Soups…I did it again. And again. And again, it seems. Whenever I get on a soup kick I tend to really overdo it, in the best kind of way of course. Especially when it comes to this recipe of chicken and dumplings. A few weeks ago when I was sick, I literally had this soup for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The bowl wouldn’t even make it to the dishwasher. Just a quick rinse and refill at meal time. It’s THAT GOOD!! Kevin always asks for extra dumplings which defeats the purpose of it being a “healthier” soup, but I usually let it slide. I am no soup nazi.
This recipe is loaded with veggies, shredded chicken, and delicious doughy dumplings in a creamy broth. It is actually one of the very first things I ever learned to cook. There is something so magical about dropping your dumplings into the hot broth and watching them puff up into a sea of little misshapen clouds as they cook. I tend to find myself daydreaming as I stare at them…..ooooooo that one looks like a dragon…. or is it a hedgehog….Nope, definitely a dragon!
My recipe is inspired by Hungry Girl’s low calorie chicken and dumpling recipe, which I started making years ago and since have molded into my own based on my preferences. The amount of soup the recipe makes ends up being enough for 4-5 meals, so you can have it again and again and again, just like me! I promise, it’s absolutely broth-taking!
Step 1: Make that mirepoix. To make the stew, bring a very large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat on the stove. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Stirring often, cook until veggies have slightly softened, 6 – 8 minutes.
Step 2: Assemble the soup. To the pot, add the chicken breasts and thighs. Sauté chicken with vegetables for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme, pepper, tumeric, and chicken broth. Add bay leaf and 2 cups of water. Stir well.
Step 3: Practice patience. Good things come to those who wait. And I promise, this stuff is good. Cover the pot and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Carefully remove chicken and transfer to a large bowl. Re-cover the pot, and let contents continue to simmer.
Step 4: Shred that bird. Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with two forks. Add shredded chicken to the pot, along with condensed soup, mushrooms, dill, and frozen peas. Stir thoroughly and raise heat to medium low; return stew to a simmer.
Step 5: DUMPLINGS. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine dumpling ingredients. Gently mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not over mix. Once stew is simmering, add dough in heaping tablespoons to form about 15 individual dumplings; add the dough slowly and evenly so dumplings don’t stick together. Cook until dumplings are firm enough to flip, 10 – 12 minutes, gently turning them over about halfway through cook time. The dumplings will have absorbed some of the color of the broth and no longer appear doughy.
Step 6: SLURP. Scoop yourself a bowl and get to work.
Ingredients
- For the stew: 4 large stalks celery, chopped
- 4 medium carrots chopped
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped
- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 32 oz. fat-free chicken broth or stock
- 2 boneless skinless lean chicken breasts
- 3 boneless skinless chicken thighs
- 3 cups sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup fresh dill chopped
- 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
- 1/2 tsp. tumeric
- 1/4 tsp. black pepper
- 1 dried bay leaf
- 2 cups water
- One 10.75-oz. can 98% fat-free cream of mushroom condensed soup
- 2 cups frozen peas
- salt as needed
- For the dumplings: 1 1/2 cups Bisquick Heart Smart baking mix
- 2/3 cup fat-free or lowfat milk
- 1/8 tsp. each salt and black pepper
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. dried basil
Instructions
- To make the stew, bring a very large pot with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to medium heat on the stove. Add the celery, carrots, onion, and garlic. Stirring often, cook until veggies have slightly softened, 6 - 8 minutes.
- To the pot, add the chicken breasts and thighs. Sauté chicken with vegetables for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the thyme, pepper, tumeric, and chicken broth. Add bay leaf and 2 cups of water. Stir well.
- Cover the pot and bring contents to a boil. Reduce heat to low and let simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 25-30 minutes. Carefully remove chicken and transfer to a large bowl. Re-cover the pot, and let contents continue to simmer.
- Once cool enough to handle, shred the chicken with two forks.
- Add shredded chicken to the pot, along with condensed soup, mushrooms, dill, and frozen peas. Stir thoroughly and raise heat to medium low; return stew to a simmer.
- Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine dumpling ingredients. Gently mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not over mix.
- Once stew is simmering, add dough in heaping tablespoons to form about 15 individual dumplings; add the dough slowly and evenly so dumplings don't stick together. Cook until dumplings are firm enough to flip, 10 - 12 minutes, gently turning them over about halfway through cook time. The dumplings will have absorbed some of the color of the broth and no longer appear doughy.
- Remove bay leaf. Serve!!
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