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Spring Chicken and Herb Dumplings Recipe

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4.3 from 25 reviews

This hearty Spring Chicken and Dumplings recipe features tender shredded chicken simmered in a flavorful broth with fresh asparagus, peas, and zucchini, topped with fluffy herb-infused dumplings. Perfect for a comforting meal in about an hour, it combines savory spices and fresh herbs for a delightful twist on a classic dish.

Ingredients

Broth and Chicken

  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 1 large leek, white and light green parts only, roughly chopped and washed well
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
  • 1 tsp ground coriander
  • 1 tsp ground fennel
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 8 cups chicken stock
  • 2 lbs bone-in, skin on chicken breast (legs and thighs optional)

Vegetables

  • 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 2-inch pieces, woody ends discarded
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1 zucchini, diced

Dumplings

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup cold buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tbsp cold unsalted butter, diced
  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh dill, parsley, and chives (roughly equal parts)
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Sauté Vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the diced onion, chopped leek, and minced garlic. Cook, stirring regularly, until the vegetables are soft and wilted, about 10 minutes. Adjust the heat as needed to avoid browning. Then, stir in the ground coriander, ground fennel, fresh thyme sprigs, and a big pinch of salt.
  2. Simmer Chicken: Add the bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts and chicken stock to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer gently until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the chicken from the broth and let it cool before shredding into bite-sized pieces, discarding the bones and skin.
  3. Prepare Dumpling Dough: While the chicken cooks, whisk together the egg and cold buttermilk in a small bowl and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and several turns of freshly ground black pepper. Add the cold, diced butter and cut it into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
  4. Mix Dumpling Dough: Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture into the flour and butter mixture. Add the chopped dill, parsley, and chives. Gently fold everything together until just combined; the dough should be shaggy and sticky. Cover the dough and refrigerate until ready to use.
  5. Finish Soup & Poach Dumplings: Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the broth. Add the frozen peas, chopped asparagus, and diced zucchini. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt or pepper as needed. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Using two spoons or a small cookie scoop, drop heaping spoonfuls of the dumpling dough (about the size of a golf ball) into the simmering broth.
  6. Cook Dumplings & Serve: Cover the pot and continue simmering until the dumplings are cooked through and have doubled in size, about 12 minutes. Serve the soup hot, garnished with extra chopped parsley, chives, dill, and freshly cracked black pepper.

Notes

  • The dumpling dough is similar to biscuit dough and can be made by hand, in a food processor, or with a stand mixer.
  • Feel free to use a combination of chicken breast, legs, or thighs depending on preference.
  • Maintain a gentle simmer when cooking the chicken and dumplings to ensure tender results without breaking the dumplings apart.
  • Fresh herbs add brightness but can be substituted with dried herbs if necessary; adjust quantities accordingly.
  • This recipe yields 6 servings and can be easily doubled for larger groups.

Find it online: https://recipethrive.com/spring-chicken-and-herb-dumplings-recipe/