I come from a long line of soup makers. My Grandma Longenecker used to tell us stories of her growing up and her mom always had a pot of soup on the stove. You always needed something ready in case “company” stopped by and if more came than you expected then you just a bit more water, broth, or milk according to whatever soup you were simmering.

My Grandma Heiman used to make delicious soups. Cream soups, beef stew soups, or noodles soups. Being Irish her creamy potato soup was second to none. Living next door, we often had the gift of a bowl of leftover soup to try!

My mom often served soup to her seven kids. They were all hearty, my favorite, Navy bean and ham soup after an Easter ham dinner, or my sister, Sue’s favorite, chili, or a creamy cauliflower or broccoli.

When I serve soup, I like to have a soup bowl or mug and a spoon soup. I’ve been gifted a soup bowl cuddler to help keep my soup warm and I love it. I enjoy a crusty heel of bread or a handful of oyster crackers. Whatever way you enjoy soup, you can’t go wrong with chicken and dumplings!

Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Soup

My Grandma Heiman always made the best Chicken Soup. Sometimes she added noodles, sometimes not. I call this my Old-Fashioned Chicken and this time I added dumplings. My mom used to make dumplings and my kids growing up liked dumplings in their soups. So, on a cold, blustery day, I thought let’s make some chicken soup.

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins.

Cook Tim: 45 minutes to all afternoon.

Servings: 6

 Ingredients

For the chicken soup:

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 3 Tablespoon of olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped white onion (for a milder taste)
• 1 cup chopped carrots (2 carrots)
• 1 cup chopped celery (3 stocks)
• 2 cups of chicken (I often use leftover pieces from a boasted chicken)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 garlic minced
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6-8 cups chicken bone broth
• 1/3 heavy cream, ½ & ½,  or milk
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• Additional salt and pepper to taste

For the dumplings:

• 2 cups of Bisquick
• 2/3 cup of milk

Instructions

In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, melt the butter and then add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring often until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes.

1. If you are NOT using broasted chicken meat add the chicken meat to a stock pot or Dutch oven with a bit of olive oil and cook until done.
2. Remove chicken from stock pot or Dutch oven and add the butter and olive oil. Over a low flame melt butter and add the carrots, celery, onions. Cook until veggies are tender, about 5-7 minutes.  
3. Add garlic and spices. Cook until the garlic is fragrant.
4. Toss the cooked chicken with flour and add to the veggies in pan.  
5. Stir in the chicken stock. I have found chicken bone broth to be more flavorful and higher in nutrients. Hint: While the soup is simmering, I taste it and if I think it needs a bit more flavor, I may add a ½ tsp of chicken flavoring seasoning. It just gives it a boost of flavor. I like Watkins’.
6. Bring the mixture to almost a boil, I mean you are bringing the temp to a higher heat but not to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer.
7. At this point, you can turn the heat down and cover the pot and let it simmer or you can turn the heat off and wait to make your dumplings just before you’re going to eat. But simmer for at least 15 to 20 minutes. I think you find it more tasty giving time to let everything mingle in the pot.
8. You can make the dumplings now. I followed the recipe on the box. Dumplings: 2 cups of Bisquick and 2/3 cup of milk. Stir together, don’t over stir.
9. About 25 minutes before you are ready to eat turn the heat up on your soup to a simmer.  Using a large silverware tablespoon add one dumpling at a time, to the simmering chicken soup. You can use two spoons to do this, using one to push the dough into the soup or you can use your trusty finger with no licking allowed between spoonfuls!
10. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat slightly.
11. Cook for 10 minutes uncovered and then 10 minutes covered.
12. Remove the lid and check the dumplings for doneness. Your dumplings should have risen with the soup dancing around them. Taking a spoon, you can gently pry a top off to make sure the center is light and airy not gooeyness noted. If they aren’t cooked through, cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
13. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the top with the fresh chopped parsley.
14. Serve a bowlful of soup and add a dumpling or two to the center of the bowl.