This chicken and dumplings soup is a comforting, soup-style take on the classic dish. It's made with tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy biscuit dumplings simmered in a flavorful broth, then finished with a touch of half-and-half.
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What's great about this recipe
- This soup is quick and easy, and comes together in about 40 minutes from start to finish.
- It's made with common, budget-friendly fridge and pantry staples, so there's no need for specialty ingredients or extra trips to the store.
- With tender chicken, a flavorful broth, and fluffy biscuit dumplings, this soup is comforting and satisfying.
Ingredients you'll need
- Oil/fat - Olive oil is used to brown the chicken, and butter is used to sauté the vegetables.
- Chicken - Cubed, boneless, skinless chicken breast keeps this soup quick and satisfying.
- Produce - Onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and fresh thyme build a flavorful base for the soup.
- Seasoning - Simple seasoning with salt and black pepper enhances the other ingredients.
- Pantry and fridge - Low-sodium chicken broth forms the base of the soup. Refrigerated biscuits are a shortcut to fluffy dumplings, and a small amount of half-and-half is added at the end for a creamy touch without making the soup heavy.
- Garnish - Fresh parsley adds a pop of color and a fresh touch (optional, not pictured).
- 📖 See the recipe card for quantities and preparation.
How to make chicken and dumplings soup
Cut the chicken into ¾-1-inch cubes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot (we use a 6-quart enameled Dutch oven) over medium heat until hot but not smoking.
- Add the chicken in a single layer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned.
- Transfer the chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon and set aside. The chicken will finish cooking in the soup.
- Add the butter to the pot and let it melt over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are softened.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme and cook for about 1 minute until fragrant.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any bits.
- Return the chicken and any juices collected on the plate to the pot. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
- While the soup simmers, cut the refrigerated biscuits into quarters.
- Gently drop the biscuit pieces into the simmering soup in a single layer. Raise the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer, if necessary.
- Press the dumplings down lightly with the back of a wooden spoon to submerge them, cover, and cook for 15-17 minutes.
- Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the half & half. Cover and warm gently over low heat for about 5 minutes, without boiling.
Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours. Serve and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Recipe tips and notes
This is a soup-style take on classic chicken and dumplings, with a looser, more brothy consistency instead of the thick, gravy-like texture of the traditional version.
Low-sodium chicken broth is strongly recommended. Regular broth can make the soup overly salty.
If you're sensitive to salt, replace part of the low-sodium broth with unsalted broth. You can also reduce or omit the salt used to season the chicken.
Once the biscuits are added and the pot is covered, check occasionally to make sure the broth is simmering (not boiling vigorously) and gently stir to prevent sticking to the bottom of the pot. Avoid lifting the lid too often; the trapped steam helps the dumplings cook evenly.
If the soup seems thin at first, give it a few gentle stirs. The biscuit dumplings will break down a bit and help thicken the broth. The soup will also thicken as it cools.
Storing and reheating instructions
Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container and refrigerate for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Cool the soup completely, then transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. Leave room for expansion, label, and freeze for up to 2 months. Note: Biscuit dumplings may soften and break down further after freezing and reheating, slightly thickening the soup.
Reheating: Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat on the stovetop over medium to medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, or microwave in a microwave-safe bowl, stirring every 30 seconds until hot. Add a splash of broth or water if needed to adjust the consistency.
Food safety: Reheat leftovers to 165°F. Do not leave cooked food out for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour if the temperature is over 90°F. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture and foodsafety.gov.
If you enjoyed this recipe, be sure to check out our chicken and stars soup for another simple chicken dish the family will love. You might also enjoy a classic potato leek soup that's light and creamy.
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📖 Recipe
Chicken and Dumplings Soup
Ingredients
- 14-16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite-size cubes
- ½ teaspoon salt plus extra at the end if needed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1½ tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow or white onion finely diced
- 1 large carrot sliced into rounds or diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 celery rib sliced or diced
- 2-3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 (16-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits (about 8 biscuits), cut into quarters
- ½ cup half & half
- Fresh parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the chicken into ¾-1-inch cubes. Season with salt and black pepper.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot (we use a 6-quart enameled cast iron Dutch oven) over medium heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the chicken in a single layer. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides.
- Remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Loosely tent with foil and set aside. Don't worry if it isn't fully cooked; it will finish cooking in the soup.
- Do not wash or wipe the pot. Return it to medium heat and add the butter. When melted, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring often, until the onions are translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and thyme. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
- Slowly pour in the chicken broth while stirring and gently scraping any bits from the bottom of the pot.
- Return the chicken to the pot along with any juices collected on the plate. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a boil, then lower to medium-low. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- While the soup simmers, cut the biscuits into quarters.
- Gently drop the biscuit pieces into the simmering soup in a single layer. If the liquid stops simmering, raise the heat slightly to maintain a gentle simmer.
- Press the biscuit pieces down gently with the back of a wooden spoon to submerge them. Lower the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through.
- Check occasionally to make sure the broth is simmering (not boiling vigorously) and gently stir to prevent sticking. Avoid lifting the lid too often; the trapped steam helps the dumplings cook evenly.
- Once the dumplings are done, remove the pot from the heat. When the soup stops simmering, stir in the half & half. Cover and warm gently over low heat for about 5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
- Taste and add salt if needed. As a reference, we did not add extra to ours. Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
Notes
- Consistency: If the soup seems thin at first, give it a few gentle stirs. The biscuit dumplings will break down a bit and help thicken the broth. The soup will also thicken as it cools.
- Salt: Low-sodium broth is strongly recommended. Regular broth can make the soup overly salty.
- If sensitive to salt: Replace part of the low-sodium broth with unsalted broth, and reduce or omit the salt used to season the chicken.
Nutrition
The nutritional information above is computer generated and is only an estimate. There is no guarantee that it is accurate. This data is provided as a courtesy for informational purposes only.
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