Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

For the Soup Base:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
• 3 cups cooked chicken, shredded (rotisserie works great)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (to thicken, optional)

For the Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)