Are you craving a big, steaming bowl of the ultimate comfort food, but looking for a lighter, healthier version that the whole family can enjoy? This incredible, from-scratch Healthy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the cozy classic you’ve been dreaming of! We’re talking tender shredded chicken and a medley of wholesome vegetables in a savory, surprisingly creamy broth, all topped with the most unbelievably light and fluffy, from-scratch herb dumplings that are also easily made gluten-free.
This isn’t just another soup recipe; it’s a guide to your new favorite one-pot wonder. We’ll show you the simple but crucial secrets to a rich-tasting broth without all the heavy cream, and how to make perfect, never-gummy dumplings from scratch. This is a satisfying, soul-warming meal that is perfect for a chilly night and is guaranteed to become a new family favorite.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Recipe Overview: The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Comfort Food
What makes this Chicken and Dumplings recipe so spectacularly delicious is its incredible, comforting flavor achieved with wholesome ingredients. This recipe is a masterpiece of classic, rustic cooking, made lighter. The soup base is a timeless, savory blend of tender, cooked chicken and a classic mirepoix of onions, carrots, and celery, all simmered in a flavorful chicken broth. The secret to the rich, creamy finish without a ton of fat is a brilliant and healthy hack using tangy plain yogurt. The true stars of the show, however, are the homemade, herb-flecked drop dumplings. They are unbelievably light and fluffy, and they steam to pillowy perfection right on top of the simmering soup.
| Metric | Time / Level |
| Total Time | 45 minutes |
| Active Prep Time | 20 minutes |
| Difficulty Level | Easy |
| Servings | 6-8 |
The Essential Ingredients for This Wholesome Meal
This iconic dish uses a handful of fresh, high-quality ingredients to create its signature comforting and savory flavor.
- The Healthy Creamy Broth (The Yogurt Hack!):
- Plain Yogurt: This is the brilliant and healthy secret to a creamy broth without any heavy cream! A full-fat plain yogurt or a thick Greek yogurt will provide the best, richest, and tangiest result.
- The “Tempering” Technique: It is crucial to temper your yogurt before adding it to the hot soup. This simple step of whisking it with a little warm water or broth first is the number one secret that will prevent the yogurt from curdling and will ensure your final soup is perfectly smooth and creamy.
- The Light & Fluffy Gluten-Free Dumplings:
- Gluten-Free Flour: For the best, most foolproof result, it is highly recommended to use a high-quality, all-purpose, 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend that already contains xanthan gum.
- Fresh Herbs: A combination of fresh, chopped parsley and chives gives the dumplings a beautiful, vibrant green fleck and a wonderful, fresh, and savory flavor.
- The Soup Base:
- The Mirepoix: A classic and non-negotiable flavor foundation of diced onion, carrots, and celery.
- Cooked Chicken: The ultimate time-saver for a quick weeknight meal is to use a store-bought rotisserie chicken.
Step-by-Step to the Best Healthy Chicken and Dumplings
This delicious, one-pot meal is incredibly simple to prepare.
Step 1: Build the Soup Base
In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté your 1 diced medium yellow onion, your 4 diced large carrots, and your 2 diced celery stalks with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 5 to 7 minutes, until the vegetables have softened.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with 1/4 cup of warm water to thin it out slightly. This will help to temper the yogurt.
Add your 3 1/2 cups of cooked chicken, the 4 cups of chicken broth, the 2 bay leaves, the 2 teaspoons of dried thyme, and your tempered yogurt mixture to the pot. Stir everything together and bring the soup to a low boil.
Part 2: Make the Dumpling Batter
While the soup is coming to a simmer, prepare your dumpling batter.
In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together your 2 large eggs.
Whisk in all of the remaining ingredients for the dumplings: the 2 1/4 cups of gluten-free flour, the 3/4 cup of chicken broth, the 1 tablespoon of baking powder, the 1 tablespoon of parsley, the 1 tablespoon of minced chives, the 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and the 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, until a smooth, very sticky dough forms.
Part 3: Cook the Dumplings to Fluffy Perfection
Step 1 (The Fun Part!): Lightly grease a small or a medium cookie scoop with oil. Drop heaping spoonfuls of the sticky dumpling batter directly into the simmering soup.Step 2 (The Secret to Fluffy Dumplings!): Let the dumplings simmer, uncovered, for 10 to 12 minutes. Then, cover the pot and let them continue to simmer for another 5 minutes.
Pro Tip: This two-step cooking process is the key to a perfect dumpling! Simmering them uncovered first allows the bottom half of the dumpling to cook and set in the hot liquid. Then, covering the pot traps the steam, which is the magic that cooks the top half of the dumpling and makes it wonderfully light and fluffy all the way through.
Serve the hot Chicken and Dumplings immediately in warm, cozy bowls, with an extra sprinkle of fresh, chopped parsley, if you desire.
Chicken and Dumplings (Easy Recipe!)
