Chicken and Dumplings Soup is the kind of meal that instantly brings comfort. It’s warm, filling, and rich with nostalgia, a dish many people associate with cozy family dinners or snowy nights spent at home. There’s something deeply satisfying about the way tender chicken, hearty vegetables, and soft dumplings come together in one bowl.
This soup is all about balance. The broth is usually thick and flavorful, made by simmering chicken with aromatics like onions, garlic, and herbs. It creates a savory base that wraps around every bite like a warm blanket. The chicken, often shredded or cut into bite-sized pieces, adds protein and heartiness without overpowering the other flavors.
But the real star is the dumpling. Whether they’re biscuit-style, dropped straight into the pot, or rolled and cut into strips, dumplings bring a soft, doughy contrast to the soup’s chunky texture. As they cook, they absorb some of the broth’s flavor, becoming pillowy pockets of comfort. Each bite is just the right mix of tender and chewy, savory and satisfying.
One of the best things about Chicken and Dumplings Soup is how it adapts to what you have on hand. Add in peas, carrots, or celery for extra texture and color. Use leftover chicken or a rotisserie bird if you’re short on time. Even the dumplings are forgiving, homemade or store-bought, simple or seasoned, they all bring something special to the table.
This dish also stores and reheats beautifully, making it ideal for meal prep or leftovers. The flavors deepen overnight, and the dumplings stay soft without falling apart.
Chicken and Dumplings Soup isn’t just another recipe. It’s a reminder of slower days, hearty meals, and the joy of eating something that feels both nourishing and familiar. Whether you’re making it for a family gathering or just yourself, it’s the kind of dish that makes you pause, breathe, and feel at home, even if only for a moment.
Ingredients
- 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into bite-sized pieces
- 2 cups chicken broth low sodium
- 1 cup all-purpose flour for dumplings
- 1 tablespoon baking powder for dumplings
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- 1/2 cup milk for dumplings
- 1/4 cup butter melted, for dumplings
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup peas frozen
- 1 cup celery chopped
Instructions
- In a large pot, heat chicken broth and add the chicken pieces. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
- In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Stir in milk and melted butter to form a dough.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough into the simmering soup to form dumplings. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes until dumplings are cooked through.
- Stir in carrots, peas, and celery. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to taste.
Nutrition
Wasn’t sure about the milk in the dumplings. Seems kinda strange! They turned out okay, but still…
This soup was soooo good! The dumplings were fluffy and delicious. Will make again!
Soup is good, but I’ve had better dumplings. They were kinda dense. Idk if I did somethin wrong?
Too much salt. I think I measured wrong. Next time I’ll cut back on it.
YUM! Finally a dumpling recipe that doesn’t taste like cardboard! Five stars for sure.
Love how easy this is! I added some garlic and it really kicked up the flavor. Thanks!
Pretty good, but my dumplings turned a bit gummy. I think I overmixed the dough or maybe kept it covered too long. Still tasty though—will try again with less stirring.
This turned out super comforting—soft dumplings and a nice savory broth. I added a little black pepper at the end and it tasted like something my grandma would make.
Five stars. Period.
This soup is so good! The dumplings are fluffy and delicious. My kids loved it!
I’ve been looking for a good dumpling recipe! Can’t wait to try this one. Glad your kids loved it!
The soup sounds nice, but I don’t trust recipes that don’t say how long to cook the chicken! Is it really that easy?
Followed it pretty much exactly. Dumplings were a bit dense for me, but still good. Next time I’ll drop smaller spoonfuls so they cook through faster.
Great basic recipe! Added some garlic and thyme for flavor. Will make again!
Wow. Super easy and quick! Took me less than an hour. Thanks for sharing!
Soup with dumplings, yes please. Simple ingredients and it tastes like home. 10/10 for a weeknight dinner!
I didn’t have peas so I used corn. Also my dough was kinda thick—more like paste—so I added a splash more milk. Came out good anyway. 10/10 would improvise again.
This soup is simply amazing!! The dumplings turned out so fluffy. Thanks for sharing!
So glad you liked it! The fluffiness of the dumplings really makes the soup special! 😊
I dunno… mine didn’t turn out fluffy at all. Maybe I did something wrong? 😕
Not sure what I did wrong, my dumplings kinda sank and got mushy. Could be my dough was too wet? Still tasty though, just not pretty.
I followed it exactly and… idk, the broth tasted a bit bland until I added more salt. Also 1 cup flour seems like a lot? My dough was very thick. Still, not bad.
