Get dinner on the table effortlessly with this Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. Requiring minimal prep, this creamy slow cooker chicken and dumplings is topped with simple biscuits for one easy family dinner.
What’s in this Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe?
Chicken and dumplings is such a hearty and comforting meal, and when cooked in the Crockpot, it’s so easy! This delicious casserole is full of rich flavors and so creamy. Topped with store-bought biscuit dough, it will make dinner time a breeze.
- Chicken: Use chicken thighs rather than breasts for this recipe. They stay perfectly tender and are less likely to dry out.
- Salt + Pepper: Enhance the natural flavor of the chicken.
- Bay Leaf: Adds an herbal flavor that lightens up this heavy stew.
- Dried Herbs: Parsley, rosemary, and thyme deepen the flavor of the stew.
- Garlic Powder: Adds an earthy flavor and a pungent aroma.
- Chicken Broth: Forms the base of the stew, creating a salty, umami base.
- Carrot: Adds a hint of sweetness and a pop of color.
- Onion: Enhances the earthiness and sweetness of the soup.
- Cream of Chicken Soup: Makes this dish extra creamy and thick!
- Frozen Peas: Add a pop of color and sweetness.
- Refrigerated Biscuit Dough: Makes this recipe super easy! But you could use homemade biscuit dough if you prefer.
Notes from the Test Kitchen
Once you add the dumplings, don’t keep lifting the lid to check on them. They need the steam in order to cook through and turn light and fluffy.
Variations on Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
You can pretty easily modify this dish to create new and exciting variations. Try different kinds of refrigerated biscuit dough, like honey butter or buttermilk. Or try homemade variations, like cheddar bay biscuits, sweet potato biscuits, or cheesy cornbread drop biscuits for a different take. Gluten-free biscuits also work well.
For a different flavor, try adding some different veggies, like roasted mushrooms, sweet corn, or sautéed leeks.
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Serving Suggestions
This Crockpot chicken and dumplings is perfect to serve by itself for a hearty winter dinner. It’s also great with some crusty bread or your favorite veggie sides like asparagus or green beans.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Step by Step
Season the Chicken: Shake ½ teaspoon of salt and ½ teaspoon of black pepper over both sides of 1½ pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs and arrange in the bottom of the crockpot.
Fill the Crockpot: Add in 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon of dried parsley, ½ teaspoon of dried rosemary, ½ teaspoon of dried thyme, and ½ teaspoon of garlic powder. Pour in 1¾ cups of chicken broth, 1 peeled and sliced carrot, 1 chopped onion, and 10.5 ounces (1 can) of cream of chicken soup. Gently stir the top to incorporate the ingredients without disturbing the chicken. It doesn’t have to be completely mixed together.
Cook the Chicken: Cover crockpot with the lid and cook in the crockpot on high for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is easy to shred and reaches the internal temperature of 165°F.
Add the Peas and Dumplings: Add ½ cup of frozen peas. You can shred the chicken if you desire. Stir well to combine. Open a 16.3-ounce can of biscuit dough and cut each biscuit into fourths. Roll each biscuit into a round ball. Arrange the biscuit pieces on top of everything else in the crockpot.
Cook the Dumplings: Replace the lid, turn the crockpot to high, and cook the biscuits until done, about 1 to 2 hours depending on your crockpot. Don’t lift the lid to check on them, if possible. If you have a glass lid, you can peek through the glass. The biscuits should take on a matte look when they are finished. Cut into one biscuit to make sure it’s cooked through. When the biscuits are done, adjust seasonings to taste and serve.
How to Store and Reheat
Store leftover crockpot chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the slow cooker or on the stovetop set over medium-low heat.
How to Freeze
It’s best to freeze slow cooker chicken and dumplings without the dumplings. Freeze the chicken stew by itself in an airtight container or Ziplock bag fo up to 6 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before placing in the slow cooker, adding the dumplings, and cooking through.
Yes, you should keep the crockpot covered as soon as you add the dumplings so that they can steam and fully cook through.
If your soup isn’t thickening, you may have added too much chicken broth. You can thicken it back up by cooking down the mixture on high for a bit.
We use cream of chicken soup to thicken this stew, but you can also add a roux made from 2 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of flour cooked until foaming, or stir in a slurry made from 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water.
Your dumplings are done when they are light, fluffy, and slightly firm. You can insert a toothpick into the center of one, and it should come out clean. The dumplings should be soft, but they should not taste doughy.
It’s important to neither under nor overcook the dumplings. Undercooked dumplings will be raw in the middle and dense, while overcooked dumplings will begin to disintegrate. Make sure to keep the lid on tight to seal in the steam so that the dumplings have a chance to cook fully through.
My family absolutely loved this! Rolling the dough in flour definitely made a difference. However, this time around i do not have bay leaves. How much of a difference in taste will it make?
Not too much!
I didn’t understand why you divide the broth?
Just go ahead and add it all!
Absolutely delicious. Added diced red peppers for a little kick. Very, very good and very filling. My neighbor always serves as my “taster” when I try something new and she gave this two thumbs up. Thank you.
Sounds amazing!!
Trying this today! My sweetie is a chicken & dumpling lover!
Enjoy!
I am sorry these didn’t work out for you, Melodye!
This recipe was yummy, but my “dumplings” did not cook all the way and were still goopy and raw even though I followed the recipe and times exactly. They also disintegrated. Not sure why! Otherwise, the soup was good. Added more carrots and some celery as well.
Coat the dumplings in flour before adding and you may have just needed more time for the biscuits to cook through than usual as crockpots can vary by owner.
Wow. This was really good. My husband and kids LOVED it. All I adjusted was the amount of seasonings the first time and it was wonderful. Today I’m trying to mix up a box of cheddar bay biscuits instead of using the premade tube. I’ll share how it goes!
Thanks for sharing, Michelle!
The recipe card calls for 1-3/4 cups chicken broth, divided. However, I don’t see in the steps when to add the 2nd part of the chicken broth. Am I missing this somewhere?
Add all of it!
I had to tweak this recipe a little. I’d combine frozen peas and carrots mix together and i got confused about the chicken broth divided. I added the other had of broth right before i placed the biscuits rounds. It still looked and tasted good though, i guess next time, ill add all the broth at one time. This is an amazing recipe and thanks for keeping it simple enough, i will definitely share this, while giving you all the props.
Thanks for sharing, Shay! Sometimes the mistakes make the best stuff!
I loved this recipe. It tastes like a deconstructed chicken pot pie. I made it in my Instant Pot and pressure cooked the dumplings for 5 minutes once they were added, instead of slow cooking. It turned out great!
Thanks for stopping by and sharing your success with us, Bridget!
Can you elaborate on how you pressure cooked this?