go for it! I love serving a simple salad with fresh greens tossed in my All-Purpose Vinaigrette & a side of crusty bread (this Italian Herb Asiago Cheese No-Knead Bread is my favorite!). For more veggies, add some Easy Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta, Pine Nuts & Parmesan – they’re always a hit!
I can’t wait for you to try this Springtime Chicken and Dumplings recipe! It’s the perfect spring comfort food meal & I know you’ll love it as much as we do. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. You can also snap a photo & tag @playswellwithbutter on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your PWWB creations!
Looking for more springtime flavor? Be sure to try my Creamy Mascarpone Pasta with Chicken & Asparagus, Thai-Style Green Curry with Gingery Chicken, or this Strawberry Salad with Grilled Chicken & Goat Cheese next. ♡ Happy cooking!
Print
Springtime Chicken & Dumplings with Hella Fresh Herbs
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 6-8 1x
- Category: Soup, Stew & Chili Recipes, Main Dish
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Description
Equal parts cozy + comforting & light + fresh, there’s no better meal to savor the first days of spring than this Springtime Chicken and Dumplings recipe!
This is a lightly creamed chicken and dumpling soup & it’s absolutely loaded with tender pulled chicken & the best early spring produce – mild leeks, carrots, sweet peas, pearl onions, & bright lemon. The best part, though, is the generous amount of pillow-y tender homemade drop dumplings that simmer right in the soup. These dumplings are classic – made with plenty of butter for rich flavor! – but they get a springtime twist from loads of fresh herbs.
This one-pot recipe is total springtime comfort food, ideal for a cozy, light & bright Sunday supper as the seasons start to change. Leftovers reheat beautifully for an easy lunch throughout the week – refer to the Recipe Notes, below, for more guidance!
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or unsalted butter
- 2 leeks, thinly sliced & cleaned of all sand (~2 cups sliced white & green parts, can substitute with 1 diced large yellow onion)
- 3 large carrots, peeled as desired & diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
- 1 teaspoon dried poultry seasoning
- 1/3 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 48 ounces (6 cups) chicken stock or broth
- 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- one 12-ounce bag frozen pearl onions
- one 12-ounce bag frozen sweet peas
- 1/2 cup half & half
- spring herb dumplings, below
- 2 lemons, juiced
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill)
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
for the spring herb dumplings:
- 1 cup Bob’s Red Mill Organic All-Purpose Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh herbs (parsley, chives, dill)
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, grated
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1/3 – 1/2 cup half & half
- kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
Instructions
- Cook the aromatics: Add the olive oil or butter to a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot with a lid over medium heat. Once hot & shimmering, add the leeks, carrots, & celery, seasoning with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic & poultry seasoning, stirring to combine, & cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
- Build the soup & simmer: Dust the flour over the softened veggies, stirring to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply browned. While scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, slowly pour in the chicken stock. Be sure to scrape up any brown bits that may have formed at the bottom of the skillet – that’s where the flavor is! Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to maintain a gentle simmer. Add the chicken to the pot. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Cover & simmer 15-20 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through.
- Prepare the dumpling dough: Meanwhile, as the soup simmers, prepare the dumpling dough. Add the flour, baking powder, & chopped fresh herbs to a medium bowl. Season with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt & ground black pepper as desired. Whisk to combine. Add the grated butter & use your hands to quickly mix, coating the butter pieces with the flour mixture. Form a well in the middle of the bowl for the wet ingredients. Add the beaten egg & half & half to the bowl. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, mixing just until a thick, spongy dough forms. Do not overmix. Set aside.
- Shred the chicken: Once it’s cooked through, remove the chicken from the pot & carefully shred. You can do so using 2 forks, or my favorite trick: pop them in a stand mixer & let the paddle attachment do the work for you (I swear this works!). Add the shredded chicken back into the pot along with the pearl onions, sweet peas, & half & half. Stir to combine. Bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
- Simmer the dumplings: Using 2 small spoons, freeform the prepared herbed dumpling dough into tablespoon-sized dumplings, dropping the dumplings into the pot one by one (you could also use a tablespoon measure or small cookie scoop, just take care not to overwork the dough). Once all the dumplings have been added to the pot, cover & simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the dumplings are puffy & cooked through. Taste and season with additional salt or ground black pepper as desired.
