Homestyle Chicken Dumpling Soup

Ingredients

• Fresh parsley (1/4 cup, chopped (plus extra for garnish))
• Unsalted butter (2 tablespoons, melted)
• Milk (1/2 cup)
• Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
• All-purpose flour (1 cup)
• Salt and Pepper (to taste)
• Bay leaf (1 leaf)
• Dried thyme (1 teaspoon)
• Garlic (2 cloves, minced)
• Onion (1 medium, chopped)
• Celery stalks (2 stalks, chopped)
• Carrots (2 medium, chopped)
• Chicken broth (6 cups)
• Chicken breasts (2 large, boneless and skinless)

Instructions

1. In a large pot, bring the chicken broth to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the chicken breasts, carrots, celery, onion, minced garlic, thyme, bay leaf, salt, and pepper to the boiling broth. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
3. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken breasts from the pot. Shred the chicken using two forks and then return it to the pot.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, milk, melted butter, and chopped parsley. Stir until a sticky dough forms.
5. Form the dough into small dumplings and gently drop them into the simmering soup. Cover the pot and let it cook for an additional 10 minutes, or until the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through.
6. Before serving, remove and discard the bay leaf. Season the soup with additional salt and pepper if needed.
7. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve hot and enjoy the comforting taste of homestyle cooking.