Whenever I think of my grandmother, I think about dumplings. In many regards she was not a very good cook. But that woman could make chicken and dumplings fit for a God. Maybe it was because she started with a home grown chicken that had just been butchered. So of course the chicken stew part was amazing. But what she did to create light as a feather dumplings will forever remain a secret. Which is truly sad. But Betty Crocker, bless her heart, taught me how to make dumplings that are almost as delicious as my grandmothers. So today I am going to share with you this wonderful, decades-old recipe for dumplings that are not gut bombs. (If you like the kind of dumplings that resemble thick chewy pasta you aren’t going to like these dumplings. Sorry.)

Over the years I have messed with this recipe a bit, but only when it comes to adding a different herb or two to compliment whatever dish I am preparing. And since this soup calls for thyme and parsley, I thought the dumplings should also contain this lovely combination of flavors.

And why soup to begin with you might ask. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, it’s cold outside. And when the weather turns chilly I immediately think comfort food. And if there is any dish more comforting than chicken soup, I’d be pleased to know your thoughts on the subject. But I had a problem to work out with this recipe.

I had never made a soup that was topped with dumplings. I had only topped stews with dumplings because you need a fairly thick broth to support the dumplings as they steam. So in working out this recipe, I thickened the chicken broth enough to allow the dumpling batter to remain on the surface.

So I hope you enjoy this tasty quint essential comfort food. It is absolutely perfect on a dark, cold, rainy day. And we in the Pacific Northwest get our fair share of days like that! So make soup. It’s a perfect defense against inclement weather. Plus it’s good for what ails you. (Whatever that means!) Enjoy

Soup:

4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter  

2 lg. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into ½-inch cubes

1 sm. onion, chopped  

4 celery stalks plus leaves, thinly sliced

2 lg. carrots, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

½ tsp. dry mustard

gently rounded ¼ tsp. dry thyme leaves   

2 bay leaves

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper  

8 c. (2 qt.) chicken stock

6 T. all-purpose flour

¼ c. chopped parsley

½ c. frozen petite peas

In a large covered pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the cubed chicken and sauté until cooked through. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add onion, celery, and carrots to the pan. Cook for 8–10 minutes. Stir occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes. (Don’t let the garlic get brown.)

Stir in the dry mustard, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Let cook for about a minute.   Add the chicken stock. Bring to a boil. Cover the pan, lower the heat, and simmer the stock for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

In a small bowl whisk the flour with a couple ladles of the broth making sure there are no lumps. Gently stir the slurry into the stock and allow to cook for several minutes or until thick and creamy. (It won’t be supper thick, just thick enough to support the dumpling batter.) Then stir in the parsley, peas, and cooked chicken. Adjust seasoning. Cook for about 3 minutes or until all the ingredients are hot and the soup is gently simmering.

Using a spoon or ice cream scoop, drop dumpling balls into the soup.  The dumplings will double in size while they cook, so make them as big or small as you wish.

Cook dumplings at a slow simmer for 10 minutes with pan uncovered. Then cover the pot and simmer for about 10 more minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through. (Make sure you don’t peek while the dumplings are cooking for the second 10 minutes. They need to steam in order to be nice and fluffy and lifting the lid will release the steam.) To check if the dumplings are ready, use a toothpick to test if the dumplings are cooked through. Then serve the soup immediately.

Please note: If you are lucky enough to have left-over baked chicken or turkey, use it. Just add the cooked meat when called for in the recipe.   

Dumplings:

1 egg

¼ c. plus 2 T. whole milk

2 T. veggie oil

1 c. all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder   

½ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

¼ tsp. dried thyme leaves  

1 T. finely chopped fresh parsley  

In a bowl whisk the egg, milk, and oil together. In another bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley together. Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just until combined. Do not over-mix.