Creamy Chicken Dumpling Soup with Spinach

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This CREAMY CHICKEN DUMPLING SOUP is the kind of one-pot meal that practically makes itself. Built on a simple vegetable base with frozen dumplings, spinach, and parmesan, it comes together in about 30 minutes and makes enough to last you through the week.

Some recipes exist purely because you want something hearty, comforting, and low effort on a weeknight, and that’s exactly what this chicken dumpling soup is. No complicated techniques, no hard-to-find ingredients, just a big pot of something warm that reheats well and gets better as the week goes on. If you are the kind of person who loves having a solid meal prep option in the fridge, this one is for you.

The base is a classic mirepoix of onion, carrot, and celery cooked down in olive oil and butter with garlic and Italian seasoning. Tomato paste goes in next and cooks down with the vegetables to add depth and a subtle richness you wouldn’t expect from a simple soup. From there, flour thickens the broth into something more substantial, and frozen chicken and vegetable dumplings do most of the heavy lifting on flavor.

A splash of heavy cream, a handful of fresh spinach, and some grated parmesan finish the soup off and give it that creamy, almost chowder-like consistency that makes it so satisfying. We like to serve it with crusty rolls for dipping, though it’s completely filling on its own. Either way, you’ll be glad you made a full pot.

ONION, CARROTS, AND CELERY — The classic mirepoix base. Dice everything to a similar size so it cooks down evenly.
GARLIC — Two teaspoons minced. Mellows into the broth as the soup cooks.
OLIVE OIL AND BUTTER — Used together to sauté the vegetables. The combination adds a nice richness to the base.
SALT, BLACK PEPPER, AND ITALIAN SEASONING — The primary seasoning for the soup. If you want to go the fresh herb route, rosemary and thyme work great here too.
TOMATO PASTE — Cooks down with the vegetables to add depth and a subtle umami backbone to the broth.
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR — Stirred in after the tomato paste to thicken the soup. Cook it for a full minute so you don’t get a raw flour taste.
CHICKEN BROTH — The base of the soup. A good quality broth makes a difference here since it makes up most of the liquid.
FROZEN DUMPLINGS — Chicken and vegetable potstickers are our go-to. They cook right in the broth and soak up all the flavor. No thawing needed.
HEAVY CREAM AND PARMESAN — Stirred in at the end to give the soup its creamy, savory finish. Use freshly grated parmesan if you can.
FRESH SPINACH AND PARSLEY — The spinach wilts gently into the soup at the end, and the parsley goes on top just before serving for a fresh finish.

How do I make this Dumpling Soup?

Name: Creamy Chicken Dumpling Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2 tablespoons unsalted butter; 1 medium white or yellow onion (diced); 2 carrots (diced); 2 celery stalks (diced); 2 teaspoons garlic (minced); ½ teaspoon ground black pepper; 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning*; 2 tablespoons salt; 3 tablespoons tomato paste; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 8 cups chicken broth; 24 ounces frozen dumplings (chicken and vegetable recommended); ¼ cup heavy cream; 2 cups fresh spinach; ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese; ¼ cup parsley (finely chopped)

STEP 1: SAUTE THE VEGETABLES:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the butter is melted, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Season with the salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften.

STEP 2: COOK THE TOMATO PASTE:
Add the tomato paste and stir to coat the vegetables. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until the paste deepens in color and smells fragrant. This step builds a lot of the soup’s flavor so give it the full time.

STEP 3: ADD THE FLOUR:
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for about 1 minute. The mixture will look dry and clumpy, which is normal. This forms the base that will thicken the broth.

STEP 4: ADD THE BROTH:
Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the soup to a light boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 10 minutes to thicken slightly.

STEP 5: ADD THE DUMPLINGS:
Stir in the frozen dumplings and cook for 5 minutes. They will cook directly in the broth and absorb plenty of flavor as they go.

STEP 6: FINISH THE SOUP:
Add the spinach and heavy cream. Stir and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until the dumplings are tender and the spinach is fully wilted. Stir in the parmesan until melted and fully incorporated.

STEP 7: SERVE:
Ladle into bowls and top with fresh parsley. Serve with crusty bread or rolls on the side.

Tips for Making It Your Own

This soup is pretty flexible. Swap the Italian seasoning for fresh rosemary and thyme if you have them on hand. Any dumpling variety works here, pork, shrimp, or vegetable, so use whatever you like or have in the freezer. For extra protein, a cup or two of shredded rotisserie chicken stirred in with the dumplings is a great addition. And if you want a lighter version, whole milk works in place of the heavy cream.

Storage and Reheating

This soup keeps well in the fridge for up to 4 days and actually tastes better the next day once the flavors have had time to settle. It also freezes well, though the dumplings will soften a bit after thawing. When reheating, add a splash of chicken broth or water to loosen it back up since the soup thickens considerably as it sits.