Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

When cold weather arrives, there’s nothing I crave more than a warm and cozy crockpot meal to chase the chill away. This easy slow-cooker chicken and dumplings recipe fits the bill. This version of a comfort food favorite combines chicken and vegetables with convenient store-bought ingredients like cream of chicken soup and canned biscuits, saving you time without sacrificing flavor. It’s the ideal recipe to reach for on busy days, or anytime you want a quick homestyle meal.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings in a Slow Cooker

This recipe for chicken and dumplings in a slow cooker is super simple to prepare thanks to a few ingredient shortcuts. It requires very little prep time besides chopping onion, carrots and celery and combining everything in the slow cooker. You’ll place the vegetables and boneless skinless chicken in the pot of your slow cooker with a few pantry spices, canned soup and chicken broth, then cook the chicken for several hours.

The cooked chicken is shredded and stirred into the pot with green peas. Open a can of refrigerated biscuit dough, cut each biscuit into quarters, and place the dough pieces on top of the chicken and veggies. The biscuits will need about another hour of cooking time before dinner is ready to serve!

Ingredients for Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

• Aromatic vegetables: This recipe for chicken and dumplings in a slow cooker starts with a classic mirepoix of chopped onion, carrots and celery, plus a bit of minced garlic.
• Chicken: This recipe calls for boneless skinless chicken breasts, which are fast and easy to shred. If you prefer the taste of dark meat, you can use boneless skinless chicken thighs.
• Spices: This version of crockpot chicken and dumplings is simply seasoned with dried oregano and marjoram, plus salt and ground black pepper.
• Canned soup: Cream of chicken soup is a shortcut ingredient that creates a creamy base for chicken and dumplings. If you prefer homemade, use this cream of chicken soup recipe.
• Chicken broth: Chicken broth thins the canned soup so it’s not too thick. The added liquid also helps keep the chicken tender while it cooks.
• Peas: Green peas increase the vegetable content of this recipe and add a pop of color. We love the ease and versatility of frozen peas, but you can also use canned peas. Just drain canned peas before adding them to the slow cooker.
• Refrigerated buttermilk biscuits: A can of store-bought biscuits is another time-saving hack. Instead of measuring and mixing dumpling dough, the premade biscuit dough is cut into quarters and dropped into the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking for perfectly plump dumplings.

Directions

Step 1: Add the aromatics to the slow cooker

Place the chopped onion, carrot, celery and garlic in a greased 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Stir the vegetables to combine.

Editor’s Tip: Lightly grease the bottom and sides of your slow-cooker pot with cooking spray or butter.

Step 2: Add the chicken to the slow cooker

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Place the chicken on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the chicken with oregano, marjoram, salt and black pepper.

Editor’s Tip: Arrange the chicken in a single layer for even cooking.

Step 3: Mix the liquids

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In a small bowl, stir together the cream of chicken soup and broth. Pour the mixture over the chicken and vegetables.

Editor’s Tip: A whisk will make thoroughly combining the condensed soup and broth easier.

Step 4: Slow-cook the chicken and vegetables

Cover the slow cooker. Cook on low for four to five hours or on high for two to three hours until the chicken is cooked.

Editor’s Tip: The chicken is done when an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165℉.

Step 5: Shred the chicken

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Use two forks to shred the cooked chicken.

Editor’s Tip: Use long-handled tongs to transfer the chicken to a cutting board to make shredding easier. Personally, a mixer is my favorite way to shred chicken quickly! Once shredded, return the chicken to the slow cooker.

Step 6: Add the peas and biscuits to the slow cooker

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Stir the peas into the chicken and vegetable mixture.

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Cut each of the refrigerated biscuits into four pieces. Arrange the biscuit pieces on top of the chicken mixture. Cook on high for one hour or until the biscuits are cooked. Top with chopped parsley and extra ground black pepper before serving, if desired.

Editor’s Tip: Leave the lid on the slow cooker while the biscuits cook. Taking the lid off will let heat escape, which means the biscuits may turn out gooey and undercooked.

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Recipe Variations

• Use homemade dumplings: Skip the store-bought biscuits and make drop-style dumplings following the ingredients and instructions from this chicken and dumplings recipe.
• Add more veggies: Increase the number of vegetables in this recipe by adding chopped mushrooms, broccoli florets, green beans or corn in addition to the onion, carrots, celery and peas.
• Mix and match herbs: You can easily customize the herbal flavor by adding or swapping in other dried herbs, such as parsley, thyme, rosemary or bay leaves.

How to Store Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Store chicken and dumplings in an airtight container in the fridge. Leftovers will last for up to four days. Before reheating, add a splash of water or chicken broth to thin the sauce. Heat it until it’s warmed through in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave, or in a covered saucepan on the stovetop.

Can you freeze slow-cooker chicken and dumplings?

You can freeze slow-cooker chicken and dumplings in a freezer-safe airtight container for up to three months. The biscuit-style dumplings in this recipe can turn mushy after freezing, thawing and reheating. To prevent this, freeze the chicken, vegetable and creamy sauce portion. Thaw it overnight in the fridge, then reheat it in a Dutch oven on the stovetop. When the mixture is simmering, top it with a fresh can of refrigerated biscuits cut into quarters. Cook everything, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through.

Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Tips

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Is it okay to put raw chicken in a slow cooker?

Yes, it’s safe to put raw chicken in a slow cooker. At the end of the cooking time, use an instant-read thermometer to check the doneness of the chicken. The center of the chicken should be 165°F.

When should I put my dumplings in the slow cooker?

Place the dumplings in the slow cooker during the last hour of cooking. Putting them in too early will cause them to get soggy and fall apart. This slow-cooker chicken and dumplings recipe calls for a can of refrigerated biscuits to make easy biscuit-style dumplings. If you skip the store-bought biscuits and make homemade dough for drop-style dumplings, you’ll still add them to the slow cooker for the last hour of cooking.

How do you know when the dumplings are done?

The dumplings should puff up, double in size, and feel firm to the touch. The best way to check that the dumplings are cooked is to stick a toothpick into the middle of one. If the toothpick comes out clean, the dumplings are done. If it comes out wet or sticky, the dumplings need more time to finish cooking.

What can you serve with slow-cooker chicken and dumplings?

This crockpot chicken and dumplings recipe is a complete meal since it contains protein, veggies and a starch in the form of dumplings. If you want to pair it with a side, try a green salad with a simple vinaigrette, steamed veggies or slices of crusty bread for sopping up every last drop of creamy sauce.