Yummy! I made this for my dinner guests, and they were begging for the recipe!
My friend said to add chicken skin for flavor, should I try that next time?
My broth didn’t seem to have enough liquid—maybe I used smaller pot? Dumplings got pasty at first but I fixed it with a splash more broth. Still yummy.
That makes sense! If you used a smaller pot, the ratio can get off and everything thickens up fast. Glad you saved it with extra broth—100% been there 😅
Huh, I think you might be right about the liquid. I’ve had dumplings go pasty when I don’t simmer gently enough. Maybe the broth should be closer to a rolling simmer before dropping them in?
What is chicken breasts? I just used whatever chicken I had. Still tasted awesome!
Yummm! My kids loved it, they even asked for seconds.
This looks like one of those recipes where you follow step 1 and everything goes wrong in step 3 😂 but honestly it turned out fine. Dumplings stayed fluffy for me.
Hmm, soup with chicken? Never thought of that. Seems odd, idk if I wanna try.
I thought the same at first, but it’s actually really good! The chicken makes it hearty. You should give it a chance!
Too many peas!! I’d skip them next time.
I followed it pretty closely and the flavor is solid. However, my dough was thicker than expected (maybe my milk was smaller cup? who knows). Still tasted great, just not super tender.
I don’t know if I did something wrong, but my dumplings were like bricks. How do they get fluffy?
Idk if I would call it “soup with dumplings” tho… more like dumplings cooked *in* soup lol. Still, whole family liked it. Quick weeknight win.
I was skeptical about the cooking time, but it was perfect! Quick and easy.
Not bad but it was kinda bland for me. Also, I don’t get why there’s only 1 teaspoon salt split—seems low. I should’ve used chicken thigh instead of breasts maybe? Oh well, seasoning fixes it.
Wait—only 1 teaspoon salt total?? That’s like nothing 😅 I’d do more and also toss in garlic powder or onion powder. Breast can get kinda dry/blah in soups, so thighs make sense.
I hear you—mine was a little bland too until I added more salt and a splash of pepper. The 1 tsp being split is… odd, but you can definitely taste and adjust. Chicken thighs would probably make it richer.
I don’t know, the dumplings came out kinda hard for me. Maybe I didn’t drop them right?
It happens! Sometimes the dough needs a little more moisture. Try adding a bit more milk next time. It’ll make a difference!
Made this last night—comforting as heck. The dumplings turned out fluffy, not gummy. I added a little extra black pepper and it was perfect.
Made this tonight and it was super comforting. The dumplings came out light, not heavy, and the whole pot smelled amazing. I added a little extra pepper and it really pulled everything together.
This was too salty for my taste. Maybe I added too much salt? Gonna try again tho!
Not sure dumplings belong in soup…Don’t you just have noodles?
Ok but 20 minutes to cook the chicken and then another 10-15—seemed long. Mine got a little chewy, not terrible though. Flavor is still solid.
Good idea, but I had to tweak it. My dumplings didn’t really “float” like I expected and they were a bit dense—next time I’ll drop smaller spoonfuls and simmer a touch longer.
Ahh that makes sense—mine never really floated either. Dropping smaller spoonfuls + simmering a bit longer sounds like exactly what’s needed for lighter dumplings.
I followed the steps and my dumplings were kinda heavy too. I think the pot might’ve not been simmering enough—like if it’s not rolling, they don’t cook right. Next time I’ll try smaller drops… or maybe more baking powder? 🤷♂️
I was skeptical about flour + baking powder + milk, but wow—the dumplings actually worked. Great weeknight soup.
Honestly same—I thought flour + baking powder + milk would be weird. But soup dumplings are magic sometimes. Good call!
This reminds me of grandma’s soup. The combo of chicken broth and veggies is really solid. Dumplings took longer than the instructions said though; I ended up cooking closer to 20 minutes.
I followed the recipe mostly, but I accidentally used regular salt for everything and it was a bit too salty. The chicken part is great though—just adjust the seasoning.
I’m skeptical about using flour + baking powder like that, but okay wow. The texture was nice. Next time I’ll slice the carrots thinner so they soften faster.
Made this tonight and it turned out super comforting. The dumplings were tender (not gummy), and the chicken stayed juicy. I added a little extra pepper and it really popped.
Pretty good, but I think my dumplings absorbed too much broth and got a little mushy. Next time I’ll keep the soup at a gentle simmer and not a rolling boil.
