Here are two easy healthy recipes for old-fashioned chicken and dumplings – one cooked on the stove top and one made in the slow cooker that is finished on the stove.

If you love the idea of making chicken and dumplings from scratch but don’t have the time to cook the chicken and then let it cool enough to remove the skin and bones before adding it back to the soup and proceeding with the recipe, here are two great quick and easy alternatives, calling  for already cooked chopped chicken and chicken broth instead.

Chicken and dumplings is a perfect way to use up leftover chicken.

Easy Healthy Chicken and Dumplings

Cooking Note: If you prefer to make Bisquick dumplings instead of dumplings from scratch, the Bisquick dumpling recipe on the side of the box simply directs you to mix 2-1/4 cups Bisquick with 2/3 cup milk until a soft dough forms and then proceeding with the directions in each of the recipes for cooking the dumplings.

Easy Healthy Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

A simple old fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe. Easy to make and delicious. It’s packed full of good for you vegetables and low fat dumplings. To make this recipe even more healthy, try using part or all whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour in the dumplings.

Ingredients

For the soup:

2 teaspoons olive oil
3 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1-1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken,
4 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen cut green beans, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

For the dumplings:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup water

Recipe Preparation

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the celery, carrots, onion, garlic and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the chicken, chicken broth and bay leaf. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and cover the pot. Allow the mixture to bubble gently until the vegetables are almost tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the green beans, if using, and continue to simmer gently with the cover on, until the vegetables are tender, another 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley.

Meanwhile to make the dumpling dough, place the flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl and stir to combine well. Add the water and stir just until the mixture is moistened. Drop the dough by rounded teaspoonfuls onto the simmering chicken vegetable mixture, making 12 dumplings. Cover the pot and simmer, without lifting the lid, until the dumplings have doubled in size and are cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Discard the bay leaf and serve.

Source: Adapted from  Weight Watchers Comfort Classics : 150 Favorite Home-Style Dishes

Easy Healthy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 4.5 to 6.5 hours in the slow cooker
Best Size Slow Cooker: 4 quart
Yield: 8 servings

Although this soup is cooked in the slow cooker, it’s best to transfer it to a soup pot before making the dumplings. This healthy chicken and dumplings is full of nutritious vegetables including onions, celery, potatoes, green beans, carrots and peas. The dumplings use a combination of white and whole wheat flour, olive oil and nonfat milk. I like to think of it as chicken and dumplings that is both good and good for you, which is what healthy eating is all about.

Ingredients

For the soup:

4 cups chopped cooked chicken
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
6 cups diced potatoes
1 cup chopped green beans
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup peas, optional

For the dumplings:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup non-fat milk

Recipe Preparation

Combine all the soup ingredients, except peas, in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours.

Transfer the chicken vegetable soup to a large soup pot with a lid. Add the peas, if desired. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat so that the mixture bubbles gently.

To make the dumplings, combine the flour, salt and baking powder in a large bowl. In a separate bowl combine the egg, olive oil and milk and mix until smooth. Add this mixture to the flour mixture and stir just until moistened. Drop by large spoonfuls on top of the simmering broth until the dumplings cover the surface of the soup. Cover and simmer without lifting the lid for 18 minutes.

Source: Adapted from  Fix-It And Forget-It Big Cookbook: 1400 Best Slow Cooker Recipes

More Easy Healthy Chicken Soup Recipes

Easy Greek Lemon Chicken Soup – a quick and easy delicious recipe without eggs
Easy Chicken Tortilla soup – another great easy chicken soup recipe perfect when you have leftover chicken to use
Quick Easy Chicken Noodle Soup – deliciously quick and easy chicken soup with noodles