Quick Chicken Soup With Buttermilk Dumplings

This childhood favorite takes a third of the time with equal success. Refrigerator biscuits make the dumplings. It really is very tasty and delicious. Cottage Living Magazine, 10/2007 issue.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 7  small boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 3oz each) or 7  small chicken breasts (about 3oz each)
• 2  tablespoons butter
• 1  large onion, chopped
• 2  celery ribs, sliced
• 2  carrots, sliced
• 3  cups  home-made chicken broth or 3  cups  low sodium organic chicken broth
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh thyme or 1⁄2 teaspoon dried thyme
•  sea salt, to taste
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 10 1⁄4 ounces  refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (5 large biscuits)
•  all-purpose flour, for dusting biscuits
• 1  tablespoon fresh lemon juice (or to taste, not that bottled stuff)
• 1⁄4 cup  chopped fresh chives (we used the chives) or 1⁄4 cup fresh parsley (we used the chives)

Directions

1. Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Cook chicken 6 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
3. (Chicken may not completely cook through but will finish cooking when returned to broth.).
4. Transfer chicken to cutting board; cut into bite size pieces; set aside. (Keep warm).
5. Melt butter in pot over medium heat.
6. Add onion, celery, and carrot and saute for 3 minutes.
7. Stir in broth,, thyme, sea salt, & pepper.
8. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered 5 minutes.
9. Whisk together cream and cornstarch in a small bowl; stir in simmering broth.
10. Cut each biscuit into quarters and dredge pieces in flour, shaking off excess.
11. Add biscuits to broth and cook partially covered or until biscuits are firm to the touch. (Biscuits will continue to cook.).
12. Add chicken, lemon juice and chives to broth, simmer until chicken is heated throguh.
13. Season with additional sea salt & freshly ground black pepper, if desired.