Chicken Dumpling Soup

This Chicken Dumpling Soup is comfort in its purest Midwestern form: tender chicken, a rich homemade broth, soft spoon-style dumplings, and simple vegetables simmered together the way diners have always done it. If you don’t have the time or energy to make homemade broth from chicken, I’ll show you the store-bought shortcuts you can take.

 

Meggan’s Notes

This soup comes straight out of the diner playbook, the kind of place where the coffee is bottomless, the regulars sit in the same booth every morning, and the cooks know how to stretch humble ingredients into something unforgettable.

I grew up eating this style of chicken dumpling soup at all the Milwaukee family-style restaurants (the ones famous for fish fries and often owned by Greek families), where cooks don’t fuss with rolled dumplings or fancy stock techniques. They make a simple, honest broth, drop in fresh dumpling batter by the spoonful, and let the heat of the soup work its magic.

The result is a deeply flavorful soup with tender chicken and soft dumplings that soak up all that homemade broth. If you don’t have time to boil chicken and make broth, substitute store-bought broth and leftover cooked chicken (or turkey). See my full shortcut breakdown in Tips and Variations.

Why This Recipe Works

• Cold-water broth method: Starting with cold water draws flavor gently from the chicken and keeps the broth clear, not cloudy.
• Whole chicken pieces = richer flavor: Skin and bones create a deeper, more traditional diner-style broth.
• Colander dumpling method: Produces light, tender dumplings without rolling or shaping. Just press and simmer.
• One-onion technique: Using part of the onion for broth and the rest for the soup builds layered, rounded flavor.
• Simple seasonings: Let the broth, vegetables, and dumplings shine without overpowering them.

Chicken Dumpling Soup Ingredients

• Chicken pieces: Use bone-in, skin-on chicken for the richest broth. A mix of light and dark meat gives balanced flavor.
• Cold water: Essential for a clear broth. Starting hot extracts proteins too quickly and clouds the liquid.
• Garlic and onion: Mild aromatics that deepen the broth without overwhelming the simple dumpling flavor.
• Butter: Adds richness and helps soften the classic trio of onion, carrot, and celery.
• Eggs: Form the base of the dumpling batter.
• Flour: Thickens the dumpling paste; add gradually to create a smooth mixture.
• Salt and pepper: Add at the end to avoid oversalting while the broth reduces.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley is prettier, but dried parsley is classic! We’re going for authenticity here, so feel free to use pantry parsley.

How to Make Chicken Dumpling Soup

To make the broth:

1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add chicken, cold water, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and skim the foam off the top of the water as it rises.

2. When the foam has subsided, add onion and garlic to the pot. Simmer gently (bubbles should barely break the surface at irregular intervals) until the chicken reaches 165 degrees when tested with a thermometer, about 1 hour.

3. Remove chicken from pot to a rimmed baking sheet or large bowl. Separate chicken, discarding skin and bones, and shred or chop into 1/2-inch pieces. You should have at least 2 cups chicken.

4. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer or cheesecloth and reserve. You should have at least 10 cups broth.

To make the soup:

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat butter over medium-high heat until foaming. Add onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

2. Stir in the reserved broth and reduce heat to low.

3. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a fork, then gradually add the flour in batches until you have a smooth paste.

4. Place a colander over the soup pot, then add the dumpling paste to the colander.

5. Using a spatula or your hand, press the paste through the holes into the soup.

6. Add reserved chicken and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes.

7. Season to taste with salt and pepper (I like ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper) and garnish with dried parsley.

Chicken Dumpling Soup Tips and Variations

• Yield: This recipe makes about 12 cups soup, enough for 6 servings, 2 cups each.
• Broth shortcut: To skip the whole boiling-a-chicken-for-broth situation, substitute 8 cups prepared chicken broth and 2 cups leftover chicken or turkey. Start from instructions section “To make the soup.” 
• Skim gently: Removing foam early makes a clearer, cleaner-tasting broth.
• Simmer, don’t boil: A gentle simmer prevents tough chicken and cloudy broth.
• Press dumplings evenly: Use a firm spatula and press slowly for uniform dumpling size.
• Herbed dumplings: Add a pinch of dried thyme or parsley to the dumpling batter.
• Taste before seasoning: The broth reduces slightly as it cooks, concentrating flavor. At the end of the cooking time, taste the soup before adding salt. Or, pass the shaker at the table and let everyone season to taste.
• Chicken noodle soup: Use egg noodles instead of dumplings if you want a diner-style noodle soup. Chicken soup with cheese tortellini is great too!
• Creamy chicken soup: Stir in ½ cup heavy cream at the end for a richer soup.
• Vegetable boost: Add peas or diced potatoes during the simmer for a heartier meal.
• Turkey dumpling soup: Put your leftover turkey to work in this easy dumpling soup.

How to Store Chicken Dumpling Soup

• Storage: Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Dumplings will continue to absorb broth as they sit.
• Freezer: This soup freezers well! The eggy dumplings hold their firm shape and springy texture even after being frozen. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in the microwave or on the stove top to 165 degrees.

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