This Summer Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings is everything you love about classic chicken soup with a fresh seasonal twist. Tender chicken, asparagus, sweet peas, and fluffy Hungarian-inspired chive dumplings simmer together in a light, lemony broth for a comforting meal that's perfect any time of year. Whether you're using vegetables from your garden or farmers market, this is one soup you'll find yourself making well beyond soup season.
A Summer Soup Worth Keeping on Repeat
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who stop making soup when the calendar says June… and those of us who happily eat soup 365 days a year.
I am firmly in the second camp.
I happen to believe soup deserves a place at the table all year long.
In fact, one of my goals this year is to continue expanding my soup collection because my classic chicken soup has become one of the most popular recipes on my website. If you're a fellow soup lover, I want you to have a recipe for every season.
This week the Catskills decided to skip summer entirely and gave us cool, rainy weather—the perfect excuse to simmer a pot of chicken soup. Instead of hearty winter vegetables, I reached for asparagus, sweet peas, fresh chives, and one of my favorite comfort food traditions: light, fluffy Hungarian-style soup dumplings.
The result is somehow cozy and fresh at the same time.
Why You'll Love This Recipe:
- Light enough for summer but still comforting
- Ready in about 40 minutes
- Packed with vegetables and lean protein
- A beautiful way to use fresh garden chives
- The fluffy dumplings completely steal the show
Let's Get Cooking!
Ingredients and Helpful Substitutions
Detailed measurements and ingredients can be found within the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Chicken Breast: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts cook directly in the broth before being shredded back into the soup. You could also use chicken thighs if you prefer richer flavor.
- Asparagus: One bunch is just enough to give the soup a fresh seasonal feel without overpowering it.
- Frozen Peas: They add sweetness, beautiful color, and require almost no prep.
- Chicken Stock: Use a high-quality stock or homemade if you have it. Since the broth is the foundation of the soup, it really shines here.
- Fresh Chives: Fresh chives are what make the dumplings special. Stir in chopped chive blossoms too if they're blooming in your garden—they're completely edible and absolutely gorgeous.
What Makes This a Summer Chicken Soup?
Traditional chicken soup often leans on potatoes, parsnips, or other hearty root vegetables. This version celebrates what's growing now.
Fresh asparagus adds a delicate bite, peas bring sweetness, lemon brightens the broth, and fresh herbs make every spoonful taste like early summer.
It still delivers all the comfort of classic chicken soup—just a little lighter.
💜 Garden Tip:
If your chives are flowering, don't toss the blossoms!
Chive blossoms are completely edible and have a delicate onion flavor. Pull apart the tiny purple florets and stir them into the dumpling batter or sprinkle them over finished bowls of soup for a beautiful seasonal garnish.
Tips and Instructions:
Sauté the Vegetables
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot and sauté the onion, carrots, and celery until softened and just beginning to caramelize. This creates the flavorful base for the broth.
Brown the Chicken
Season the chicken with salt and pepper, then nestle it into the vegetables. Brown both sides before pouring in the chicken stock. The chicken finishes cooking gently in the broth, keeping it tender and juicy.
Simmer & Shred
Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a cutting board to rest for a few minutes before dicing or shredding into bite-sized pieces.
Make the Chive Dumplings
Whisk together the dumpling batter until thick and sticky, then fold in the chopped chives and chive blossoms if you're using them. Drop small spoonfuls directly into the boiling soup. As they cook, they'll puff up into soft, fluffy dumplings that float to the surface.
Add the Summer Vegetables
While the chicken rests, add the asparagus and peas to the simmering broth. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and stir everything together.
Storage Tips:
The soup keeps beautifully for 3–4 days in the refrigerator.
The dumplings continue absorbing broth as they sit, making leftovers even more comforting. Add an extra splash of chicken stock when reheating if you'd like a slightly brothier consistency.
🇭🇺 What Are Hungarian Soup Dumplings?
These simple spoon dumplings are inspired by Hungarian cooking and couldn't be easier to make.
Instead of rolling out dough, you simply stir together a thick batter and drop spoonfuls directly into simmering soup. Within minutes they puff into soft, tender little dumplings that soak up the flavorful broth.
They're one of my favorite comfort food traditions and make an ordinary chicken soup feel incredibly special.
If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and comment!
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Summer Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion about 1 medium onion
- 1 cup chopped carrots about 3 carrots
- ½ cup chopped celery about 2 stalks
- 1 lb chicken breast 2 boneless skinless
- 1 bunch asparagus trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 6 cups chicken stock
Chive Dumplings
- 1½ cups flour
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup milk
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp chopped chives and chive blossoms if you have them
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and carrot sauté until softened and golden, about 4 minutes. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper (about 1/4 tsp each) stir well.
- Season chicken with salt and pepper. Push onions and carrots to the sides of the pot, add chicken breasts. Brown chicken and about 3 minutes per side until browned.
- Pour in 6 cups of chicken stock, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 12 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside to rest.
- Add asparagus and peas.
- Dice or shred the chicken and return it to the soup.
- Make the soup dumplings. In a small bowl whisk together eggs and milk, in a larger bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Add eggs/milk to flour mixture and stir well with a wooden spoon, add fresh chopped chives and chive blossoms and stir. Mixture will be quite thick and sticky.
- Increase temperature of soup and bring to a boil. Dip two teaspoons into oil and form a small (1/2 the size of a golfball) ball of dough, drop directly into the soup. Repeat with the remaining dough. The dumplings are done when they have floated to the top and cooked for 3-5 minutes.
- Finish the soup with a squeeze of lemon juice, serve immediately.
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