Chicken dumpling soup is one of those recipes I turn to whenever I need something simple, warm, and familiar. I often make it when I have chicken backs or leftovers from butchering, as it results in a clear and delicious soup for any day. I love that it doesn’t require complicated ingredients – just basic vegetables, an egg, a bit of semolina, and you have a meal sorted. It's not the fastest soup, but the steps are straightforward, and once the chicken is boiling, the rest goes quickly. The dumplings always turn out fluffy if you take your time.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: homemade soup, family lunch
Ingredients
For the soup:
4 liters of water
A piece of chicken back
1 onion
2-3 carrots
1/2 celery root
1/2 parsnip
1 potato
1 bell pepper
vegetable seasoning (to taste)
salt
fresh parsley
For the dumplings:
1 egg
50 g semolina
salt
Instructions
1. Place the water in a large pot over heat. When it starts to boil, add the washed chicken back. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Skim the soup with a spoon, gathering the foam that forms on the surface. This helps keep it clear.
3. Clean the vegetables and cut them into halves or thirds. After skimming well, add the vegetables to the pot over the meat. Also add the vegetable seasoning and salt to taste.
4. Let everything simmer on low heat, uncovered, until the meat and vegetables are well cooked. Generally, this takes about an hour and a half, but it depends on how old the chicken is.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. Crack the egg into a bowl, add salt, and beat well with a fork. Gradually incorporate the semolina, stirring continuously, until you achieve a homogeneous mixture that is neither too soft nor too hard. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
6. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, remove everything from the pot and strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. A clear soup is achieved if you use a fine sieve.
7. Bring the clear soup back to a boil. Using a spoon, take some of the dumpling mixture and drop the dumplings directly into the gently boiling soup. The dumplings will puff up as they cook. Each piece needs about 5-6 minutes on low heat.
8. After all the dumplings are ready, add chopped fresh parsley again after you turn off the heat.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I appreciate it most because it uses ingredients I always have on hand. The semolina dumplings don’t cause any trouble if you’re not in a hurry. This soup is light, clear, and works every time I need a quick lunch or want something light.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. Skim as often as possible at the beginning for clarity.
2. If you want fluffier dumplings, let the semolina mixture sit for a few minutes before shaping them.
3. Cut the vegetables into large pieces so you can easily remove them if you don’t want to leave them in the soup.
Substitutions
1. Instead of chicken back, you can use any piece of chicken with bone – wings, bone-in breast, or even feet.
2. Vegetable seasoning can be replaced with salt or Delikat, or you can skip it entirely and use only salt if you prefer without additives.
Variations
1. If you want it to be heartier, you can leave the cooked vegetables in the soup and chop them finely at the end.
2. You can add a few whole peppercorns if you want a more intense flavor.
3. For a different look, you can sprinkle chopped parsley just before serving.
Serving Ideas
1. The soup is good hot, with fresh parsley on top.
2. It can be served plain or with a slice of fresh bread.
3. It also pairs well with hot peppers for those who like it spicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I boil the dumplings to ensure they are cooked through?
Usually, 5-6 minutes in gently boiling soup is sufficient. Don’t lift the lid immediately; let them sit for another 2-3 minutes after you turn off the heat.
Why do my dumplings fall apart or dissolve?
Most often, the mixture is too liquid or the soup is boiling too vigorously when you add them. Ensure the dumplings are well mixed and that the soup is gently simmering, not boiling hard.
Can dumplings be made from something other than semolina?
Not for the classic recipe. Semolina gives the specific texture, and using another flour won’t yield the same result.
Can I use store-bought chicken broth?
You can, but it won’t have the same homemade taste. This recipe is for soup made with chicken simmered gently from scratch.
Can I add more vegetable seasoning or spices?
You can adjust to taste, but be careful with salt – some mixes are already salty.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for one serving (out of 8):
Calories: 110-130 kcal
Protein: 7-10 g
Carbohydrates: 6-9 g
Fats: 5-7 g
Values are approximate. They depend on how much meat remains in the soup and how many dumplings each person makes. The soup is quite light, especially if you don’t add much meat or allow the fat to remain.
Storage and Reheating
Chicken dumpling soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The dumplings become softer if left for a long time, but they can be easily reheated over low heat without letting them boil hard. I do not recommend freezing with dumplings, as the texture changes. If you want to freeze it, do so without dumplings and add them fresh when reheating.
