Knoephla (Dakota Chicken-and-Dumpling) Soup

By mz0926

From Cook's Country
October/November 2012
Knoephla soup is a hearty Midwestern version of chicken and dumplings with a creamy base, tender potatoes, and chewy “knoephla.” To infuse our soup with flavor, we started by searing chicken thighs and simmering them in chicken broth to make a fortified base. We lightened up leaden dumplings with baking soda and instead of spooning them into the simmering soup like most recipes instruct, we used a piping bag and snipped the dumplings with kitchen shears. Half-and-half added richness to the dumplings and finished the soup for a creamy, satisfying dish.

Ingredients

• Let the batter chill for at least 30 minutes before forming the dumplings. Chicken and broth can be made through step 2 and refrigerated; reheat before proceeding with step 3.
• Ingredients4 (5- to 7-ounce) bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped fine
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 1/2 cups (12 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Preparation

Step 1

Instructions 1. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until just smoking. Cook chicken, skin side down, until well browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer chicken to plate. Remove and discard skin.
2. Pour off all but 1 teaspoon fat and return pot to medium heat. Add onion and cook until just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth, chicken, and 1¼ teaspoons salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until chicken is tender, about 30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, whisk flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and baking powder together in large bowl. Whisk eggs, ½ cup half-and-half, and water into flour mixture until thick batter forms. Transfer batter to gallon-size zipper-lock bag and refrigerate until ready to use.
4. Remove chicken from pot and set aside. Add potatoes to broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Cut ¼ inch off corner of batter bag. Pipe batter into simmering broth, snipping dumplings with moistened kitchen shears every ½ to ¾ inch as extruded. Simmer until dumplings float to surface, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Shred chicken meat into bite-size pieces and add to soup. Remove soup from heat and stir in remaining ½ cup half-and-half. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.