Back in the day, when I was just a wee young lad, Grandma would make me a delightful dish with peppery balls of dough soaked in chicken noodle soup. She was an interesting woman to say the least and quite frankly, hilariously different than most Grandmas. If I were to ask anyone to say one thing about her, 98% would say "She was an incredible cook!". I couldn't help but think of her while I created this recipe for Hatch Green Chile and Chicken with Dumplings Soup.
She lived in a tiny apartment in Lincoln, Nebraska. The apartment smelled of cigarette smoke and was always hot and stuffy. Which should come as no surprise, I mean we're talking late 1980's here.
But when she got in that kitchen the aroma of Grandma's cooking quickly took over. It definitely got hotter thats for sure. But nothing a little cracked window wouldn't fix during a Nebraska winter.
This is one of the most important powers that food harness' in my opinion.
Yeah, it's technically there to nourish our bodies keeping us healthy and energized. But in the long run, a nostalgic flavor, aroma, sound, or visual that quickly whisks your mind into a different time and place is absolutely priceless.
I hope that this recipe can do the same for you and your family for many years to come!
Who Invented Chicken and Dumplings
I would love to say that chicken and dumplings originated in a small stuffy apartment on 10th and G street in Lincoln, Nebraska. But that just wouldn't be an honest answer and I always aim to give you true origins.
In fact, chicken and dumplings soup isn't even originally a southern dish like many think it is. Nor is it from the midwest despite its popularity in both of these regions.
Dumplings Soup dates as far back as the early 1600's in Europe. Many people will tell you that this cozy comfort food took roots during the great depression. However, it was actually introduced to Americans around 1836, nearly 90 years before The Great Depression.
I will add this though. The saying 'Waste Not, Want Not' did originate during that time period and isn't hard to live by with the recipe you're about to enjoy.
But I digress...
It was in 1879 that a recipe was included in the cookbook entitled 'Housekeeping in old Virginia' by Marion Cabell Tyree that included boiled chicken with dumplings dropped into the soup.
As the idea of a basic dough being boiled with chicken crossed the nation, different variations were added regionally.
Some were making flat dumplings, others were light and airy, or more biscuit like. Recipes in the north added carrots and celery to the broth for additional flavor.
So there you have it. Thats how chicken with dumplings soup became the cozy comfort food we all know and love today.
Now lets get after it!
Recipe for Chicken Dumplings Soup
Using a 6.75 quart dutch oven start by melting butter over medium high heat.
I used frozen bags of carrots and seasoning blend veggies for this recipe. Just dump 2 ten ounce bags of the seasoning blend and 1 twelve ounce bag of carrots to the melted butter and sauté until tender.
Add garlic and rosemary stirring to combine and sauté for about 2-3 more minutes or until the garlic becomes aromatic.
Now add a bit of flour ensuring all the veggies are covered. Next add the chicken broth, heavy cream, and chicken quarters. Bring the soup to a low boil then cover and allow to cook for about 20 minutes or until the chicken has reached an internal temp of 165°f.
During this step, I wasn't able to fit all of the chicken in the dutch oven. So I actually boiled a separate pot of water and boiled a couple of the thighs in there.
Once all of your chicken has reached the proper temperature, set it aside.
Add the Hatch Green Chilies to the dutch oven, stir to combine, cover and simmer.
Debone the chicken thighs and add the chicken back to the soup, cover and simmer for 45 minutes.
This will get all those flavors nice and melded together.
During the last 15 minutes prepare and add the dumplings.
How do You Make Dumplings for Soup
Once you know how to make dumplings for soup you're gonna be mad you haven't been making them for your entire adult cooking life.
They're CRAZY EASY to make!
Heres how. In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper, and sugar.
Then, in a separate bowl, microwave some butter for about 30 seconds. Stir the butter until it's completely melted.
Don't over heat the butter otherwise it'll break and you certainly don't want that.
Stir the milk into the butter until fully mixed and then pour that into the flour, stirring to make a dough mixture.
Using a large kitchen table spoon, soup spoon, what have you, drop spoon fulls into your simmering soup.
Thats how you make the dumplings!
Hatch Green Chile and Chicken with Dumplings Soup
Ingredients
The Soup
- 6 Chicken Leg quarters
- 2 tablespoon Salted Butter
- 2 - 10 OZ Bags frozen Seasoning Blend
- 12 OZ Bag Frozen Sliced Carrots
- 2 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Dried Rosemary
- 2 tablespoon All Purpose Flour
- 8 Cups Chicken Stock
- ½ Cup Heavy Cream
- 1 lb Hatch Green Chile's
- Salt and Pepper to taste
The Dumplings
- 1 Cup All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon White Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 tablespoon Salted Butter
- ½ Cup Milk
- 1 tablespoon Dried Parsley
Instructions
The Soup and Chicken
- In a 6.75 Quart or larger Dutch Oven, melt butter over medium high heat.
- Add the bags of frozen vegetables to the pot and stir to cover in the butter, cooking until softened.
- Add garlic and rosemary and saute for about another 2-3 minutes.
- Add flour and stir to combine.
- Pour in the chicken stock and heavy cream then add the chicken quarters. Bring to a low boil, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes or until the legs have reached 165°f internal temperature. (See Note)
- Once the chicken has reached its proper internal temp, remove the chicken from the pot and set aside allowing them to slightly cool.
- Add Hatch Green Chile's to the Dutch Oven stirring to combine.
- Debone the Chicken using forks or hands and place the chicken meat back into the pot.
- Bring to a low simmer for about 40-45 minutes.
The Dumplings
- During the last 15 minutes of the soup simmering, combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
- Microwave butter for 30 seconds and then stir to melt completely.
- Add Milk and butter to flour mixture stirring to create a soft dough.
- Using a large kitchen table spoon, drop spoonfuls dumpling dough into the pot.
- Cover the pot, simmer for 15 more minutes.
- SERVE and ENJOY!
Video
Notes
In Conclusion
This classic comfort food will, i'm sure bring back memories for many. But I assure you, once the spice from the Hatch Green Chile kicks in you'll be quickly snapped back to reality.
In all seriousness, this was a truly nostalgic recipe to make and meal to eat. The Hatch Green Chiles add a flavor that obviously isn't common in Chicken with Dumplings Soup but it should be common place now. The earthy and smokey flavor takes this dish to a whole new level!
If you like this recipe then you'll love all of my Recipes with Hatch Green Chilies post, plus you'll learn everything there is to know about this highly sought after fruit.
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