Introduction

This comforting chicken and pumpkin dumpling soup is perfect for cozy nights. It combines tender shredded chicken, warm spices, and fluffy pumpkin dumplings in a savory broth. A delightful twist on classic chicken soup that’s sure to become a family favorite.

A white pot holds a stew with about two layers: the bottom thick brown sauce with a slightly shiny, creamy texture and small bits of vegetables like orange carrot pieces mixed in, and the top layer of about ten dark brown meatballs that have a rough, cooked crust, all sprinkled with green herbs. A wooden spoon with a long handle rests inside the pot, partially covered by the sauce, with the spoon's bowl holding some of the meatballs and sauce. The pot sits on a white marbled surface with a reddish-brown cloth partially visible underneath, and a small white plate with chopped green herbs and a small brown bowl nearby. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter
2 large carrots, peeled as desired & diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 tablespoons Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour
32 ounces Simply Nature Organic Chicken Broth
1 cup Baker’s Corner 100% Pure Pumpkin
Heaping 1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 head garlic, halved crosswise & excess paper removed
1 1/2 pounds Simply Nature Organic Chicken Breasts
One 10-ounce bag frozen Simply Nature Organic Butternut Squash or Sweet Potatoes
1/2 cup Simply Nature Organic Whole Milk
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter, grated
1 cup Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Stonemill Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 large egg, lightly whisked
1/3 cup Baker’s Corner 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/4 cup Simply Nature Organic Whole Milk
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

Step 1: Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottom pot over medium heat. Add the diced carrots, celery, and onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of flour over the softened vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture is deeply browned.
Step 3: Slowly pour in the chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to lift any browned bits. Add the halved garlic head, pumpkin puree, ground cumin, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer.
Step 4: Add the chicken breasts to the pot. Season again with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Step 5: While the soup simmers, prepare the dumpling dough. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Add the grated cold butter and use your hands to coat the butter pieces with the flour mixture. Set aside.
Step 6: In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, 1/3 cup pumpkin puree, and 1/4 cup whole milk. Add this wet mixture to the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until a thick, spongy dough forms. Do not overmix. Set aside.
Step 7: Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks or a stand mixer paddle attachment for easy shredding. Return the shredded chicken to the pot along with the frozen butternut squash or sweet potatoes and 1/2 cup whole milk. Stir to combine and bring back to a gentle simmer.
Step 8: Use two small spoons to drop tablespoon-sized portions of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup. Cover and cook for 8-10 minutes until the dumplings are puffy and cooked through.
Step 9: Finish by squeezing in the juice of half a lemon. Taste and add additional salt or black pepper if needed. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve warm.

Tips & Variations

For a richer flavor, use homemade chicken broth instead of store-bought.
Add fresh herbs like thyme or sage for extra aroma and depth.
Substitute the butternut squash with sweet potatoes or pumpkin for a slightly different sweetness.
Be careful not to overmix the dumpling dough to keep it light and fluffy.
To make the soup spicier, add a pinch of cayenne pepper or smoked paprika.

Storage

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stove over low heat to prevent the dumplings from breaking apart. This soup can also be frozen without dumplings for up to 2 months; add freshly made dumplings when reheating.

How to Serve

A white bowl filled with a rich stew showing three large dumplings covered in a thick, brown gravy. The dumplings have a rough texture and are sprinkled with small green herbs and some black pepper. Around the dumplings, chunks of orange carrots sit in a glossy brown sauce with small bits of onions and herbs visible. A silver spoon is partially sunk in the stew, and the bowl is placed on a white marbled surface with an orange cloth partially underneath. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use pre-cooked chicken instead?

Yes, pre-cooked chicken can be added towards the end of cooking to warm through, but shredding raw chicken in the broth allows more flavor to develop.

What can I substitute for pumpkin puree?

You can use canned butternut squash or sweet potato puree as a substitute for pumpkin. Just make sure it’s unsweetened and pure to maintain the soup’s savory balance.

Chicken and Pumpkin Dumplings Recipe

Print Recipe

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4.7 from 513 reviews

This comforting Chicken and Pumpkin Dumplings recipe combines tender shredded chicken, creamy pumpkin, and flavorful autumn spices in a hearty soup. Soft, spiced pumpkin dumplings simmer gently on top, making it perfect for cozy fall or winter meals.

Author: Dylan
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Soup
Method: Stovetop
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Scale

Soup Base

2 tablespoons Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter
2 large carrots, peeled as desired & diced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 tablespoons Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour
32 ounces Simply Nature Organic Chicken Broth
1 cup Baker’s Corner 100% Pure Pumpkin
heaping 1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Ground Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Stonemill Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 head garlic, halved crosswise & excess paper removed
1 1/2 pounds Simply Nature Organic Chicken Breasts
one 10-ounce bag frozen Simply Nature Organic Butternut Squash or Sweet Potatoes
1/2 cup Simply Nature Organic Whole Milk
kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season
1/2 lemon, juiced

Pumpkin Dumplings

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold Countryside Creamery Pure Irish Butter, grated
1 cup Baker’s Corner All-Purpose Flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon Stonemill Pumpkin Pie Spice
1 large egg, lightly whisked
1/3 cup Baker’s Corner 100% Pure Pumpkin
1/4 cup Simply Nature Organic Whole Milk
kosher salt & ground black pepper, to season

Instructions

Cook the aromatics: Add the butter to a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Once melted, add diced carrots, celery, and onion. Season with 1 teaspoon kosher salt and ground black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Build the soup & simmer: Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir to coat. Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the flour is deeply browned. Slowly pour in the chicken broth while scraping the bottom of the pot to release browned bits for extra flavor. Add the halved garlic, pumpkin purée, cumin, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Add chicken breasts to the pot and season with additional salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.
Prepare the dumpling dough: While the soup simmers, in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Add grated cold butter and quickly mix with your hands to coat butter pieces with flour. In a second bowl, whisk together the egg, pumpkin purée, and whole milk. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until a thick, spongy dough forms. Do not overmix. Set aside.
Shred the chicken: Remove the cooked chicken from the soup and shred it using two forks or by placing it in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to shred quickly. Return shredded chicken to the pot along with the frozen butternut squash or sweet potatoes and 1/2 cup whole milk. Stir to combine and bring back to a gentle simmer.
Simmer the dumplings: Using two small spoons or a tablespoon measure, form tablespoon-sized dumplings from the prepared dough and drop them one by one into the simmering soup. Cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes, until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
Serve: Finish the soup by squeezing in fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Ladle soup into bowls and serve warm.

Notes

Ensure not to overmix dumpling dough to keep dumplings light and fluffy.
Use frozen butternut squash or sweet potatoes as a seasonal addition for extra sweetness and texture.
Shredding chicken in a stand mixer is a quick and easy method if you have one available.
Adjust seasoning of the soup and dumplings after cooking to ensure balanced flavor.
For a thicker soup, use less broth or simmer longer before adding dumplings.

Keywords: Chicken Pumpkin Dumplings Soup, Autumn Soup, Comfort Food, Hearty Soup, Pumpkin Recipes