Chicken dumpling soup for extra nasty days

  • By Alison Ladman Associated Press
  • Tuesday, December 18, 2012 6:07pm
  • Life

A basic chicken soup is fine for when you need warmth and comfort.

But what about those particularly blustery fall evenings when fine isn’t sufficient? For those evenings, we have created this more robust take on the basic chicken soup, a version that oozes even more comfort and warmth thanks to the starches and savory ingredients.

First, the latter. We amplify the savory side of this soup by sauteing a half pound of mixed mushrooms. And for good measure, we also add a handful of dried porcini mushrooms.

For starchy comfort, we top the soup with pillowy soft dumplings. And to tie it all together, we lace the dumplings with savory Parmesan cheese.

Want to make it vegetarian? Just substitute vegetable broth and leave out the chicken.

Mushroom and chicken barley soup with parmesan dumplings

For the soup:

1ounce dried porcini mushrooms, chopped

2tablespoons vegetable or canola oil

1pound mixed sliced mushrooms

Salt

2medium shallots, sliced

1leek, white part only, sliced

1pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cubed

1/2cup pearled barley

2teaspoons minced fresh rosemary

1tablespoon minced fresh thyme

Ground black pepper

6cups low-sodium chicken broth

For the dumplings:

21/2cups all-purpose flour

2tablespoons sugar

1/2teaspoon baking soda

11/2teaspoons baking powder

1teaspoon salt

1/2teaspoon ground black pepper

Pinch cayenne pepper

1cup grated Parmesan cheese

2eggs

11/2cups buttermilk

1/2cup (1 stick) butter, melted

In a small bowl, combine the porcini mushrooms with 1 cup of boiling water. Set aside.

In a large deep pot, such as a Dutch oven, heat the oil over medium-high. Add the mixed mushrooms and sprinkle lightly with salt. Saute until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the shallots and the leeks and continue to cook until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add the chicken and cook just until browned. It does not need to cook through. Add the barley, rosemary, thyme, a few grinds of black pepper, the broth and the porcinis with the soaking water. Cover and reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Simmer until the barley is tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne. Stir in the parmesan. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and buttermilk, then the melted butter. Gently stir the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients just until combined.

Drop the dumpling mixture by the tablespoon onto the top of the soup. Cover, bring to a boil and cook for 5 to 7 minutes.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 760 calories; 310 calories from fat (41 percent of total calories); 35 g fat (16 g saturated; 0.5 g trans fats); 170 mg cholesterol; 72 g carbohydrate; 6 g fiber; 10 g sugar; 40 g protein; 1260 mg sodium.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Brandon Hailey of Cytrus, center, plays the saxophone during a headlining show at Madam Lou’s on Friday, Dec. 29, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Lynnwood-based funk octet Cytrus has the juice

Resilience and brotherhood take center stage with ‘friends-first’ band.

FILE - In this April 11, 2014 file photo, Neko Case performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio, Calif. Fire investigators are looking for the cause of a fire on Monday, Sept. 18, 2017, that heavily damaged Case’s 225-year-old Vermont home. There were no injuries, though a barn was destroyed. It took firefighters two hours to extinguish the blaze. (Photo by Scott Roth/Invision/AP, File)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Singer-songwriter Neko Case, an indie music icon from Tacoma, performs Sunday in Edmonds.

Sarah Jean Muncey-Gordon puts on some BITCHSTIX lip oil at Bandbox Beauty Supply on Tuesday, Jan. 9, 2024, in Langley, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Bandbox Beauty was made for Whidbey Island locals, by an island local

Founder Sarah Muncey-Gordon said Langley is in a renaissance, and she’s proud to be a part of it.

Dominic Arizona Bonuccelli
Tangier’s market boasts piles of fruits, veggies, and olives, countless varieties of bread, and nonperishables, like clothing and electronics.
Rick Steves on the cultural kaleidoscope of Tangier in Morocco

Walking through the city, I think to myself, “How could anyone be in southern Spain — so close — and not hop over to experience this wonderland?”

chris elliott.
Vrbo promised to cover her rental bill in Hawaii, so why won’t it?

When Cheryl Mander’s Vrbo rental in Hawaii is uninhabitable, the rental platform agrees to cover her new accommodations. But then it backs out. What happened?

Byrds co-founder Roger McGuinn, seen here in 2013, will perform April 20 in Edmonds. (Associated Press)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

R0ck ‘n’ Roll Hall of Famer Roger McGuinn, frontman of The Byrds, plans a gig in Edmonds in April.

Mother giving in to the manipulation her daughter fake crying for candy
Can children be bribed into good behavior?

Only in the short term. What we want to do is promote good habits over the course of the child’s life.

Speech Bubble Puzzle and Discussion
When conflict flares, keep calm and stand your ground

Most adults don’t like dissension. They avoid it, try to get around it, under it, or over it.

The colorful Nyhavn neighborhood is the place to moor on a sunny day in Copenhagen. (Cameron Hewitt)
Rick Steves: Embrace hygge and save cash in Copenhagen

Where else would Hans Christian Andersen, a mermaid statue and lovingly decorated open-face sandwiches be the icons of a major capital?

Last Call is a festured artist at the 2024 DeMiero Jazz Festival: in Edmonds. (Photo provided by DeMiero Jazz Festival)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

Jazz ensemble Last Call is one of the featured artists at the DeMiero Jazz Festival on March 7-9 in Edmonds.

Kim Helleren
Local children’s author to read at Edmonds Bookshop

Kim Helleren will read from one of her books for kids at the next monthly Story Time at Edmonds Bookshop on March 29.

Chris Elliott
Lyft surprises traveler with a $150 cleaning charge

Jared Hakimi finds a $150 charge on his credit card after a Lyft ride. Is that allowed? And will the charge stick?

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.