Creamy Chicken Chowder with Parmesan Dumplings
Soul-warming goodness in so many ways, this hearty, wholesome and delicious chowder with a chicken soup base is what we all need during these cold wintry nights. Seared chicken breasts simmered in vegetable stock, shallots, celery, carrots, cracked black pepper and fresh thyme sprigs, allowing for flavors to gradually develop. Silky smooth cream + fluffy, airy and slightly chewy seasoned Parmesan dumplings intensify basic flavors. Just one heaping spoonful and this recipe will be on repeat this winter!
Servings: 8
Ingredients
For Chicken Stock
- 3 chicken breasts *boneless, skinless
- 2 tbsp olive oil *EVOO
- 1 cup carrots *shredded
- 1 cup celery *thinly sliced
- 2 shallots *thinly sliced
- 3 sprigs thyme
- ¾ tsp Kosher salt
- ½ tsp black pepper *freshly cracked
- 1 chicken bouillon cube
- 2 cups cream
- 1½ quarts vegetable stock
- 1 tbsp cornstarch *whisked with some soup base to form paste
For Dumplings
- 1½ cup all purpose flour *sifted
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese *shredded
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme
- 1¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ tsp black pepper *freshly cracked
- 2 tsp baking powder
Instructions
For Chicken Soup Base
- Rinse and pat dry chicken breasts and season with freshly cracked pepper and Kosher salt.
- Heat 2 tbsp of EVOO in a large stockpot on medium high heat. Place chicken breasts in pot and sear for 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Add sliced shallots and sauté with chicken for 5 minutes. Now add sliced celery and shredded carrots, mix well and continue to cook for 10 minutes, mixing as needed.
- Add vegetable stock and bring stock to a boil. Season with chicken bouillon cube, freshly cracked black pepper, sprinkle of Kosher salt (to taste) and add sprigs of thyme. Please be careful not to over salt as chicken bouillon cube also adds salt content.
- Cover stockpot, turn heat to low and simmer soup for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, as needed.
For Dumplings
- While soup is simmering, make dumplings. In mixing bowl, sift flour, add fresh thyme leaves, freshly cracked black pepper and baking powder. Mix to combine. Add Parmesan cheese, toss, gradually add buttermilk and mix to form soft dough.
- Uncover stockpot, carefully remove chicken breasts, cover with foil and set aside. Turn heat to medium high and bring soup to a boil. While soup is boiling, add spoonfuls of dumpling mix (tablespoon is good, about 7 dumplings at a time) and cook for 10 minutes uncovered, then cover pot, turn heat to medium low and cook for another 5-7 minutes until dumplings are cooked through. Cook dumplings in batches and remove cooked dumplings onto a plate using a slotted spoon. Shred cooled chicken into large chunks or cut into bite-sized pieces, to your liking.
For Thickening Soup
- After all dumplings have been removed, take two 2 ladles of simmering soup and pour into a glass measuring cup/bowl and mix with cornstarch, whisk well. With heat on medium high, bring to boil and then gradually add this cornstarch mixture back to stockpot, constantly stirring until soup thickens, approximately 7-10 minutes. Now add cream, bring to a boil, turn heat to medium and cook for a final 10 minutes. Carefully add shredded chicken chunks and dumplings back into chowder and heat through.
- Warming, soothing and so delicious, Creamy Chicken Chowder with Parmesan Dumplings is now ready to serve. One bite of this hearty, wholesome chowder, and this recipe will be on repeat this winter! Enjoy! Nosh Farma'aiye.