2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
5 cups hot water
2 tablespoons chicken base*
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, coarsely chopped
1¾ teaspoons kosher salt, divided
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
5½ cups shredded cooked chicken
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup whole milk
Garnish: chopped parsley, black pepper
Instructions
In large cast-iron Dutch oven, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add carrot, onion, and celery, and cook until soft and slightly golden brown, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, and melt butter. Add garlic, and cook until soft, about 1 minute. Stir in 2 tablespoons flour, stirring until flour aroma is gone, 1 to 2 minutes.
In a medium bowl, stir together 5 cups hot water and chicken base. Slowly stir into vegetable mixture. Add bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, ½ teaspoon salt, pepper, and chicken; stir to combine. Bring soup to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
In medium bowl, whisk together baking powder, remaining 2 cups flour, and remaining 1¼ teaspoons salt. Slowly pour in milk, stir until combined.
When soup has come to a boil, drop batter into soup in golf ball-sized balls, forming dumplings.
Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let simmer until dumplings are fully cooked, 10 to 15 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Garnish with chopped parsley and pepper, if desired.