Homemade Sourdough Discard Chicken Dumplings Recipe

The only thing better than chicken soup in the cooler months is chicken dumpling soup – the ultimate comfort food!  This homemade chicken dumpling soup is made completely from scratch, including this easy sourdough dumplings recipe.

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Fluffy, tangy sourdough dumplings are the perfect addition to kick this classic comforting meal up a notch.  I know this is controversial, but when it comes to dumplings, I’m team biscuit dumplings all day long.  No offense to those on team noodle dumplings, of course.

In the cooler months of the year, I like to make a huge pot of soup or stew of some sort on Monday, and then we have a hearty meal ready for lunch for the week.  There’s just nothing better than a bowl of rich, hot soup with a fresh slice of artisan bread slathered in fresh butter.  All staples in our house!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• This chicken dumpling soup is made completely from scratch, starting with oven-roasting a whole chicken.  The flavor in scratch-made meals is simply unbeatable.
• The buttery, pillowy dumplings are made with a sourdough starter.  While they aren’t long-fermented at room temperature, you can let them cold-proof in the fridge wrapped in plastic wrap overnight or for a few days for some extra sourdough tanginess.
• The dumpling dough is the same recipe as my favorite sourdough biscuit dough.  This dough is so versatile and I use it in a number of recipes here on the blog.

Spend the day cooking with me for my large family – homemade sourdough chicken dumpling soup is on the menu for lunch!

What You’ll Need

SOUP INGREDIENTS

6 cups cooked chicken, finely chopped = 900 grams (meat from a whole chicken or skinless chicken thighs is preferable to chicken breasts)

1/4 cup butter = 55 grams

6 carrots, quartered and diced = 450 grams

6 celery stalks, halved and diced = 330 grams

1 medium onion, diced = 150 grams

6 cloves garlic, minced = 18 grams

10 oz. frozen peas =  280 grams

2 teaspoons sea salt = 12 grams

1/2 teaspoon black pepper = 3 grams

1 teaspoon garlic powder = 3 grams

1 teaspoon onion powder = 3 grams

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning = 2 grams

1/4 cup all-purpose flour = 30 grams

2 quarts chicken or turkey bone broth

1 cup heavy cream = 240 grams

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese = 225 grams

SOURDOUGH DUMPLING INGREDIENTS

1 1/4 cup flour = 155 grams

1/2 teaspoon salt = 3 grams

1 teaspoon sugar = 4 grams

2 teaspoons baking powder = 8 grams

6 tablespoons cold butter = 85 grams

1/2 cup sourdough starter = 120 grams

1 egg = 50 grams

1/4 cup milk = 60 grams

TOOLS

Large soup pot or dutch oven

Rolling pin

Pizza Cutter

Bench Scraper

Step-By-Step Instructions

Roast the Chicken

(If starting with a whole chicken) Rinse a thawed, whole chicken and pat it dry.  In a medium bowl, mix 1/4 cup olive oil and 2T poultry seasoning (you can make your own = 2 t salt, 1/2 t black pepper, 1 t onion powder, 1 t garlic powder, and 2 t Italian seasoning).  Pour this mixture between the skin and the meat on the breast and thigh sides of the chicken, then run the rest on the outside.  Place the breast side up in a roasting pan or dutch oven and roast in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes per pound or until the internal temperature is 165F.  Allow the chicken to cool, then remove all the meat from the carcass and rough chop it into 1″ pieces.

Add butter to a large pot or dutch oven on medium heat.  Once butter is melted and bubbly, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and peas.  Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and flour to the large soup pot.  Stir and continue simmering on medium heat.  After 5 minutes, slowly pour the bone broth into the dutch oven and raise the heat to medium-high heat to bring to a low boil.

Make the sourdough dumplings

Combine flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder in a large mixing bowl and whisk.  Add cold, grated/cubed butter and cut into the flour mixture with a fork.  Add the egg, sourdough starter, and milk to the large bowl and stir with a spoon until the dough is shaggy.  Do not knead.  

Turn out onto a floured surface and fold the dough a few times to work all the flour in.  Then roll the dough out into a square so it’s about 1/4” thick.  Use a pizza cutter or bench scraper to cut the dumplings to be 1/2” x 1/2”.

Add the dumplings

Once the soup is at a low boil, drop the dumplings in and gently stir.  Continue cooking at a boil for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the chicken, cream, and shredded cheese.  Stir well, turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid, and wait 10 minutes.  Remove from heat, and check with a fork to make sure the dumplings are done, you don’t want soggy dumplings.  Serve hot. 

FAQ

• Can I use regular dough for the homemade dumplings?
  • Yes, you can use regular dough.  The dough recipe I have listed here is just a modification of this biscuit recipe that is on my blog as well.  Just cut the biscuit recipe in half and follow the exact instructions here for sourdough dumplings.
• How do I make a sourdough starter?
  • To make a sourdough starter, mix equal parts water and flour in a jar, cover with a loose fitting lid, and allow to ferment at room temp for 24 hours. Discard half of the mixture after the 24 hours is up, “feed” the starter equal parts water and flour, cover with a loose fitting lid, and allow to ferment at room temp for 24 hours. Repeat this process of discarding, feeding, and fermenting for 1-2 weeks and you will have a mature sourdough starter ready to bake with. See my detailed blog posts on how to make and maintain a sourdough starter.
• Can I freeze sourdough dumplings for later use?
  • Yes, These sourdough discard dumplings can be frozen.  To freeze, toss the dumplings in 2T flour so they are well coated and do not stick together.  Spread evenly on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and freeze for 6 hours.  After the dumplings are frozen, seal them in an airtight container are store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Tips

• Use the same dutch oven you roasted your whole chicken in to make the chicken dumplings.  Leave some of the drippings in the bottom of the DO when you add your butter, carrots, celery, onion, and garlic.  This adds to the depth and richness of this dish.
• Don’t skip seasoning your whole chicken before oven-roasting.  Juicy, flavorful chicken makes a big difference even when it’s mixed into soup.  Try adding a few bay leaves to your soup while bringing it to a low boil which is a great way to add flavor.
• Stick your butter in the freezer for 15 minutes before grating or cubing it for the dumpling dough.  Work quickly when you make the dumplings so the butter doesn’t melt.  This will help keep the dough from sticking to the counter or the dumplings from sticking together.
• Rather than rolling the dough and cutting dumplings, try drop dumplings.  Just drop a tablespoon of dumpling dough into the boiling soup at a time and cook until the dumplings are pillowy.

Storage

This recipe can be refrigerated for 5 days or frozen in an airtight container once it has cooled completely.  When ready to use, thaw at room temperature, heat, and, serve.

More Sourdough Recipes

Quick & Easy Sourdough Discard Dumplings

Flaky Sourdough Pie Crust

Sourdough Crepes

How to Make a Sourdough Starter

Sourdough Pullman Loaf – Pain De Mie Sandwich Bread

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