This Dutch Oven Chicken and Dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food, with a healthy classic chicken soup base and fluffy, herb-filled dumplings that make the soup creamy without using heavy cream. Hello, cold nights!
Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven (or large stockpot) over medium heat. Add onion, carrots and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 3-4 minutes.
Stir in garlic and thyme until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Stir in chicken stock and bay leaves; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Bring soup to boil; reduce to a low boil, add raw chicken (if not using a rotisserie chicken). Low-boil covered for 10-12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If using rotisserie chicken, don't add chicken yet.
Meanwhile, make your dumplings by combining all dumpling ingredients into a bowl. Set bowl aside.
If cooking chicken, remove chicken from the soup and shred with a fork. Place chicken back in the Dutch oven or now add rotisserie chicken. Add fresh dill and allow to simmer covered 3-4 more minutes.
Using a cookie scoop or a spoon, form no bigger than ¾" balls of dough (they don't have to be neat) and drop the dumplings directly into the soup until you've used all of the dough. Dunk all of the dumplings so they've been touched by the soup. Make sure soup is still at a low-boil or simmer. Simmer covered for another 10-12 minutes until dumplings are cooked through (you can cut one open to make sure).
Garnish with fresh parsley and serve in a bowl immediately.