A healthy and gluten-free version of the classic comfort food, chicken and dumplings. This one-pot recipe features a savory soup base made with sautéed carrots, celery, and onions, simmered in chicken broth with pre-cooked chicken. Plain yogurt is used to create a creamy texture as a lighter alternative to heavy cream. The dish is topped with from-scratch, gluten-free drop dumplings that are seasoned with parsley and chives and steamed directly in the simmering soup until fluffy and cooked through.
Ingredients
- For the Soup Base:
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 4 large carrots, diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup plain yogurt
- 3 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional)
- For the Gluten-Free Dumplings:
- 2 1/4 cups gluten-free flour blend
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup chicken broth
- 1 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1 Tablespoon parsley
- 1 Tablespoon minced chives
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, sauté the onion, carrots, and celery with the olive oil over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes, until softened.
- In a small bowl, whisk the yogurt with ¼ cup of warm water to thin it slightly.
- Add the cooked chicken, chicken broth, bay leaves, dried thyme, and the thinned yogurt mixture to the pot. Bring the soup to a low boil.
- Make the Dumplings: While the soup is heating, whisk the eggs together in a separate mixing bowl.
- Whisk in all of the remaining dumpling ingredients (gluten-free flour, broth, baking powder, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper) until a smooth, sticky dough forms.
- Using a greased cookie scoop, drop tablespoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly into the simmering soup.
- Simmer, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes. Then, cover the pot and simmer for another 5 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling comes out clean.
- Remove the bay leaves and serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh chopped parsley if desired.
Notes
- This is a healthier, gluten-free take on a classic comfort food.
- Using yogurt instead of heavy cream creates a creamy texture with less fat and more protein.
- The dumpling dough will be very sticky; using a greased cookie scoop is a helpful tip for portioning it easily.
- It’s important not to cover the pot for the first 10-12 minutes of cooking the dumplings, but to cover it for the final 5 minutes to ensure they steam and cook through.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
- Make-Ahead: For a super-fast and impressive weeknight meal, you can get a head start by preparing the entire soup base (with the chicken and the vegetables) up to 2 days in advance. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, you can simply bring the soup base to a simmer and proceed with making and cooking the fresh dumplings.
- Storage: Store any leftover soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. The dumplings will absorb more of the broth as they sit.
- Reheating: The best way to reheat this dish is to do so gently in a saucepan on the stovetop over a low heat. You may need to add a generous splash of extra broth or water to loosen the soup.
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Recipe Variations
- Make it with Classic, All-Purpose Flour Dumplings: If you do not need this recipe to be gluten-free, you can easily substitute the 2 1/4 cups of gluten-free flour with an equal amount of a classic, all-purpose flour.
- Make it Richer and More Decadent: For a more classic, indulgent version of this soup, you can substitute the 1/2 cup of plain yogurt with an equal amount of a full-fat sour cream or even a 1/2 cup of heavy cream.
- Add Some Different Vegetables: This is a great “clean out the fridge” meal! Feel free to add about 1 cup of your other favorite vegetables, like some thawed, frozen sweet peas, some sautéed mushrooms, or some diced potatoes.
Enjoy The Ultimate Cozy & Healthy Comfort Food!
You’ve just created a truly special dish that is a perfect harmony of wholesome, classic ingredients and delicious, satisfying flavors. This Healthy Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a testament to the power of a simple, from-scratch meal to bring comfort and joy to your dinner table. It’s a rewarding and deeply satisfying recipe that is sure to become a new, much-requested family favorite for cozy dinners.
We hope you enjoy every last, warm, and delicious bite!
If you enjoyed making this recipe, please leave a comment below or share it with a friend who loves an easy and impressive meal!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What is the absolute, number one secret to truly light and fluffy, not heavy and dense, dumplings?
The secret is to not overmix your batter! After you have combined all your dumpling ingredients, you want to mix them together until they are just barely combined. Overmixing the batter will overdevelop the gluten in the flour, which is the number one culprit behind a tough, dense, and chewy dumpling.
Q2: How do I keep my yogurt-based soup from curdling or separating?
The key is to temper your yogurt. By whisking your cold yogurt with a small amount of a warm liquid (like the water or the broth in this recipe) before you add it to the hot pot, you are gently and slowly raising its temperature. This prevents the yogurt from getting “shocked” by the hot liquid, which is the secret that will keep your soup beautifully smooth and creamy.
Q3: Can I make this soup ahead of time?
This soup is at its absolute best when the dumplings are served fresh from the pot. The best make-ahead method is to prepare the entire soup base and store it in the refrigerator. Then, when you are ready to eat, you can simply bring the base to a simmer and proceed with making and cooking the fresh dumplings, which will take less than 20 minutes.
Q4: Can I freeze chicken and dumplings?
Because this soup contains both dairy (yogurt) and dumplings, it is not an ideal candidate for freezing. The texture of both the cream-based broth and the tender dumplings can change significantly upon thawing and reheating, often becoming a bit grainy or mushy.
Q5: Can I use a pre-made, canned biscuit dough for the dumplings?
You can, but the flavor and the texture of a homemade, from-scratch dumpling is truly a world apart and so much more delicious! The homemade version is surprisingly easy and is the key to that authentic, light and fluffy texture.