Quick Info
Total time: about 2 hours
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings: 6-8
Difficulty: easy
Recipe type: homemade soup, family lunch
Ingredients
For the soup:
4 liters of water
A piece of chicken back
1 onion
2-3 carrots
1/2 celery root
1/2 parsnip
1 potato
1 bell pepper
vegetable seasoning (to taste)
salt
fresh parsley
For the dumplings:
1 egg
50 g semolina
salt
Instructions
1. Place the water in a large pot over heat. When it starts to boil, add the washed chicken back. Let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes.
2. Skim the soup with a spoon, gathering the foam that forms on the surface. This helps keep it clear.
3. Clean the vegetables and cut them into halves or thirds. After skimming well, add the vegetables to the pot over the meat. Also add the vegetable seasoning and salt to taste.
4. Let everything simmer on low heat, uncovered, until the meat and vegetables are well cooked. Generally, this takes about an hour and a half, but it depends on how old the chicken is.
5. Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. Crack the egg into a bowl, add salt, and beat well with a fork. Gradually incorporate the semolina, stirring continuously, until you achieve a homogeneous mixture that is neither too soft nor too hard. Let the mixture sit for 5-10 minutes.
6. Once the chicken and vegetables are cooked, remove everything from the pot and strain the soup through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. A clear soup is achieved if you use a fine sieve.
7. Bring the clear soup back to a boil. Using a spoon, take some of the dumpling mixture and drop the dumplings directly into the gently boiling soup. The dumplings will puff up as they cook. Each piece needs about 5-6 minutes on low heat.
8. After all the dumplings are ready, add chopped fresh parsley again after you turn off the heat.
Why I Make This Recipe Often
I appreciate it most because it uses ingredients I always have on hand. The semolina dumplings don’t cause any trouble if you’re not in a hurry. This soup is light, clear, and works every time I need a quick lunch or want something light.
Tips and Variations
Tips
1. Skim as often as possible at the beginning for clarity.
2. If you want fluffier dumplings, let the semolina mixture sit for a few minutes before shaping them.
3. Cut the vegetables into large pieces so you can easily remove them if you don’t want to leave them in the soup.
Substitutions
1. Instead of chicken back, you can use any piece of chicken with bone – wings, bone-in breast, or even feet.
2. Vegetable seasoning can be replaced with salt or Delikat, or you can skip it entirely and use only salt if you prefer without additives.
Variations
1. If you want it to be heartier, you can leave the cooked vegetables in the soup and chop them finely at the end.
2. You can add a few whole peppercorns if you want a more intense flavor.
3. For a different look, you can sprinkle chopped parsley just before serving.
Serving Ideas
1. The soup is good hot, with fresh parsley on top.
2. It can be served plain or with a slice of fresh bread.
3. It also pairs well with hot peppers for those who like it spicy.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I boil the dumplings to ensure they are cooked through?
Usually, 5-6 minutes in gently boiling soup is sufficient. Don’t lift the lid immediately; let them sit for another 2-3 minutes after you turn off the heat.
Why do my dumplings fall apart or dissolve?
Most often, the mixture is too liquid or the soup is boiling too vigorously when you add them. Ensure the dumplings are well mixed and that the soup is gently simmering, not boiling hard.
Can dumplings be made from something other than semolina?
Not for the classic recipe. Semolina gives the specific texture, and using another flour won’t yield the same result.
Can I use store-bought chicken broth?
You can, but it won’t have the same homemade taste. This recipe is for soup made with chicken simmered gently from scratch.
Can I add more vegetable seasoning or spices?
You can adjust to taste, but be careful with salt – some mixes are already salty.
Nutritional Values
Estimation for one serving (out of 8):
Calories: 110-130 kcal
Protein: 7-10 g
Carbohydrates: 6-9 g
Fats: 5-7 g
Values are approximate. They depend on how much meat remains in the soup and how many dumplings each person makes. The soup is quite light, especially if you don’t add much meat or allow the fat to remain.
Storage and Reheating
Chicken dumpling soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days. The dumplings become softer if left for a long time, but they can be easily reheated over low heat without letting them boil hard. I do not recommend freezing with dumplings, as the texture changes. If you want to freeze it, do so without dumplings and add them fresh when reheating.