This comforting gluten-free chicken and dumplings will warm your body and fuel your soul. The broth is savory and flavorful, and the dumplings are doughy and plump.
1 1/2lbsboneless, skinless chicken thighs or to use leftover chicken, see notes
1medium oniondiced
3celery stalksdiced
2large carrotspeeled and diced
8cupschicken brothor 8 cups water + 6 Tbsp of bouillon
1bay leaf
Kosher saltto taste
Fresh ground black pepperto taste
Dumplings
1cup1:1 gluten-free flour blend (with xanthan gum)I used Hand + Heart All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour
1tspbaking powder
1/2tspsalt
2tbspdairy-free buttermelted (cooled)
1/2cupdairy-free milk
Instructions
In a large stock pan, heat butter or oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken thighs and sear for 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the pan. (If using leftover chicken that is already cooked, omit this step and see notes.)
Add the onions, celery, and carrots to the pan and cook for 5-6 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the chicken back to the pot, along with the broth, bay leaf, salt, and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to low to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Whisk them together and form a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter and milk and mix with a spatula until a sticky dough forms.
Uncover the broth mixture and remove the chicken to a plate to cool. Use a cookie scoop to drop about 10 scoops of the dumpling dough into the boiling broth. Cover the mixture and simmer for another 20-25 minutes.
Shred the chicken and place it back into the broth. Stir the mixture, remove the bay leaf, and enjoy! Top each portion of soup with parsley or green onions (optional).
Notes
Use Leftover Chicken: This recipe is a GREAT way to use up leftover chicken, especially leftover rotisserie chicken. Prepare the broth and dumplings, then add the cooked shredded chicken. Easy peasy!Flour: Some flours net lighter and fluffier dumplings. I like Hand + Heart All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour. I also have used Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour. The dumplings came out a bit firmer but still good.Xanthan Gum: If your 1:1 gluten-free flour blend doesn't contain xanthan gum, add 1/4 tsp of it.To Thicken the Soup: A lot of dumpling soup recipes are thick and creamy, and that's because they add cream, milk, or evaporated milk to the soup. This recipe is a bit more broth-like than creamy. If you want to thicken the soup even more, add 1/2 cup milk or cream or, alternatively, add a cornstarch slurry. To make a cornstarch slurry, combine 3 Tbsp of cornstarch + 1/4 cup cold water. Add the slurry to the lightly boiling broth and stir until the soup thickens.This recipe makes 6 servings. For larger families or families with larger appetites, double the recipe (or at least double the dumplings recipe).