Ingredients

1 Large Onion
3 Celery Stalks
1 Bay Leaf
2 Large Carrots
Garlic Powder or 4 Cloves Fresh Garlic
Freshly Ground Sea Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
4 Tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Gluten-free All Purpose flour (I used Hodgson Mill brand)
7-8 Cups Chicken Broth
For Dumplings:
4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
1/2 tsp Salt (skip or reduce if you used salted butter)
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tsp Xanthan Gum (reduce to 1/4 tsp if your GF flour blend already had Xanthan Gum)
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 cup Warm Milk (I used plain unsweetened almond milk)
1 Cup Gluten Free Flour Blend (plus 1/2 cup for rolling) - I used Hodgson Mill All Purpose Baking Flour

Instructions

Using sharp knife or food processor, mince large onion, celery stalks, carrots, and garlic (if using fresh) into small pieces.
Place 4 Tbsp of butter and minced vegetables in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Sautee vegetables, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes until butter is melted and onions are transluscent.
Sprinkle sauteed vegetable mixture with 1/4 c GF flour and stir to lightly coat all vegetables with the flour, just a few seconds.
Stir in 2 cups of chicken broth. Allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes, stiring occasionally.
Add bay leaf, garlic powder (if not using fresh), a sprinkle of cayenne, Italian seasoning, freshly ground salt and pepper.
Soup consistency should be very thick after simmering at medium-high heat. Add 5 more cups chicken broth, stiring to combine.
Add shredded chicken to the soup and raise heat to high, stiring occasionally, to rethicken. This should only take a few minutes, stiring as the soup reaches boiling temp. Add additional cup of chicken broth if soup is thicker than you prefer.
Reduce heat to medium, allowing soup to simmer while you prepare the strip dumplings.

Dumplings:
In medium bowl, whisk together GF flour, baking powder, xanthan gum (if needed), thyme, and salt.
Add warm milk and melted butter, stiring a few times with spoon until soft dough develops.
Dust work surface with half of the remaining GF flour (1/4 c), turn dough out onto floured surface, and dust the dough with a little GF flour.
Using a lightly floured rolling pin, gently roll dough into a 1/4"-1/2" thick rectangle shape. Using a spatula if needed, fold the ends of the rectangle inward to make a smaller rectangle (making an envelope fold, with 3 layers of dough stacked on top of each other). Roll folded rectangle of dough into a 1/4" thin disc.
Using a sharp knife or pizza cutter, cut dough into 1/2"x2" strip dumplings. Adding 1/3 of dumplings at a time, carefully add dumplings to the soup. Allow dumplings to simmer at medium-high heat and covered with a lid for 5 minutes after each addition. This process will steam the dumplings.
Simmer for 5 more minutes and remove bay leaf before serving.
Serves: 6 Adults