Chicken and dumplings are a classic comfort food, but sourdough chicken and dumplings kick it up a notch with creamy and flavorful bone broth soup, and soft-pillowy sourdough dumplings, steamed to a fluffy perfection. This recipe will be your new favorite comfort meal!

These easy sourdough dumplings are simple to make and packed with flavor. Made with sourdough discard, thyme, minced parsley, freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt; these soft, pillowy dumplings will enhance your favorite chicken soup.

Fall and winter means soups and stews! And I can’t think of anything better to make for dinner on a cold and chilly evening than chicken soup made with bone broth and homemade sourdough dumplings.

It truly is the ultimate comfort food!

Sourdough discard or active starter:

You can make these dumplings with sourdough discard, so you can whip up this recipe quickly for a hearty meal your whole family will love. 

Or if you want, you could even use your active bubbly starter and enjoy all the benefits of sourdough!

If you’re hoping for the benefits, the fermentation does involve a little planning ahead, but it’s super simple and requires very little hands-on time.

What are sourdough dumplings?

If you’ve never had classic chicken and dumplings, you are missing out! 

Dumplings are made with a simple dough, formed into flat squares (or round balls), and dropped into a simmering soup of your choice and steamed to perfection. They add flavor and texture to your soup, and the starches in the dumplings create a thicker, richer broth.

Why you’ll love chicken and sourdough dumplings:

Comforting: There’s just nothing like a cozy comfort bowl of warm chicken soup during the colder months of the year; add in sourdough dumplings, and you’ve got the best of both worlds!

Quick and easy: Since this is a sourdough discard recipe, you can use it straight from the fridge. Once you mix the dough up, it is ready to be added to the soup! And who isn’t a fan of an all-in-one meal?

Hearty and filling: No way anyone will walk away hungry from your dinner table after serving sourdough chicken and dumplings.

Made from scratch: This sourdough chicken and dumpling soup is made completely from scratch, starting with an oven-roasted or a smoked whole chicken from the grill, and homemade bone broth. The flavor in scratch-made meals is simply unbeatable!

Sourdough Dumpling Making Tips:

• If you want to use active starter and enjoy all the benefits of sourdough, you can! You can mix the dough up and then leave it out (covered) for several hours to long ferment. Otherwise, you can use discard straight from the fridge.
• You can shape your dumplings however you would like! Flat, round, short, long – go for it!
• You can make sure they’re cooked thoroughly by inserting a toothpick to see if it comes out clean or take one out and cut it open. You want to make sure it has more of a bread consistency rather than a doughy texture.
• With pretty much every sourdough recipe, I like to always mix together my sourdough starter and luke-warm water first, before adding any other ingredients. It simply makes it easier to incorporate everything else, think of it as “the base.” And if you’re choosing to ferment your dough, the warmth helps to kick start the rise and activate the fermentation.

What ingredients are needed to make chicken and sourdough dumplings?

Chicken meat: Roasted or smoked chicken is amazing for this dish, but feel free to use chicken breasts or your preferred parts of the chicken.

Good Bone Broth: Of course, you can use any bouillon, stock, or soup base that you have. But I love making my own chicken bone broth to get the most gut-healing benefits, and I do not like to waste if I can help it!

Butter: About 1 cup, or one stick, for that irresistible buttery flavor.

Sourdough dumplings: Since you’re here, chances are you already have a sourdough starter, so you’re halfway there. But, if you don’t have a starter going, you can learn the easiest way to make one here.

You will also need: water, flour, baking powder, eggs, coconut oil (or butter), salt and pepper, and I like to incorporate parsley and thyme within my dumplings.

Vegetables: I am using basic soup vegetables such as onion, celery stalks, and carrots. But feel free to add or substitute your own with mushrooms, sweet potatoes, broccoli, etc.

Pot spices: Sea salt and lots of black pepper are a given, but you could add some poultry seasoning, too. I sometimes like to add a bay leaf or two. Garlic, thyme and parsley are also great herbs for this dish.

Heavy Cream and an 8 oz block of cream cheese adds creamy flavor and thickness!

How to make homemade chicken bone broth:

Aside from all of the wonderful benefits of sourdough, what makes this recipe even more nourishing is the use of chicken bone broth. It is full of collagen and essential minerals such as phosphorus, magnesium, and potassium. So, if you’re using a whole chicken for your recipe, don’t let those bones go to waste!

You can make homemade chicken bone broth rather easily; it just takes time. So, it does require some planning if you’re hoping to use it for this chicken and sourdough dumpling recipe.

My instant pot is my first go-to, it gets the job done faster than a Dutch oven and I like that it is kind of out of my way. You can find out more on how to make your own homemade chicken bone broth using an instant pot here.

If you do not have an instant pot, or would simply just rather use your Dutch oven, you can look here for guidance. You can also achieve great bone broth using a crockpot: cover the bones with water, add your desired scraps and seasonings, and cook on low heat for 24 hours.