- Serve: Finish the chicken and dumplings soup by stirring in the lemon juice & fresh herbs into the pot. Ladle the chicken and dumplings into individual bowls. Finish with a sprinkling of chopped fresh herbs or a spritz of fresh lemon juice, as desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Ingredient notes:
- How to clean leeks: Leeks are a springtime superstar! They’re like a very mild onion with a beautiful mellow & sweet allium flavor. If you’ve never worked with leeks, cleaning them requires a little more work than a standard onion since there’s often dirt & sand built up in their inner layers. Trim the root end & fibrous dark green tops. Slice the leeks in half lengthwise, then slice each piece into thin half moons. Transfer the chopped leeks to a large bowl or colander. Rinse with cool water, using your hands to toss & shake off any debris. Once cleaned, pat the leeks dry with a towel & they’re ready to use.
- Leek substitute: If you don’t have leeks on hand, feel free to swap them out in this recipe with 1 large yellow onion.
- Suggested fresh herbs: Given the spring theme of this particular chicken & dumplings recipe, I like to use spring herbs like parsley, chives, & dill. In my opinion, the best ratio for both the soup & the herbed dumplings is 2 parts parsley to 1 part each chives & dill (i.e. 1/4 cup chopped parsley, 2 tablespoons chopped chives, 2 tablespoons chopped dill). Feel free to tweak this ratio to suit your tastes.
- Storage & Freezing:
- Storage & Reheating: Leftover chicken and dumplings will keep, stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, for up to 4 days. Reheat on the stovetop or in the microwave, adding a little extra chicken stock or broth if the soup needs to loosen up a little.
- Freezing: I don’t suggest freezing leftover chicken and dumplings, as the texture of the dumplings changes as they freeze & thaw.
- 15-Minute Meal Prep: The majority of the active time involved in this recipe is chopping veggies. Chop all the veggies in advance to get a head start on your chicken & dumplings. It takes about 15 minutes & at dinnertime you can jump right into cooking – easy!
- Trim & thinly slice 2 leeks. Place in a large bowl or strainer & rinse well to remove any sand or grit. Pat completely dry. Transfer to an airtight container with a paper towel to absorb any moisture. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (10 minutes active prep)
- Dice 3 large carrots & 2 stalks of celery. Transfer to an airtight container & store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (5 minutes active prep)
Recipe and Food Styling by Jess Larson, Plays Well With Butter | Photography by Rachel Cook, Half Acre House.
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My son requested chicken pot pie with dumplings and this is now his favorite! The fresh herbs really make the recipe – i used sage, rosemary, chives and parsley. Going in my recipe book for the weekly rotations!
So so glad he loved it, Molly! It is the perfect winter (hoping for Spring!) meal. Thanks so much for leaving a comment & rating, it means so much!
The absolute best recipe! I love chicken and dumplings because it’s such a comforting recipe but adding all the herbs gives it such a refreshing kick!
100% agree, Anna! We’re so glad you love it as much as we do!
This was DELICIOUS and honestly quite easy to make. All the fresh herbs make regular C+D seem stuffy and boring. Loved it and will be making again. Thank you!
Hi Mackenzie! So glad to hear you loved this one as much as you do – we couldn’t agree more that the fresh herbs totally take it over the top!
Made this for Sunday supper and it was delicious. The fresh herbs and flavorful chicken made for a hearty meal. My dumplings turned out perfect thanks to these instructions. The squeeze of lemon juice is a must!
Thanks Cameron! We are thrilled to hear that the instructions were helpful – it sounds like you chicken & dumplings turned out perfectly!