This tastes like chicken noodle soup’s friend who shows up with dumplings. Simple and hearty. My kid actually ate the peas (miracle).
Looks easy. I’m gonna try it tomorrow. Dumplings are my weakness 😅
Yesss dumplings! 😄 They’re surprisingly easy here—hope yours come out fluffy!
The dumplings were a weird texture for me. I think the dough was too sticky when I dropped it in, because it turned into little blobs instead of dumplings. Could be user error!
Oof, I get what you mean—sticky dough can definitely make blobs instead of dumplings. Next time try a slightly thicker dough (more flour, or wait a couple minutes after mixing so it hydrates). Also make sure the soup is *just* simmering when you drop them in—if it’s too boiling they’ll break apart.
This is basically chicken soup with dumplings, and it was fine. My family ate it, so that’s something. Dumplings were okay but mine were a little doughy in the center.
Made this last night and it was super comforting. Dumplings turned out light, not gummy at all. I added a little extra pepper and it really perked it up.
Dumplings didn’t puff up at all… I might have dropped them too small? The broth was good, but the texture was more like soft biscuits floating around. Still edible, just not what I wanted.
Sorry that happened! Puffing usually depends on keeping the soup at a gentle simmer (not too low, not rolling). Also, try bigger spoonfuls—thicker dumplings tend to rise more.
Mine never puffed either the first time. I started cooking the soup uncovered a bit longer before adding dumplings, and I made sure the dough was a little thicker (less milk). Yours sounds like they baked rather than steamed.
Pretty good, but I had to cook the dumplings a bit longer than the time listed. Also I used broth I had on hand and it ended up saltier—watch that salt.
One star because I burned the butter (oops). The soup itself was fine but my kitchen smelled like regret. Recipe seems okay though!
Not sure I get it—dump spoonfuls into the broth?? Mine kinda floated and broke apart. Might be user error, but it wasn’t the fluffy dumpling texture I hoped for.
Could’ve used more broth? Mine got thick like stew after the dumplings. Also I accidentally used regular salt instead of low sodium and it was slightly too salty, so watch that.
Made this last night—so comforting. Dumplings came out light, not gummy, and the chicken stayed juicy. I salted slightly less than the recipe and it was perfect. Will absolutely make again!
Mine always comes out a bit dense… maybe I’m overcooking the dumplings. About how long did you keep it covered, 10 min or closer to 15?
Love hearing this! “Not gummy” dumplings are the best—nice adjustment on the salt too. Do you think you’ll keep the same veg timing next time?
Pretty good! I followed it mostly, but I think my dumplings needed more time—some were a bit doughy in the middle. Next time I’ll steam them a couple extra minutes with the lid on.
Dumplings are my weakness and this recipe almost convinced me to quit. It’s edible, but I didn’t love it—too much flour taste.
Maybe you needed to cook them longer and not open the lid so much—dumplings get sad if they don’t steam. Also, I don’t see any herbs or pepper here, so it might taste flat. Try adding black pepper/garlic powder, and maybe only 1/2 cup flour next time. Just my two cents.
Ugh, I’m sorry! The flour-y taste is such a bummer with dumplings. Did you measure the dumpling flour exactly? Sometimes too much flour or not enough mixing can make them kind of dense and starchy. I wonder if adding a bit more butter/milk (or letting them cook closer to 15 min) would help next time.
This is the kind of soup my grandma would make. Simple ingredients, no drama. I added garlic and it still worked—10/10 comfort food. ❤️
I like that it’s simple, but I’m curious—when do you add the carrots/peas/celery? Step 4 says after the dumplings, right? I usually add veggies earlier so they don’t overcook.
Aww this sounds exactly like the kind of soup that makes you feel safe. Dumplings are such a comfort move—saving this one! ❤️
Made this tonight and it turned out super comforting. The dumplings were fluffy and not gummy at all. I only added a little extra black pepper and it tasted like something from a cozy diner.
Yes!! I made this too and it’s seriously comfort food. My dumplings stayed fluffy like you said—no gummy mess. I added a bit more pepper and it tasted like diner-style soup.
Hmmm I tried this once and my dumplings came out kinda heavy 😕 I used regular broth not low sodium though. Maybe I overmixed the dough? Still, sounds good and I like the chicken + veggie combo.
The recipe is super clear, but I’m not sure about the order of veggies. I threw carrots in first like usual and it felt faster. Could just be my timing.