Chicken and dough drop soup – there’s nothing quite like a cozy bowl of homemade soup—especially when it practically cooks itself. A hearty, old-fashioned classic made easy for busy families.
Tender chicken, rich savory broth, and soft pillowy dough drops come together to create a soup that tastes like it simmered on the stove all day… without you actually having to do any of the work.
Why you’ll love this recipe
You’ll love this chicken and dough drop soup it’s easy, hearty, and made with simple ingredients you already have.
The homemade dough drops (sometimes called German soup dumplings, drop noodles, or dough drop dumplings) simmer right in the broth, making the soup thick, rich, and delish!
The Lowdown on the Star Ingredients
- Chicken breast: Once cooked, it shreds into tender, juicy pieces that soak up the broth beautifully.
- Chicken stock: Use the good stuff here—chicken bone broth. The richer the broth, the better your drop noodles and dough drops will taste as they simmer.
- Carrots, celery, and onions: These three are the quiet heroes of any good soup. They melt into the chicken broth and build that slow-simmered flavor we all crave in a cozy dough drop soup recipe.
- Fresh garlic + garlic powder: I use both. Fresh garlic gives the broth its bold backbone, while a tiny pinch of garlic powder layers in flavor you expect from old-fashioned chicken dumpling soup.
- Butter: Just a touch gives the broth a silky finish and helps the dumplings puff up beautifully.
- Bay leaves + thyme: These earthy herbs bring that classic “Sunday dinner” aroma. They’re subtle, but trust me, they matter. Thyme especially brings that comforting, nostalgic flavor that makes this dough drop soup feel like home.
- Salt & pepper: Simple, but essential. Season as you go so the broth stays balanced and layered.
- Peas: They add color, sweetness, and a pop of freshness. Plus, they turn this into a hearty, family-friendly chicken pea stew style soup.
- Flour, milk, and baking powder: Form the quick dough that cooks right in the pot. No kneading, no rolling—just drop, simmer, and enjoy.
Things Worth Buying
Chicken and Dough Drop Soup
Equipment
- 1 Crock Pot
Ingredients
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup carrots sliced
- 1 cup celery chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
For the dough drop dumplings
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter melted
Instructions
- Prepare the baseAdd chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parsley to the slow cooker.Cook on LOW for 5–6 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
- Shred the chickenRemove the cooked chicken and shred it using two forks.Add shredded chicken back into the broth.
- Make the dough drop dumplingsIn a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.Add milk and melted butter; stir until a soft dough forms.Dough should be thick and sticky—similar to drop-biscuit dough.
- Drop the dough Turn slow cooker to HIGH.Using a spoon, drop small spoonfuls (1–2 tsp each) of dough directly into the hot soup.Avoid overcrowding—dumplings expand.
- Cook the dumplingsCover and cook for 30–40 minutes on HIGH, without lifting the lid, until dough is fully cooked and soft in the center.
- Finish and serve
Chicken and Dough Drop Soup Instructions for Crock Pot
Bring the veggies to life
In a large pot over medium heat, melt some butter. Add carrots, celery, and onions, stirring occasionally until softened. These vegetables create a rich soup base adding to the taste of chicken broth.
Add garlic & seasonings
Toss in a garlic clove and a pinch of garlic powder. Stir until fragrant—this step adds layers of flavor that elevate your dough drop soup recipe beyond ordinary chicken dumpling soup.
Add chicken & herbs
Place chicken breast into the pot and season with salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaves. Cover with chicken stock, then bring to a gentle simmer—don’t let it boil, or the chicken may toughen.
Simmer & shred
Cook the chicken for 20–25 minutes until fully cooked and tender. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, then stir it back into the soup
How to make dough balls for soup
Mix the dry ingredients
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. This creates the base that helps the dough balls puff up in the broth.
Add the wet ingredients
Pour in the milk. Stir gently until a thick, sticky dough forms.
– You don’t want it smooth like bread dough.
– It should look like a very thick batter.
Do NOT overmix
Overmixing makes tough dough balls.
Stop as soon as everything is combined.
Drop into simmering soup
Use a spoon or small cookie scoop to drop heaping spoonfuls of dough directly into your simmering (not boiling) soup.
Too hot = they fall apart.
Simmer = they gently puff and stay tender.
Cover and cook
Place the lid on your pot and let the dough balls steam for 12–15 minutes.
Don’t lift the lid—steam helps them rise.
Check for doneness
Cut one open:
If it’s fluffy inside → done.
If it’s doughy → cook 3–5 minutes longer.
Hi, I’m Trisha.
Our kitchen is the heart of our home, and everyone in the family gets involved—even my little sous chefs! It’s incredible to watch how much they’ve learned.
While my husband is busy creating yummy recipes focusing on whole food desserts, I’m behind the lens, capturing the special moments— together we make the best team!
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Enjoy these desserts to share with a freshly brewed cup!
5 Ways to Make This Classic Even Better
- Choose a rich bone broth to enhance the comforting flavor of your Chicken and dough drop soup, making it taste extra hearty and homemade.
- Add a splash of cream. It transforms the broth into a silky, cozy dinner everyone loves.
- Mix herbs into the dough. Fresh parsley or thyme adds flavor to your fluffy dough drops.
- Use chicken thighs for extra tenderness. Thighs stay juicy and make the soup taste like an old-fashioned family favorite.
- Make smaller dough drops. They cook evenly and stay light and fluffy in the chicken soup recipe.
Thanks for stopping by and cooking with me today! If you enjoyed this Chicken and dough drop soup, don’t forget to save or share this recipe so you can come back to it anytime.
