Step 1

Heat the oil in a large stockpot over medium heat and add the onion, celery, and carrots. Sautè the vegetables until they start to soften, 3- Add the garlic and cook another minutes until fragrant.

Step 2

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine. Cook 1-2 minutes, until flour is a pale golden brown. Then add the thyme, bay leaf, and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer until the vegetables are cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked chicken, parsley, and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Step 3

To make the dumplings, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper together in a medium bowl. Stir 6 tablespoons buttermilk, the egg and melted butter together in a second bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold together with a spatula until just combined (don't over-mix the dough). Add an additional tablespoon or two of buttermilk if needed to form a moist and spongy dough.

Step 4

Lower the heat on the stove so that the soup is at a low simmer. Using a small cookie scoop or two spoons, drop balls of the dumpling dough into the lightly simmering soup. Each dumpling should be about two teaspoons big- they will expand in the soup. Spoon a little of the soup over each dumpling to moisten them.

Step 5

Cover the pot and cook until the dumplings are firm and cooked through, 18-20 minutes. Try to avoid uncovering the pot- this will help the dumplings steam and retain their moisture. Garnish chicken and dumplings with chopped parsley and/or thyme and plenty of black pepper.