Chicken and Dumpling Soup
Prep. Time:
25 mins
Baking Time:
1 hour 30 mins
Total Time:
1 hour 55 mins
Serves:
Serves 6 - 8
A refined take on the American classic, featuring herb-infused dumplings and a bright citrus finish
Ingredients
Instructions
SOUP
Sear the chicken: Heat avocado oil in a heavy 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat chicken completely dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Sear thighs skin-side down for 6-7 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and sear 4 minutes more. Remove to a plate.
Create the aromatics: Reduce heat to medium. In the rendered fat, sauté onion, carrots, celery, and fennel for 8-10 minutes until vegetables are softened and lightly caramelized. Add smashed garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Deglaze and simmer: Add wine (if using) and scrape up any browned bits. Return chicken to pot, add stock, herbs, and parmesan rind. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to low and simmer partially covered for 50-60 minutes until chicken is fall-apart tender.
Finish the base: Remove chicken and strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract maximum flavor. Return clear broth to pot. When chicken is cool enough to handle, shred into bite-sized pieces, discarding skin and bones. Return shredded chicken to pot and season broth to taste.
HERB DUMPLINGS:
Prepare dumpling dough: In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, work cold butter into flour until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-sized pieces.
Form the dough: Make a well in the center and pour in cold buttermilk. Add fresh herbs and gently fold together just until dough comes together—it should be slightly sticky. Don't overmix.
Cook the dumplings: Bring soup to a gentle simmer (not a rolling boil). Using two spoons or a small ice cream scoop, drop 12-14 generous spoonfuls of dough into the simmering soup, spacing them apart. Cover tightly and cook for 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
GREMOLATA:
Make the finish: In a small bowl, combine citrus zests, minced parsley, and microplaned garlic. Drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice, then gently fold in yuzu kosho. Taste carefully before adding any flaky salt—the yuzu kosho provides most of the salt needed.
To Serve:
Ladle soup into warmed bowls, ensuring each serving has 2 dumplings. Top with a small spoonful of gremolata just before serving. The bright, aromatic gremolata should provide a fresh contrast to the rich, comforting soup.
