Homemade Chicken Noodle Dumpling Soup

Homemade chicken noodle dumpling soup is the BEST bowl of homemade yumminess of your dreams. This is a to-die-for comfort food when you want that warmth hugging you and settling your chills. Luckily, this is super easy to make and it fills your belly with memories of mom bringing you chicken noodle soup to make you feel better. Additionally, paired with wine and the dining is fine!

I have been craving a good, old-fashioned chicken-n-dumplin’ soup. Trust me, I am NOT a chef. However, I do enjoy cooking. Then, IF it works, we all love it and I hope I remember how I did it. Alas, when it doesn’t work, we share it with the dogs!

Its Origin in My Kitchen

To be more specific, a couple years back I couldn’t decide between a chicken noodle or chicken dumpling soup. In this case, I love making my own noodles. Flour and egg, touch of water. Naturally, the amateur that I am didn’t realize how much kneading is involved to create a nice, smooth, even-thickness noodle. No special kitchen appliances for these noodles!

Imperfection Does It

Instead, using my pizza cutter (gadget, not appliance), I have these odd-ball, inconsistent width strands of a heavily flour clad dough. Incidentally, as I learn from the home cooking shows, this is called “RUSTIC”. Quite honestly, I LOVE them this way. In other words, I LOVE them RUSTIC! It doesn’t necessarily enhance the flavor of the soup, but it brings about this feeling of nostalgia. Eerily, yet comforting, a layer of safety and well being. Oddly, a comfort on such a level that people believe, actually believe, it enhances the flavor of the soup.

COMFORT FOOD Wraps You Like a Blanket

Yet, it had been years since I ate dumplings. One afternoon, my neighbor and I were visiting. My neighbor mentioned his mom used to always make dumplings. He continued talking on and on about his mom’s dumplings until I had a light bulb flash above my head. Nobody ever said I couldn’t ADD dumplings to my chicken noodle soup. So, guess what! That is exactly what I did! I added dumplings to my soup. Ultimately, I created a Homemade chicken noodle dumpling soup.

That was hands down one of the best homemade soups I have ever concocted. Trouble is, I haven’t made it since then. I believe it’s about time again. Let’s see if I can remember how to make it!

The Mirror Po-What?

I start out religiously with my trinity, or mirepoix (mirh-pwah). Now, to clarify my statement. By religiously, I mean I am a creature of habit and predictably use the same trinity when I make this soup. The word trinity in cooking refers to equal portions of a three-vegetable combination. It just so happens the trinity is referred to as the Holy Trinity in some parts of the USA. In fact, the Holy Trinity of the Cajun South and Louisiana Creole is made of celery, onion and green pepper.

However, I live in the Northwest in Idaho. Our trinity is celery, onion and carrot. Honey, please…add some potatoes and a roast and call it Sunday night dinner! It’s a family tradition (for some)! I love green peppers. Not a problem. Yet, calling my food the Holy Trinity is too reminiscent of my Catholic upbringing and reminds me I should be going to mass more religiously!

French Matter of Mirepoix Fact

Now, I can get down with Mirepoix. Seriously, it sounds all smart using a French word. Of course, that is a matter of perception. Because if a French person heard me pronounce Mirepoix, the person would undoubtedly be confused to what I was referencing. Ironically, the true French meaning of Mirepoix does in fact include the trinity of celery, onion and carrot, NOT green pepper.

The Way I Cook Homemade Chicken Noodle Dumpling Soup

Most important, I use my biggest stock pot in my cupboard. The more I make means the more bowls I get to enjoy. #LovingLeftovers is my gig! Stick with me here, I never measure this out. I am totally guessing on the measurements of the ingredients listed below. I don’t think you can go too wrong. (Note: I made a big enough batch I had to use my turkey roaster).

Ingredients

Prepping Phase 1

Get all your ingredients together. This is called your mise en-place. Another French term in the culinary world meaning to have everything in place. In this instance, prepare your kitchen work space with all you will need to complete your dish. Knives, cutting board, ingredients, stock pot, mixing bowls, spoons, spider strainer and so on.

