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Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings Soup

Sourdough Chicken and Dumplings Soup Recipe

A cozy, homemade comfort food recipe made with tender chicken, vegetables, and fluffy sourdough dumplings simmered in a rich, savory broth. This sourdough chicken and dumplings soup is perfect for cold days, family dinners, and using up sourdough discard.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes

Equipment

  • Large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven
  • Wooden spoon or silicone spatula
  • Kitchen tongs
  • Sharp knife
  • Cutting board
  • 2 Mixing bowls
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Ladle

Ingredients
  

For the Soup

  • 2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs or whole chicken pieces
  • 2 tbsp olive oil or butter
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 large onion diced
  • 2 carrots sliced
  • 2 celery stalks sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 8 cups chicken broth low sodium
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried thyme or fresh
  • ½ cup heavy cream optional, for creamier soup

For the Sourdough Dumplings

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sourdough starter discard or active
  • ½ cup milk or buttermilk
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 2 tbsp melted butter

Instructions
 

Prepare the Chicken

  • Pat chicken dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Heat olive oil or butter in a large pot over medium heat.
  • Brown chicken on all sides, about 5–7 minutes total.
  • Remove chicken and set aside.

Build the Soup Base

  • In the same pot, add onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 5–7 minutes until softened.
  • Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Pour in chicken broth, add bay leaves and thyme, then return chicken to the pot.
  • Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook for 30–40 minutes until chicken is tender.

Shred Chicken

  • Remove chicken, shred meat, and discard bones and skin.
  • Return shredded chicken to the pot.

Make the Dumplings

  • In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
  • In another bowl, mix sourdough starter, milk, egg, and melted butter.
  • Combine wet and dry ingredients until just mixed.

Cook Dumplings

  • Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough into gently simmering soup.
  • Cover and cook for 15–18 minutes without lifting the lid.

Finish

  • Stir in cream if using, adjust seasoning, remove bay leaves, and serve hot.

Notes

  • Do not overmix dumpling dough to avoid dense dumplings.
  • Keep soup at a gentle simmer when cooking dumplings.
  • For extra tang, use fully fermented sourdough discard.