Description
This Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a comforting, hearty dish featuring tender chicken simmered with vegetables and creamy soups, topped with soft, chewy homemade dumplings. Perfect for a cozy meal, it uses a slow cooker for effortless preparation and flavorful, melt-in-your-mouth results.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 3 1/2 lb. skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts
- 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (1 medium)
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 4 cups unsalted chicken stock
- 1 (10.5-oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup
- 1 (10.5-oz.) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 1 tsp. dried thyme
Dumplings
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 3 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 1 cup whole milk
Instructions
- Add chicken, vegetables, and soup mixture to slow cooker crock: Place the chicken breasts in a 6-quart slow cooker. Top with chopped onion, celery, and carrots. In a large bowl, whisk together chicken stock, condensed cream of chicken soup, condensed cream of celery soup, 1 teaspoon salt, black pepper, and dried thyme. Pour this stock and soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on Low for 6 to 7 hours or on High for 3 to 4 hours until the chicken is tender.
- Pull chicken out of slow cooker: Using tongs, remove the chicken breasts from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board to cool slightly while you prepare the dumplings.
- Make dumpling dough: If cooking on Low, turn the slow cooker heat to High. In a medium bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and baking powder. Add the cold unsalted butter pieces to the flour mixture and use a pastry cutter or fingers to cut the butter in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the whole milk until a soft dough forms.
- Roll out and cut dumplings: On a floured surface, roll the dough into a rectangle about 1/4 inch thick. Cut the dough lengthwise into 1-inch strips, then cut crosswise into pieces about 1 1/2 to 2 inches in size to create dumplings.
- Add dumplings to soup: Drop the dumpling pieces directly into the hot soup mixture in the slow cooker. Cover again and cook on High for 20 to 30 minutes until the dumplings are chewy-tender.
- Shred chicken and add to soup: Remove the skin and bones from the cooled chicken breasts and shred the meat with two forks. When the dumplings are cooked, stir the shredded chicken back into the soup. Adjust salt to taste if needed.
- Serve: Ladle the chicken and dumplings into bowls and serve warm for a comforting meal.
Notes
- Using skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts adds flavor and richness to the broth.
- You can substitute fresh herbs like thyme if preferred.
- If you don’t have condensed soups, you can make a roux and chicken broth base, but the condensed soups add creaminess and ease.
- Dumplings should be dropped gently to avoid breaking their shape.
- If the dumplings are undercooked, continue cooking in 5-minute increments until tender.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for 2-3 days and reheat nicely on the stovetop or microwave.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1 1/2 cups)
- Calories: 410
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 720mg
- Fat: 15g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 33g
- Cholesterol: 110mg