1 tbsp Olive oil

Trinity/Mirepoix

carrot, 1 c. diced
celery, 1 c. diced
onion, 1 c. diced

(Recipe Cheat: Look at your grocery store to see if they offer packages of each pre-diced or possibly the whole trinity mix pre-diced. Saves you time prepping but is more costly). For an added twist, add broccoli florets or shaved broccoli stem in this step too.

4 tbsp. butter (1/2 stick)

Variety of herbs and spices. (Optional: My go-to’s are Oregano, Tarragon, Thyme, Celery Salt, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Salt and Black Pepper. If you are new at recipe experimenting, I would suggest smelling the herb and spice options. If you find the aroma appealing and blending well with the aroma of the chicken broth, then try 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of that herb or spice beginning with the one that appeals to you the most. See below for a flavor profile of my favorites to help you out.)

Prepping Phase 2

If you haven’t used my cheats and bought a pre-shredded or cubed chicken, then now is the time to take care of breaking down your chicken meat. Set aside all you intend to use. For leftover meat, bag it up and it should keep for a few days in the refrigerator or use a freezer safe bag or storage and freeze it for later use. Assuming you are working with a chicken carcass, put the whole remaining carcass in another stockpot. Fill it with water and let it simmer on low building stock for your next pot of soup!

2 boxes (48 oz.) chicken broth

My pantry secret: I keep a stash of powdered chicken consomme in my cupboard. Should I run out of broth and need more liquid, I use the consomme with water. It is far less salty than to add water with chicken bouillon.

2 c. cubed or shredded cooked chicken

(Recipe Cheat: Again, look around your grocery store for packaged pre-cooked cubed chicken. Rotisserie chickens are great for shredding and using for this soup. Better than other packaged pre-cooked. Shredded has a more natural appeal than processed cubes of chicken. Pre-packaged just saves you the time boiling the bird and carcass. However, again, it is more costly).

Prepping Phase 3

This is where your real work begins. Putting the soup itself together is quick and easy. Now, the noodles, those take the most time because of the time involved with kneading the dough and cutting the noodles. So start here with making your noodles after your mise en place is squared away.

For Noodles:

flour, 1 c.
egg, 1 large
water, 1 tsp

This never stays the same. I almost always add more water, little drops at a time, until the flour and egg are mixed. But as it becomes sticky, I start adding pinches of more flour back into it until it is semi-kneaded. The dough is not thoroughly yellow-ish but it holds as a clump fairly well. I can only imagine any noodle maker or baker is probably cringing right now at my amateur direction for noodle making.

For Dumplings:

The dumplings are quick to mix but take a few minutes to scoop into dumplings. When I was little, mom used to make big fluffy cloud-like dumplings. We only got one or two each but they were BIG! As an adult, if I am curled up in bed or on the couch, sure – give me the big fluffy ones again!

However, in the face of company, smaller dumplings are more manageable to eat and still use proper table manners. To make them uniform in size (and smaller), I recommend using a melon scoop to measure out your dumplings. Whichever you choose, making dumplings while the veggies are sweating should give you enough time to make them all.

2 c. Bisquick pancake and baking mix.
2/3 c. Milk

Dumpling Prep As Directed

Dumplings: Mix 2 cups Bisquick and ⅔ cup milk until soft dough forms. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto stew (do not drop directly into liquid). Cook uncovered over low heat 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes longer.

Bisquick’s Tips from the Box Label

Be sure the stew is boiling when you drop in the dumplings, so the bottoms cook well at the start. Lower the heat to finish slowly cooking the dumplings completely, so they aren’t soggy and doughy in the center.

Accurately measure out the dry baking mix by spooning it into a standard dry-ingredient measuring cup, then leveling the top with a straight-edge metal spatula or knife; don’t scoop it or pack it down. This ensures the dough will be soft and just the right consistency to cook up light and fluffy rather than dense and chewy.

