In a large Dutch oven, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Once melted, add diced carrots, celery, and onion, sautéing them until they soften and become fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle ¼ cup of flour over the sautéed vegetables, stirring well to coat them evenly, and cook for an additional minute. Gradually pour in 4 cups of chicken broth and add minced garlic, pumpkin purée, cumin, and pumpkin pie spice. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring frequently.

Once boiling, add cubed chicken breasts, reducing the heat to low and letting it simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

After simmering, carefully remove the cooked chicken breasts from the pot using tongs. Shred the chicken using two forks, returning the tender pieces back to the pot. Add frozen butternut squash and a cup of whole milk to the soup, mixing well to combine all the ingredients.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of flour, 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and a pinch of pumpkin pie spice. Cut in 4 tablespoons of cold grated butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

In a separate bowl, combine 1 large egg and ½ cup of milk, blending them before gently folding this wet mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined, being careful not to overmix.

Using a spoon or cookie scoop, form bright orange pumpkin dumplings and drop them gently into the simmering soup. Cover the Dutch oven with a lid and let the dumplings steam in the broth for about 10 minutes, or until they are puffy and cooked through.

Once the dumplings are cooked, remove the pot from heat and squeeze in juice from half a lemon to brighten the flavors. Stir gently and taste the soup, adjusting seasoning with salt and pepper if necessary.

Ladle the comforting Chicken and Pumpkin Dumplings into bowls, serving them warm for a delightful autumn meal.