For those of you who miss a hearty bowl of Chicken and Dumplings, we’ve got a big surprise for you! This recipe is probably the ultimate in comfort food and as the saying goes, will cure what ails you.  The dumplings are made with ricotta and Parmesan cheeses which help to hold them together while imparting a delicious cheesy flavor.  The dumplings can be made ahead of the soup and simply dropped in just before serving.  

Chicken Vegetable Soup & Dumplings

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

For dumplings:

• 1/2 cup ricotta cheese
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 egg at room temperature
• 1/2 cup gf flour mix
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley

For soup:

• 8 cups gf chicken broth
• 2 roasted chicken hindquarters or two roasted chicken breasts, cut into 1” pieces
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 red potatoes, chopped into ½” pieces
• 1/2 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2” pieces
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1/2 small fennel bulb, sliced
• 1 large clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• Kosher salt to taste
• Fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions:

For soup:

Heat a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat.  When hot, add celery, onions, fennel bulb, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes and wine.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Place chicken broth in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.  Add carrots, potatoes, green beans and thyme and return to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes or until vegetables are tender.  Add chicken, onion and fennel mixture and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Let cook until heated through.

For dumplings:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

Add 1-1/2 Tablespoons butter and egg to a small bowl and beat with an electric mixer.  Add ricotta cheese, 1/4 cup flour,1/2 teaspoon salt and nutmeg and beat on low speed to blend.  Add remaining 1/4 cup flour, Parmesan cheese and parsley and stir to blend.  Drop spoonfuls of dough into boiling water.  When dumplings rise to the top, reduce heat to a simmer and let cook for 3 minutes.  Remove to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add 1-1/2 Tablespoon butter.  When melted, add dumplings and cook until browned on both sides.  Remove to a plate.

When soup is done, ladle into serving bowls and top each with 3 or 4 dumplings.  Serve immediately.

- Chef Yvonne

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