Chicken and Dumplings with Pear Apple Balsamic Vinegar

Here's a delicious recipe for Chicken and Dumplings that incorporates Pear Apple Balsamic Vinegar, Herbs de Provence Olive Oil, and our Holiday Stuffing Seasoning Blend for a unique twist. This is comfort food at its finest! This recipe has a hint of sweetness from the balsamic vinegar and aromatic herbs from the olive oil, making it a delightful dish. It's perfect for any autumn or winter meal. Enjoy!

Herbs de Provence Olive Oil
Pear Apple Balsamic Vinegar
Holiday Stuffing Blend
Garlic Himalayan Sea Salt

Ingredients

For the Chicken Soup

3 tablespoons Herbs de Provence olive oil
1-2 tbsp Butter
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp Holiday Stuffing Seasoning
1 tsp Garlic Himalayan Salt (adjust to taste)
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 cups chicken broth
1 (12 oz) can of Evaporated Milk (not condensed milk. Can use whole milk)
4 cups cooked chicken, shredded (or one whole rotisserie chicken)
2 tablespoons Pear Apple Balsamic Vinegar
3 tbsp flour

For the Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour (I use GF flour. This requires more milk to make the dough wet)
1 tablespoon + 1 tsp baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 tbsp holiday stuffing seasoning blend
¾ cup milk (can use buttermilk)
4 tablespoons melted butter

Instructions

The Soup Base

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the Herbs de Provence Olive Oil and 1-2 tbsp Butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.
2. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute.
3. Add the Holiday Stuffing Seasoning Blend, Garlic Himalayan Salt, pepper. Mix well.
4. Add flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Slowly add the evaporated milk and chicken stock, stirring to combine. You are making a roux to thicken the soup and make it creamy. It's very important to keep stirring to prevent burning or lumps!
5. Add the shredded chicken and Pear Apple Balsamic Vinegar. Lower the heat, and let it simmer for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

1. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and holiday stuffing seasoning blend.
2. In another bowl, combine the milk and melted butter. Pour this mixture into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon (or rubber spatula), stir together until a dough ball forms. If your dough seems too dry, you can add an extra tablespoon of milk. The dough should be thick but not dry.

Cook the Dumplings

1. Drop spoonful’s of dumpling dough directly into the simmering soup. Place them around the pot, not all in the same place. Once all dumplings have been added, gently press them down so the soup runs over just the tops of them. You can also use two spoons to scoop the dumplings, using one spoon to scoop and the other to push the dough into the pot. Try to keep the dough balls the same size for even cooking.
2. Place the lid on your pot and lower the heat to a low simmer. You don’t want the bottom of the soup to burn but want the soup to still be simmering (a low bubble) to cook the dumplings.
3. Cover the pot with a lid and let the dumplings steam for about 15 minutes.
4. Gently stir the soup/dumplings and cut one dumpling in half to make sure they are cooked through. About halfway through the cook time, I will usually open the lid once and press the dumplings back under the broth. I will also break up any dumplings that may be sticking together. If the dumplings aren’t fully cooked, replace lid and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve

Once the dumplings are fluffy and cooked through, taste the soup and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve hot in bowls, ensuring each serving has plenty of both soup and dumplings. Add some chopped parsley and a nice drizzle of the Herbs de Provence Olive Oil and enjoy!