Homestyle creamy chicken and dumpling soup

This recipe will take you back to your childhood and those wintry days when you cupped your hands around a bowl of chicken soup and savoured the doughy balls swimming in it. It’s the sort of recipe that you return to every year because you like not only eating the meal but also the memories it evokes.

Makes 8

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup plain flour, divided
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1.2kg chicken pieces
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, chopped
• 2 celery ribs, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 cup white wine or apple cider
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 5 whole peppercorns

DUMPLINGS

• 1 1/3 cup plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup low-fat milk
• 1 tbsp butter, melted

SOUP

• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp fresh parsley, minced
• 2 tsp fresh thyme, minced

Method

1. In a shallow bowl, mix 1/2 cup flour, salt and pepper. Add chicken, 1 piece at a time, and toss to coat; shake off excess. In a large pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Brown chicken in batches on all sides; remove from pan.
2. Add onion, carrots and celery to the same pan; cook and stir for 6-8 minutes or until onion is tender. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in 1/4 cup flour until blended. Gradually add stock, stirring constantly. Stir in wine, sugar, bay leaves and peppercorns. Return chicken to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, 20-25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear.
3. For the dumplings, in a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, whisk milk and butter until blended. Add to flour mixture; stir just until moistened, being careful not to overmix. Drop rounded tablespoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, then set aside.
4. Remove chicken from pot; cool slightly. Discard bay leaves and skim fat from soup. Remove skin and bones from chicken and discard. Using two forks, coarsely shred meat into 2cm to 5cm pieces; return to soup. Cook, covered, on high, until mixture reaches a simmer.
5. Drop dumplings on top of simmering soup, a few at a time. Reduce heat to low; cook covered for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of dumplings comes out clean (do not lift cover while simmering). Gently stir in cream, parsley and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste.