Caribbean Chicken Soup Recipe with Dumplings

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This Caribbean chicken soup is a filling soup made with seasoned chicken, pumpkin, split peas, vegetables, corn, and homemade dumplings. The pumpkin cooks into the broth, giving it a flavorful, full-bodied base while everything else makes it a complete meal in one pot.

Caribbean chicken soup with chicken, corn, vegetables and homemade dumplings.

Soup has always been a Saturday tradition for me, and this is the kind of Trini chicken soup I want when I’m making a pot. Plenty of vegetables, little pieces of chicken throughout, and dumplings. Always dumplings.

Table of Contents

What is Caribbean chicken soup?

Caribbean chicken soup is a filling one-pot soup made with chicken, vegetables, provisions, herbs, and dumplings. The exact ingredients vary throughout the Caribbean and even from one household to another.

In Trinidad and Tobago, soup is commonly associated with Saturdays, and there are plenty of versions depending on what you’re making and what you have on hand. For my chicken soup, I use small pieces of chicken along with pumpkin, split peas, potato, corn, carrots, fresh herbs, and dumplings.

The pumpkin and split peas cook first, which helps give the broth more body before the chicken, vegetables, and dumplings are added.

Ingredients you’ll need

Ingredients for Caribbean chicken soup including seasoned chicken, pumpkin, split peas, potato, corn, carrots and fresh herbs.

Chicken and seasoning: I use mixed chicken pieces that have been cut into small, curry-size pieces. Using a mix of pieces, including some with bones, adds flavor to the soup. The chicken is seasoned simply with green seasoning before it goes into the pot.
Pumpkin and split peas: These start the soup and help give the broth its body. I use calabaza pumpkin, which softens and begins to break down as it cooks. Soak the split peas for at least 40 minutes before cooking, or you can soak them overnight.
Vegetables: Potato, carrot, corn, celery, onion, garlic, scallions, and pimento peppers round out the soup.
Herbs and seasonings: Fresh thyme, all-purpose seasoning, black pepper, salt, and a whole hot pepper add flavor. Keep the hot pepper whole for flavor without making the entire pot overly spicy.
For the dumplings: You only need flour and water to make the dumplings. Add the water gradually until you have a firm dough that’s easy to shape.

How to make Caribbean chicken soup

Season the chicken. Add the green seasoning to the chicken pieces and mix well to coat. Set aside while you get the soup started.
Start the soup base. Add 3 cups of water to a large pot with the pumpkin, soaked split peas, half of the onion, half of the garlic, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes, until the split peas begin to soften and the pumpkin is tender. Use the back of your spoon to crush some of the pumpkin against the side of the pot. This helps thicken the broth before adding the chicken.

Pumpkin, split peas, onion and garlic cooking in water for the soup base

Make the dumplings. While the soup base cooks, combine the flour with water, adding the water gradually until a firm dough forms. Knead until it comes together, then shape into small dumplings. I like doing a mix of long dumplings and small round ones.
Add the chicken. Add the seasoned chicken along with 2 more cups of water. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.

Seasoned chicken pieces added to the pot with softened pumpkin and split peas.

Add the remaining ingredients. Pour in another 2 cups of water, then add the potato, corn, carrot, celery, remaining onion and garlic, scallions, pimento peppers, thyme, whole hot pepper, all-purpose seasoning, black pepper, remaining salt, and dumplings.

Corn, potatoes, carrots, celery and a whole hot pepper added to the Caribbean chicken soup.

Finish the soup. Simmer for about 20 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender and the dumplings are cooked through. Taste and adjust the salt and other seasonings as needed. If the soup has become thicker than you like, add a little more water until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Tips and substitutions

Soak the split peas. Give them at least 40 minutes in water before cooking, or soak them overnight. This helps them soften during that first stage of cooking.
Let the pumpkin thicken the broth. Once the pumpkin is tender, crush some of the pieces against the side of the pot before adding the chicken. You don’t need to mash all of it. Leave some pieces intact so you still get chunks of pumpkin in the finished soup.
Cut the chicken small. I use mixed chicken pieces chopped into curry-size pieces. The smaller pieces work well in soup and give you chicken throughout the pot rather than a few large pieces.
Use butternut squash if needed. If you can’t find calabaza pumpkin, butternut squash works as a substitute. It tends to cook faster, so keep an eye on it as the soup base cooks.
Keep the hot pepper whole. You’ll get its flavor in the soup without as much heat. Be careful not to burst it while stirring unless you deliberately want a much hotter pot.
Adjust the water as you go. Pumpkin, split peas, potatoes, and dumplings all help thicken the soup, and some liquid will evaporate while it simmers. Add more water toward the end if needed to get the consistency you prefer.

What to serve with Caribbean chicken soup

This chicken soup is a complete meal on its own, with chicken, vegetables, corn, split peas, and dumplings all in the pot.

If you want something alongside it, a piece of hops bread or Caribbean butter bread is great for dipping into the flavorful broth. But honestly, a big bowl of soup is usually enough for me.

Pot and bowl of Caribbean chicken soup with chicken, corn, vegetables and dumplings

How to store and reheat

Store leftover chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The soup may thicken slightly as it sits, especially with the pumpkin, split peas, potatoes, and dumplings, so you may need to add a little water when reheating.

For longer storage, portion the soup into freezer-safe containers or bags. I prefer to eat the dumplings before freezing the soup because I don’t like their texture once they’ve been frozen and reheated.

Thaw frozen soup in the refrigerator, then reheat it in a pot over medium-low heat. Add a splash of water as needed and stir occasionally until heated through.

Bowls of Caribbean chicken soup with chicken, corn, potato, carrots and dumplings

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make Caribbean chicken soup without dumplings?

Yes. You can leave the dumplings out, although they’re one of my favorite parts of the soup. Without them, you may also find that the finished soup is a little thinner.

Can I use boneless chicken?

Yes. I prefer mixed chicken pieces cut into small, curry-size pieces, including bone-in pieces, because they add flavor as the soup cooks. Boneless thighs or breasts can also work if that’s what you have.

Why is my chicken soup so thick?

Pumpkin, split peas, potatoes, and dumplings all add body to the soup, and using extra provisions can make the broth much thicker as they cook. If your soup gets thicker than you like, add a little water and adjust the seasonings as needed.

Can I freeze Caribbean chicken soup with dumplings?

You can, but I personally don’t like the texture of dumplings after they’ve been frozen and reheated. I eat those first and freeze the remaining soup without them whenever possible.

More Soup Saturday favourites

If Saturday means a pot of soup in your house too, here are a few more Caribbean soups to try:

Whether it’s Saturday or you feel like putting on a pot, this Caribbean chicken soup is one to add to the rotation. If you make it, leave a comment below and let me know what you added to your pot.

Recipe

Renee Robley