Food and Recipes Slow Cooker Recipes Slow-Cooker Chicken And Dumplings 4.9 (11) 11 Reviews Slow-cooker chicken and dumplings are the bowlful of comfort food you need. By Ann Taylor Pittman Ann Taylor Pittman For 20 years, Ann Taylor Pittman built a career of creating healthy recipes at Cooking Light magazine, where she most recently served as Executive Editor. She is the recipient of two James Beard Foundation Awards: a feature writing award and a cookbook award. She is now a freelancer specializing in recipe development, writing, and video. Follow her on Instagram. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on November 23, 2023 Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 25 mins Total Time: 8 hrs Servings: 6 On the list of the most comforting dishes imaginable, chicken and dumplings would find its place among the very top choices. But when it comes to cooking them, they can be a bit of work. With the chicken, the creamy soup, and the tender homemade dumplings, the average recipe requires you to put in a lot of effort. We've streamlined the recipe for this slow-cooker chicken and dumplings recipe. Chicken remains juicy while cooking in the soup. When the chicken is shredded to add back to the soup, you'll make a quick and easy dough for the dumplings. Everything finishes up in the slow cooker for a comfort dinner you can make on a weeknight or proudly serve to company at the holidays. Learn how to make slow-cooker chicken and dumplings, and this will be a family favorite after the first serving. Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings For the most classic flavor, you'll need these ingredients: Skin-on, bone-in chicken breasts: We prefer this cut of chicken because the skin will release fat and flavor the soup. Plus, the bone helps prevent the breast meat from drying out fully while cooking. Chopped onion, chopped celery, and chopped carrots: Classic mirepoix builds the backbone of flavor for this recipe. These vegetables tenderize while cooking with the chicken. Chicken stock: For the most flavor in the creamy soup, use stock. Water is also OK to use, but it won't have as much flavor. Condensed cream of chicken and cream of celery soups: Cream and dairy don't hold up well in the slow-cooking process, but these canned soups work great. They lend flavor and also the rich texture you expect from this comforting dish. Salt and pepper and dried thyme: Classic but essential seasonings. All-purpose flour: This flour provides the right texture for fluffy, silky dumplings. Baking powder: Just a bit of this leavener helps the dumpling dough puff out for a tender texture. Butter and whole milk: These add richness and moisture to the dumpling dough. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox How To Make Chicken and Dumplings in a Slow Cooker Let the Crockpot do the magic work of making chicken and dumplings. You make and add the dumpling dough in the last stages of cooking for an easy dinner that can cook all day. Step 1. Cook chicken and vegetables: Add chicken, onion, celery, and carrots to the slow cooker. In a bowl, combine the stock, soups, and seasoning, and pour over chicken and vegetables. Cook on LOW 6 to 7 hours or HIGH 3 to 4 hours.Step 2. Remove chicken: After cooking, remove the chicken from the slow cooker, and let cool slightly.Step 3. Make dumplings: While chicken cools, make dough for dumplings by combining flour, salt, and baking powder. Blend butter with flour mixture, then add milk, and stir to form a dough. Roll out the dough, and cut into rectangular dumplings. Add dumplings to the soup mixture, and cook until chewy-tender.Step 4. Shred chicken: Pull off chicken skin, and remove bones. Discard. Shred chicken.Step 5. Finish chicken and dumplings: Once the dumplings are tender, add the chicken back to the slow cooker. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed, then serve. Tips for the Best Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Our step-by-step guide below features photos of the cooking process to help guide you, but here's a bit more information to help you make the best dinner ever: Use the right Crockpot. You need a 6-quart slow cooker for this recipe. Smaller or larger appliances may cook unevenly.Keep the lid closed. Avoid the urge to remove the slow-cooker lid and stir the dish. Each time you do, you lose valuable heat. It will take longer for the dish to finish cooking with lots of interruptions.Keep an eye on the dumplings. Some dumplings cook for an hour or more, but this one only calls for cooking 20 to 30 minutes. So keep an eye on them to make sure they're done before finishing the dish. How To Store and Reheat Chicken and Dumplings Let any leftover chicken and dumplings cool, then scoop them into an airtight container. Store in the fridge up to 3 days. Reheat in the microwave or on the stove. If it's thickened too much while cooled, add a splash of chicken stock. Can You Freeze Chicken and Dumplings? Yes, you can freeze chicken and dumplings for some make-ahead comfort food. Let the dinner cool, then move to a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Store in the freezer up to 3 months. (Don't forget to date the container so you'll know your timeline.) To enjoy again, thaw the chicken and dumplings in the fridge overnight. Reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop. More Favorite Slow-Cooker Recipes For more nearly-effortless dinners, try these Crockpot favorites next: Slow-Cooker Brisket Slow-Cooker Salsa Chicken Slow-Cooker Brisket Chili Slow-Cooker Barbecue Chicken Slow-Cooker Corn Chowder Ingredients 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 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 Directions Add chicken, vegetables, and soup mixture to slow cooker crock: Place chicken in a 6-quart slow cooker. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Top with onion, celery, and carrots. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox In a large bowl, combine chicken stock, condensed soups, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, and thyme. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Pour stock mixture over chicken and vegetables. Cover and cook until chicken is tender, 6 to 7 hours on Low or 3 to 4 hours on High. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Pull chicken out of slow cooker: Remove chicken from slow cooker with tongs; place on a cutting board and cool slightly. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Make dumpling dough: If slow cooker is on Low, increase the heat to High. Combine flour, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Add butter to flour mixture; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and stir to form a soft dough. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Roll out and cut dumplings: Place dough on a floured surface; roll into a rectangle at 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough lengthwise into 1-inch strips; cut dough crosswise into 1 1/2- to 2-inch pieces. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Add dumplings to soup: Drop dough pieces into soup mixture in slow cooker. Cover and cook on High until dough is chewy-tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Shred chicken, and add to soup: Remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Shred meat with 2 forks. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox When dumplings are done, stir chicken into soup. Add salt to taste, if desired. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Ladle into bowls. Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Rate It Print