Chicken and ricotta dumplings make for the coziest winter soup all season long. A rich chicken-and-vegetable broth with butternut squash and kale is finished with light, pillowy ricotta dumplings — pure comfort food.
It’s snowing today, and there’s nothing better than a warm, creamy bowl of soup to brighten the day.
This recipe really is a hug in a bowl: a creamy chicken and vegetable soup dotted with ricotta dumplings that are light as clouds.
I’ve long loved a classic chicken and dumplings — it’s one of our favorite cold-weather meals. To give it a seasonal twist, this version centers the broth around butternut squash and baby kale; you can swap in other winter vegetables such as diced sweet potato for a similarly hearty result. The vegetable-rich base is filling enough on its own, but the ricotta dumplings make it truly special.
I’ve wanted to make ricotta dumplings in soup for ages. We adore ricotta gnocchi, and when Max brought home a batch after taking a class, we used some in soup and immediately knew this would be fantastic.
For the dumplings I swapped ricotta for buttermilk in a classic dumpling mix. The result is an airy, cloud-like dumpling that practically melts on the tongue. Because ricotta dumplings are lighter, some will break apart as they cook, and those fragments add extra body and silkiness to the soup — exactly what you want in a cozy bowl.
The dumplings are surprisingly easy to make. I usually cook them right in the soup so they absorb flavor as they steam and simmer. To heighten the creaminess without a roux, a small splash of cream and an optional spoonful of ricotta stirred in at the end makes the broth silky and satisfying.
To keep the recipe quick and approachable I often use rotisserie chicken. Shredded leftover chicken or store-bought rotisserie turns this into an easy weeknight meal without sacrificing flavor.
Leftovers are excellent. The soup thickens as it rests and the dumplings soak up broth; reheat gently with a splash of stock or milk to refresh the texture and loosen the broth.
Chicken and Ricotta Dumplings
Winter Chicken Soup and Ricotta Dumplings
4 people
15 mins
45 mins
1 hr
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Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 sweet onion, diced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 1 cup chopped butternut squash
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Kosher salt and pepper
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- 1½ cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken
- 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 large egg, lightly beaten
- 1–2 tablespoons milk, if needed
Instructions
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Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-low heat until melted. Add the onions, carrots, squash and garlic with a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Stir in the thyme and oregano and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes.
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Stir in the shredded chicken, then pour in the chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook 10–15 minutes until the squash is tender.
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While the soup simmers, prepare the dumplings: whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta and egg until smooth. Add the ricotta mixture to the flour and mix just until combined; it will be thick like a dough. If too dry, add 1 tablespoon milk at a time. Avoid overmixing.
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Uncover the soup and stir in the cream and kale. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup. Cook 10–12 minutes, flip each dumpling gently, then cook another 8–10 minutes until cooked through.
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Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with an optional dollop of ricotta or a spoonful stirred into the soup for extra creaminess.
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I might steal most of the dumplings for myself — they’re that good.