Spring Chicken and Dumplings with leeks, mushrooms, and peas is a cozy, spring-inspired one-pot dinner made with my fluffy yogurt dumplings for extra protein.
Spring Chicken and Dumplings
This high-protein, spring-inspired take on chicken and dumplings is just as cozy and comforting, with tender chicken, earthy mushrooms, sweet leeks, and peas simmered in a savory broth. I used my yogurt dumplings from my Skinnytaste Simple cookbook. They add a little more protein and come out so fluffy while soaking up all that flavor. My husband, Tommy, loved this dish so much that he even ate the leftovers (which he never does!) and asked me to make it again the next week.
Why This Chicken and Dumplings Recipe Works
I’ve been testing this new healthy chicken and dumplings recipe with spring ingredients, and my family has been loving it. It’s cozy and light, great for those cooler spring nights.
- Comfort food made healthier: The same classic chicken and dumplings lightened up without cream or milk.
- One-pot meal for maximum convenience and minimal cleanup
- Protein-Packed: Over 50g protein!
- Layers of flavor: Sautéed mushrooms and leeks create a richer, more savory broth.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Keep reading for all the ingredients in this homemade chicken and dumpling soup recipe. See the recipe card below for the exact measurements.
- Baby Bella Mushrooms: Wipe dirt off the mushrooms using a damp paper towel.
- Kosher Salt for seasoning
- Leeks: Remove the dark green tops, then cut the white and light green parts into circles. Submerge in a bowl of cold water to get rid of any dirt. Lift them out and rinse again to make sure they’re clean.
- Self-rising Flour contains baking powder and salt to help the dumplings rise.
- Broth: Use low-sodium chicken broth as the base, then add Better Than Bouillon to enhance the flavor.
- Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs: Trim off the fat with kitchen scissors and cut into cubes.
- Plain Nonfat Greek Yogurt adds extra protein to the dumplings.
- Fresh Chives for a mild onion flavor
- Petite Peas: Use fresh or frozen peas.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings
The dumplings are super easy. They only have 4 ingredients, and the cooking process is completely hands-off. Just add them to the broth and let them simmer. See the recipe card at the bottom for printable directions.
- Cook the vegetables: Sauté the mushrooms until soft, then add the leeks. Cook for a few minutes, then stir in 1 tablespoon of flour.
- Boil and simmer: Add the broth and bouillon, tasting and adjusting salt if necessary, then place the chicken thighs in the pot. Increase the heat to high, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for about 25 minutes, until the chicken is no longer raw. Stir in the peas.
- Make the dumplings: Mix the flour, yogurt, chives, and salt together.
- Cook the dumplings: Spoon teaspoons of dough into the soup. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes until the dumplings are tender.
Variations
- Mushrooms: Swap baby bellas for white button mushrooms, shiitakes, or a mix. If you don’t like mushrooms, replace them with carrots or celery.
- No self-rising flour? King Arthur has a recipe you can use with all- purpose flour.
- Protein boost: Substitute chicken bone broth.
- Chicken: Swap thighs for 2 pounds of diced chicken breasts. You can also use leftover cooked chicken (rotisserie chicken is a great shortcut!). Add it when you add the dumplings.
What are some common mistakes to avoid when making chicken and dumplings?
For the softest, fluffiest dumplings, try these tips.
- Don’t overmix the dumpling dough when adding the yogurt.
- Make the dough ahead to give it time to rise, and let the yogurt get room temperature.
- Don’t lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking, or the steam will escape. They need the steam to rise.
Storage
- Refrigerate the soup for 4 days.
- Freeze in airtight containers for 3 months. I also like using Souper Cubes, which are perfect for freezing soup in individual portions.
- Reheat on the stove or in the microwave until warm. If the dumplings have absorbed a lot of the broth, add a little more broth or water to thin it out.
More Easy Soup Recipes You’ll Love
For more dinner ideas, check out these five healthy soup recipes to inspire your next meal!
- 2 cups baby bella mushrooms, sliced
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- 1 cup leeks, cleaned well, white part and light green only, sliced into rounds
- â…” cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour, divided
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1/2 tablespoon chicken better than bouillon, (or more to taste depending on the broth you use)
- 8 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut into 1-inch chunks
- â…” cup plain nonfat yogurt, not Greek
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
- 1 cup petite peas, fresh or frozen
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Heat a large deep skillet or pot (that has a lid) over medium heat and spray with oil. Add mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt. Saute, stirring continuously, until the mushrooms soften and release some of their moisture, about 4-5 minutes.
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Add leeks and saute until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the flour and stir 1 minute until no longer raw.
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Add the broth and chicken bouillon and stir vigorously to combine (taste for salt at this point and add more as needed so it’s flavorful); add the chicken thighs. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, then reduce the heat so it bubbles gently. Cover and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. Stir in the peas.
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Meanwhile as soon as you cover the pot, mix the remaining flour, the yogurt, chives, and remaining ½ teaspoon of salt in a medium bowl with a spoon until mixed through. Let this rest room temperature 25 minutes, while the chicken cooks.
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Using 2 teaspoons, spoon the dough into the stew a teaspoon at a time (they will expand quite a bit). Cover and simmer for an additional 20 minutes on medium low, to low heat, until the stew has thickened and the dumplings are tender.
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Serve hot.
Last Step:
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Any type of mushrooms work, a mix is great; baby bella were tested here.
Serving: 1 â…” cups, Calories: 383 kcal, Carbohydrates: 20 g, Protein: 51.5 g, Fat: 9 g, Saturated Fat: 2.5 g, Cholesterol: 214 mg, Sodium: 802 mg, Fiber: 2.5 g, Sugar: 5 g
