Name: Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings From Scratch
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Ingredients: 1/2 of a large sweet or yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup); 1 cup carrots, shredded (about 3-5 medium carrots); 3/4 cup celery, finely diced (about 3-5 stalks); 6 cloves of garlic, minced; 1 stick (8 tbsp.) salted butter; 6 tbsp. all-purpose flour (or other flour of choice); 1 1/2 cup whole milk (or half and half for an extra creamy soup); 4 cups chicken stock (I use my homemade bone broth ); 3 cups fully cooked chicken, shredded; 2 tsp. all-purpose seasoning; 1 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 tbsp. fresh thyme); Salt, to taste; 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (or other flour of choice); 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. salt; 1 tsp. black pepper; 1 tsp. dried thyme (or 1 tbsp. fresh thyme); 1/2 c. sourdough starter, fed or discard; 1/4 cup whole milk; 4 tbsp. salted butter, melted

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If you’re looking for a cozy and comforting meal, this one is it! The sourdough dumplings and homemade bone broth take this dish completely to the next level too, both in flavor and in nutrients. You will never order chicken and dumplings at a restaurant again. Keep reading to find out how to make the best Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings in your life!

a sourdough chicken and dumpling on a spoon

Why This Recipe

I don’t think that I liked chicken and dumplings grouping up. But then again, I was also the kid that didn’t like Chick-fil-a’s chicken either. Thankfully I came to my senses on both of those things! And now that I like chicken and dumplings, I have come up with my very own Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings recipe, which is by far the best I’ve ever had. It’s such a comforting meal!

The soup itself is also customizable. You could make it thin like a creamy broth (by adding more broth or reducing the flour), or you could serve it thick like a sauce (by adding more flour or cooking it for longer). It’s really up to you!

Supplies

Large pot: I use the 5qt. pot from my stainless steel cookware set.
Chopping equipment: Use a cutting board and knife for chopping vegetables.
Grater: Use a cheese grater for shredding carrots.
Spatula: I use a silicone spatula.
Measuring: You’ll need measuring cups and measuring spoons.
Bowl: You’ll need a medium bowl for making the dumplings.
Whisk: You’ll use a whisk to incorporate the dry dumpling ingredients.
Dough scoop: You can use a small dough scoop for shaping the dumplings.

Ingredients

For the Soup

Sweet or yellow onion
Carrots
Celery
Garlic
Salted butter
All-purpose flour
Whole milk (or half and half for an extra creamy soup)
Chicken stock (I use my homemade bone broth)
Fully cooked chicken
All-purpose seasoning (I use my from-scratch All-Purpose Blend recipe)
Dried thyme (or fresh thyme)
Salt

For the Sourdough Dumplings

All-purpose flour
Baking soda
Salt
Black pepper
Dried thyme (or fresh thyme)
Sourdough starter, fed or discard
Whole milk
Salted butter

Directions

For the Soup

chopped up vegetables for sourdough chicken and dumplings

Wash and chop all of the vegetables. Don’t forget to freeze your scraps for making bone broth later!

In a large pot over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the chopped onion, shredded carrots, and diced celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables begin to soften. This takes about 8-10 minutes.

a woman dropping minced garlic into a pot

Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional 2 minutes.

flour sprinkled onto vegetables in a pot

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables, and stir to combine, cooking for about one minute. This process will help to thicken the soup.

Add the milk and chicken stock/broth, and stir thoroughly to combine.

sourdough chicken and dumplings soup coming to a boil

Bring it to a boil, and then add the chicken, all-purpose seasoning, and thyme. Salt to taste.

Turn the heat down, and allow to simmer slowly while you work on making your sourdough dumplings, stirring occasionally.

For the Sourdough Dumplings

flour and seasonings are being whisked into a bowl

In a medium bowl, use a whisk to thoroughly combine the flour, baking soda, salt, pepper, and thyme.

Use your hand or a spatula to create a well in the center of your flour mixture.

sourdough starter, butter, and milk are in the hole in the flour

Pour the sourdough starter, milk, and melted butter into the well.

a dough for the sourdough chicken and dumplings is made

Using your hands or a spatula, slowly stir everything together until it forms into a dough ball. You may add additional milk, 1 tbsp. at a time, if the dough is too dry.

Once the dough is mixed thoroughly, use a dough scoop or your hands to create the dumpling balls. My small dough scoop made about 20 dumplings, but you could even make 40 mini dumplings with your hands if you prefer. Note that the dumplings will grow in size as they cook!

a woman is scooping a sourdough dumpling into a pot of soup

Drop the dumplings directly into the simmering soup as you scoop them, making sure to spread them out evenly in the pot.

Use a spatula to gently submerge them into the soup once they’ve all been scooped.

Cover the pot with the lid, and allow to simmer for about 12-15 minutes, until the dumplings are puffy and cooked through.

a completed pot of sourdough chicken and dumplings

To test for doneness, cut one of the dumplings and check that the inside is longer doughy.

a pot of sourdough chicken and dumplings

Enjoy your cozy Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings!

a bowl of sourdough chicken and dumplings

Benefits

Eating this is like the equivalent of chicken noodle soup when you are sick! Because homemade bone broth is used in place of store-bought broth, the nutritional content of this recipe is very high. It is also full of delicious and healthy vegetables, even though it doesn’t “taste” healthy.

The sourdough dumplings also provide health benefits compared to commercialized or ordinary dumplings.

Of course, the best part is the flavor. It’s so flavorful and delicious! It makes your home smell warm and cozy too, and it’s incredibly comforting eat.