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Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

Creamy crockpot chicken and dumplings recipe with fluffy homemade dumplings in broth.

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A comforting, hands-off dinner where tender chicken and vegetables simmer into a rich, savory stew, topped with fluffy homemade dumplings that steam to perfection right in the slow cooker. This recipe delivers classic comfort food flavor with minimal effort, making it ideal for busy weeknights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • For the Stew:
  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 2 bay leaves
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • For the Dumplings:
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

Instructions

  1. Combine chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, parsley, salt, pepper, chicken broth, and bay leaves in a 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Stir gently.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4 hours, until chicken is very tender.
  3. Remove chicken to a plate and shred with two forks. Discard bay leaves.
  4. In a small bowl, whisk the 1/4 cup flour with the heavy cream until smooth to create a slurry. Stir slurry into the hot broth in the slow cooker.
  5. Add shredded chicken, frozen peas, and 2 tablespoons butter to the slow cooker. Stir well and let the stew thicken for 5-10 minutes.
  6. Make dumpling dough: In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and 1 tsp salt. In another bowl, combine melted butter and milk. Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir with a fork just until combined (dough will be shaggy).
  7. Drop golf ball-sized mounds of dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering stew, leaving a little space between them.
  8. Cover and cook on HIGH for 25-30 minutes without lifting the lid, until a toothpick inserted into a dumpling center comes out clean.
  9. Ladle stew and dumplings into bowls and serve immediately.

Notes

Do not overmix the dumpling dough. Do not lift the lid while the dumplings steam. For best results, ensure your baking powder is fresh. Chicken breasts can be substituted for thighs. Leftover dumplings will soften as they sit in the broth.

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