Winter Chicken Soup and Ricotta Dumplings
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
15 mins
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Cook Time
45 mins
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Total Time
1 hr
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Servings
4 people
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Course
Main Course, Soup
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Cuisine
American
Winter Chicken Soup and Ricotta Dumplings
Description
This soup starts with sautéing butter, diced onion, carrots, butternut squash, and garlic seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano to develop a softened vegetable base. Chopped cooked chicken and chicken stock are added and simmered until squash is tender. The soup is enriched with cream and kale added near the end for slight bitterness and freshness.
The ricotta dumplings are made separately by mixing flour, baking powder, salt, ricotta cheese, and beaten egg into a thick dough, adjusting with milk as needed. Spoonfuls of this dough are gently dropped into the simmering soup and cooked until fluffy and cooked through, adding softness contrasting the broth and vegetables.
Served warm, this soup offers varied textures from soft vegetables, tender chicken, leafy greens, and light dumplings. It presents a balanced aroma from the herbs and cream, suitable as a main course or a warming starter in cold weather.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoon butter unsalted
- 1 onion diced, sweet
- 2 carrot peeled and chopped
- 1 cup butternut squash chopped
- 3 garlic minced, cloves
- salt kosher salt
- black pepper kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon thyme dried
- ½ teaspoon oregano dried
- 1 1/2 cups cooked chicken chopped or shredded
- 6 cups chicken stock
- ⅓ cup cream
- 5 ounces baby kale or a few big handfuls
ricotta dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup ricotta cheese
- 1 egg lightly beaten, large
- 1 to 2 tablespoons milk if needed
Instructions
- Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat until melted. Stir in the onions, carrots, squash and garlic with a big pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the dried thyme and oregano. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Stir in the chicken. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes until the squash has softened.
- While the soup is simmering, make the dumplings. Stir together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a bowl, whisk together the ricotta and egg until combined. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour, and mix until it's all moistened and combined. It will be thick and almost like a dough. If it seems too thick (this will depend on your ricotta!) add a tablespoon of milk and stir. You don’t want to overmix.
- Uncover the soup. Stir in the cream. Stir in the kale.
- Scoop spoonfuls of the dumplings in the soup while it is simmering. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, then flip the dumplings over with a spoon. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes more.
- Taste and season the soup with more salt and pepper if needed. You can serve this with a dollop of ricotta on top or even stir some more ricotta into the soup.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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