Stir in a couple teaspoons of a favorite dried herb or a seasoning blend into the dry mix before adding the milk; or sprinkle the dumplings with grated Parmesan cheese at the end of cooking time for a savory finish.

Let the Magic Begin

Cooking Phase 1

Drizzle olive oil in the bottom of the stock pot. Turn burner to medium heat.

Pour in the diced Mirepoix and let sweat until onions become slightly tender.

While the veggies are sweating, mix up the dumplings.

Add butter and let it melt.

Next, this is where I like to add in a variety of herbs and spices. I typically use oregano, thyme, tarragon, black pepper, onion powder (yes, in addition to the onions – I love onions). Throw in some grated garlic or garlic powder. But not too heavy on the garlic. Save that for other soups like cream of asparagus or chili or lasagna sauce.

Cooking Phase 2

Add broth. (Special hint: Here is a good time to hit your creation of homemade chicken noodle dumpling soup with a splash of your preferred white wine. If you don’t have a preferred white wine, I urge you to become a member of the wine club that delivers my wine to my door. Look further below and I will include more later.

Add chicken. Bring the soup up to a boil and immediately lower the temp to keep it from returning to a boiling point.

Cooking Phase 3

Drop in noodles, one at a time. Individually, they will absorb the outer layer of the noodle with the broth. Therefore, the noodles will not stick together.

Use the spider strainer to load multiple dumplings and then ease them gently into the slightly rolling soup broth. Let them gently sink into the broth as they cook up from the bottom. You may need to nudge them a bit to cook over the whole surface. Simply, roll them gently in soup.

Flavor Profiles for Favorite Herbs and Spices

Oregano – slightly earthy and bitter but not as earthy as cumin or as bitter as arugula. It is a mild balance that offers a hint of mint in the background.

Thyme – this herb compares to a pinch of pepper. Also, it is another one that has a minty note. In fact, be cautious not to overdo your seasoning with thyme or the mint flavor will overpower its subtle compliment to the vegetables and chicken in your soup.

Tarragon – my favorite surprise flavor in many of my recipes. This herb is reminiscent of black licorice. Not what most people jump to as a favorite flavor. Yet, it has a bittersweet taste to it. If you are a basil fan, this will be a pleasant surprise for you. Tarragon is less bold than basil though.

Celery Salt – Now, here is where the real twist the flavoring occurs. Are you scratching your head thinking how can this be? It seems simple enough to assume the flavor here is celery and salt. Salty water? Afterall, celery has a mildly bland taste to it. But this is not the case! Celery salt offers a soft citrusy background enhanced with notes of nutmeg and parsley. The celery seeds blended with salt provides a more distinctive and pronounced, almost spicy, flavor compared to the flavor of a fresh celery stalk. It helps keep the balance of flavors in the trinity. Especially against the more prominent sweetness of the carrots.

Suggested Wine Pairing

Through my club, I am more wine knowledgeable due to the fact I get to try different wines each month. Plus, the wine comes with fact notes providing additional information all about the wine. So far, my favorite pairing ia a white wine.

The reason I prefer white wine because it stands up to the savory influence of the herbs and spices of the soup. Not getting lost to the heaviness of the noodles and dumplings. Introducing another note to the palate, the best white wine for this soup has a floral and crisp taste. Perhaps an aroma of honeysuckle that fits right in with the citrusy highlights of the soup too.

Of course, take advantage of discounted fine wine and other member benefits when you join this monthly club. For the greatest deals, make wine business your side hustle. Benefit from the deepest discounts, including the opportunity to earn free wine and an individual residual income!

Your Turn

Definitely, this is a warm, soothing and hearty homemade chicken noodle dumpling soup. Better yet, it doesn’t take a kitchen guru to throw this together. Especially when you take advantage of the cheats and hints I mention to reduce the work you have to do to make it.

Ultimately, throw yourself into it and just have fun with your creation! Try it a couple times and tweak it until it works for your palate. Change it up, use the Cajun trinity and pair with a red wine! Either way, utilize the mirepoix way.