Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
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This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings is an easy slow cooker meal featuring tender chicken breasts and vegetables cooked in a rich, creamy sauce crowned with pillowy biscuit dumplings.
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What I Love About Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
There are days in life that are chicken and dumplings kinds of days. You know what I mean! Days when cozy, comforting food warms your soul and your toes, whether in the heart of winter or still-chilly spring days.
This recipe is for those days and is made exceptionally easy in the slow cooker. Any day of the week! Here’s what I love:
- Little prep: I love that there’s very little prep outside chopping a few vegetables (although I have a quick trick listed in the ingredients section).
- Dumplings cook in the crockpot: Biscuit-topped chicken stew is delicious, but sometimes I crave the old-fashioned kind of dumplings that steam in the pot. This is that kind of recipe.
- Thick and stew-like: This crockpot chicken and dumplings is a hearty, stew-like dish filled with vegetables and fragrant herbs.
Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this easy crockpot recipe:
- Chicken breasts: Look for boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- Vegetables: Onion, celery, carrots, and frozen peas. For a quick fix, you can substitute frozen peas and carrots.
- Thickening: Butter and all-purpose flour
- Aromatics: Garlic, fresh or dried thyme and rosemary (the perfect chicken herb combination), fresh lemon juice for bright flavor, salt, and pepper.
- Broth: I’m using chicken broth
- Fresh parsley for serving
For the dumplings, you will need all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, baking powder, fresh herbs (like parsley, thyme, rosemary, or chives), unsalted butter, and buttermilk for a soft, tender, and pillowy topping.
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings in the Crockpot
You will need a 6 quart slow cooker for this dish. Begin by making a roux, add the ingredients to the crockpot, stir, and walk away for 5 hours! Here are the steps:
Step 1: Make the chicken stew
- Melt the butter and stir in the flour until no lumps remain.
- Combine the butter-flour roux mixture with the chicken, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, chicken broth, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir well.
- Cook on low until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 5 hours.
Step 2: Make the herbed dumplings
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and fresh chopped herbs. Add the buttermilk and melted butter and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
Step 3: Shred the chicken and cook the dumplings
- Coarsely shred the chicken with two forks and stir in the frozen peas. Using a large spoon, cookie scoop (affiliate link), or ¼-cup measure, dollop the batter on top of the stew, creating about 8 dumplings spaced evenly. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid and cook for 15 minutes to firm the tops of the dumplings.
Quick Variation Ideas
As mentioned earlier, you can substitute frozen peas and carrots, eliminating the need to chop carrots. You can also substitute canned biscuits or use a quick biscuit mix recipe.
Recipe Tips
- Crockpot: This recipe is best made in a 6-quart crockpot.
- Dumplings: My dumplings are always perfectly cooked at 1 hour, but some slow cookers may require extra time. After they are cooked through, they will still have a soft, slightly doughy texture. Opening the lid and cooking them for 15 minutes more gives them the perfect texture.
- Cooking Tip: Open the lid as little as possible so that the slow cooker can maintain the proper heat and perfectly cook the chicken stew and dumplings.
Sharing
Do you know what else I love about this crockpot chicken and dumpling recipe? It’s perfect or sharing. When a friend needs a little encouragement, a new baby has arrived, or a family needs a helping hand, this is an easy and perfect dish to share a little comfort!
How to Store Chicken and Dumplings
Let the chicken and dumplings cool completely before storing in a covered casserole dish or an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven.
You can also freeze it. Allow the dish to cool completely, then remove the dumplings and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Store the remaining chicken stew in a separate freezer-safe storage container or zip-top bag.
When you’re ready to eat, place the chicken stew in a pot on the stovetop. Bring to a boil and thaw the dumplings. Add them to the boiling stew, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes before serving.
More Slow Cooker Chicken Recipes to Try
- All Slow Cooker | Crockpot recipes here
- Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken (with only 5 minutes of prep)
- Slow Cooker Chicken and Rice Burrito Bowl
- Easy Slow Cooker Chicken Thighs with a creamy, lemony sauce
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Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts
- 3 large garlic cloves finely chopped
- 2 celery stalks chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup diced onion finely chopped (about 1/2 onion)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme or fresh
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or fresh
- 1 ½ cups chicken broth
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
- Fresh parsley for serving
For the Dumplings
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup fine cornmeal
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon fresh herbs finely minced, like parsley, thyme, rosemary, or chives
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 4 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Instructions
For the chicken stew
- Melt the butter and stir in the flour until no lumps remain.
- In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, combine the butter-flour mixture with the chicken, garlic, celery, carrots, onion, lemon juice, thyme, rosemary, chicken broth and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper; stir well. Cook on low until the chicken and vegetables are tender, about 5 hours.
For the herbed dumplings
- Stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and fresh chopped herbs in a medium bowl. Add the buttermilk and melted butter and stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Remove the slow cooker lid coarsely shred the chicken with two forks and stir in the frozen peas; using a large spoon, cookie scoop (affiliate link), or a ¼-cup measure, dollop the batter on top of the stew, creating about 8 dumplings spaced evenly. Cover and cook on low for 1 hour.
- Remove the lid and cook for 15 minutes, to firm up the tops of the dumplings.
Notes
- Chicken: You can use either boneless skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts in this recipe.
- Vegetables: You can substitute frozen peas and carrots for the chopped carrots.
- How to Store: Let the chicken and dumplings cool completely before storing them in a covered casserole dish or an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to five days. Reheat in the microwave, on the stove, or in the oven. You can also freeze it. Allow the dish to cool completely, then remove the dumplings and place them in a freezer-safe container or zip-top bag. Store the remaining chicken stew in a separate freezer-safe storage container or zip-top bag. When you’re ready to eat, place the chicken stew in a pot on the stovetop. Bring to a boil and thaw the dumplings. Add them to the boiling stew, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 10 to 15 more minutes before serving.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.