Useful tools and equipment:

The good news is that you do not need any special equipment to make this chicken and dumplings recipe. Odds are, you probably already have everything needed to make this meal happen. But here are some of my favorite tools:

• Dutch oven: Of course, you can make this recipe in any large pot, but I really like how cast-iron Dutch ovens heat evenly. And the look of them just adds to the coziness of this dish.
• Stand mixer: or a mixing bowl, comes in handy for mixing the sourdough dumpling dough.
• Pizza cutter: optional, but great for cutting and shaping your dumplings.
• Bench scraper: also optional, but really helpful with the dumplings! I use mine to help scoop them up without messing up shape.
• Mixing spoon: Needed to stir your soup consistently.
• Ladle: I love an old-fashioned stainless-steel ladle to transfer the soup to the bowls.

Steps to take:

Prepare the meat: If you are roasting a whole chicken, or smoking it on the grill, you can simply pick the meat off the bones. Alternatively, if you’re using chicken breast, skinless chicken thighs, or your favorite chicken pieces: the simplest way is to either pressure cook in an instant pot or boil them in some water or stock until done.

Make the soup base: To get the most gut-healing benefits, I prefer using my own chicken bone broth. However, you can use any store-bought chicken stock, bouillon, or broth. Simply prepare your preferred soup base to your pot you have readily available for this recipe.

Combine: In a large soup pot or cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add one cup (or one stick) of butter, the cooked and shredded chicken meat, broth, and vegetables. Simmer over low heat until all the vegetables are soft. Season the soup with a dash of salt and pepper, thyme, parsley and garlic. My family and I prefer lots of pepper for this dish.

How to Make Sourdough Dumplings:

I usually choose to go with the fermented option to make these a little healthier and give them more of a rich, tangy flavor. However, I have made them several times on a whim. They still taste great and contain a good boost of antioxidants and prebiotics!

If you want to ferment your dumplings make sure it is fed and active. Otherwise, these can be made just as quickly as regular dumplings using sourdough discard.

Combine dough ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sourdough starter (or discard)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp pepper (we like a lot of pepper, so I use more)
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil (or butter)
• 3/4 cup water
• 2 eggs

Simply combine all ingredients into a stand mixer or a medium mixing bowl. Mix well, until you have a smooth and glossy dough. If you decide to let your dough ferment, it can sit out on the counter (covered) for 6-8 hours or up to 24 hours in the fridge.

When you are ready to cook your sourdough dumplings, roll out the dough onto a floured cutting board or countertop. Roll the dough into about a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. A pizza cutter is very handy at this step, or you can use a very sharp knife. Cut in 3/4 inch wide strips, then cut crossways 1 inch. Each dumpling should be about 3/4 in by 1 inch.

I prefer homemade old-fashioned flat dumplings, but it’s just preference. You could use this recipe to make your dumplings from scratch and shape them to suit you. Just make sure all of your dumplings are well coated with flour, you don’t want them sticking together!

Bring your pot of broth and chicken to a boil, then drop the dumplings in one at a time. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Dumplings tend to cook rather quickly, but the cook time may vary depending on size and shape.

Once your sourdough dumplings are cooked thoroughly, add about a cup of heavy cream and a 8 ounce block of cream cheese for additional flavor and thickness.

And there you have it, sourdough chicken and dumplings! Full of flavor, collagen and essential minerals, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and a boost of antioxidants and prebiotics. Who knew comfort food could be so nutritious? This recipe contains all the goodness!

Substitutions and variations:

You might like to vary the ingredients or methods.

• I usually make this recipe using my stove top, but you can also make this dish using a slow cooker or an instant pot.
• For making the dumplings, you can use all-purpose flour. Or if you prefer, you can make them with spelt flour or einkorn flour, or even whole wheat.
• You can substitute the coconut oil in the dumplings with olive oil, butter, or even whole milk.
• If you’d like to make this soup creamier, you can add more heavy cream or sour cream right before serving.
• Cornstarch would also be a good alternative to provide thickness.

Questions & Answers

Can I Freeze Sourdough Dumplings?

Yes! Simply form your dough, cut and shape your dumplings, and add to a baking sheet. Freeze them just until they’ve hardened enough to be easier to work with. Take them out of the freezer and add to a freezer bag or airtight container. Place in the freezer for up to three months. 

Thaw out your dumplings for a few minutes before adding to your soup to cook. 

They can also be refrigerated for up to 5 days. When ready to use, heat and serve.

Can I use regular dough for the homemade dumplings?

Yes, you can use regular dough. It does not have to be sourdough. You could even use store bought biscuit dough from a can, if you want.

How do I make a sourdough starter?

You can learn how to make a sourdough starter from scratch here.

How do you serve sourdough dumplings?

Dumplings are made by steaming in a simmering pot of soup. So, there are a number of recipes you can use for a soup that will be good with sourdough dumplings! I like to use chicken and your basic soup vegetables, like carrots and celery stalks in our dumpling soup. 

If you are adding chicken, what kind of chicken is the best?

This is all personal preference. I prefer to use a whole smoked chicken from the grill, but sometimes I’ll roast or bake a whole chicken and use the leftover cooked chicken meat in soup the next day. If I don’t have any cooked chicken on hand, I love to use skinless chicken thighs because they are usually more tender.