Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Creamy, cozy, throw-it-in-and-walk-away comfort—this is the slow cooker chicken and dumplings I make when I want something warm that practically cooks itself while I live my life, fold laundry, or ignore the laundry. Tender chicken, rich broth, sweet peas and carrots, and soft dumpling bites that soak up every bit of flavor. It tastes like a hug after a long day, with zero judgment if you eat it straight from the bowl standing at the counter.

The first time I made this, my husband claimed two bowls, then hovered by the slow cooker like a seagull. Now it’s a Sunday thing. If we’ve got a busy week coming, I’ll throw everything in before church, and by late afternoon the house smells like a small-town diner (in the best way). Our kid calls the dumplings “soft biscuits” and will fish them out with determined little tongs, which I accept as a love language. We’ve made it for friends with new babies, cranky neighbors (it helped), and once, for breakfast the next day because we ran out of eggs. No one complained.

Kitchen Talk

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I’ve tried both chicken breasts and thighs—thighs stay juicier, but breasts shred up super softly, so choose your adventure. One time I tossed in a splash of cream at the end and it went from cozy to decadent, like sweater-weather deluxe. If you’ve only got baby carrots, just snap them in half with your hands and feel rugged. Biscuit dough: flaky layers make more “noodly” dumplings; homestyle gives you solid, pillowy chunks. Also, I’ve definitely dropped the dumplings in too early before—don’t do that unless you like dumpling mush. Speaking of mush, frozen peas go in at the end or they lose their pep; learned that the hard (soft?) way.

Shopping Tips

– Protein: Boneless, skinless chicken thighs stay tender in the slow cooker; breasts work too if that’s what you have.
– Canned Goods: Low-sodium chicken broth and cream of chicken soup keep it cozy without salt overload; you can always add salt later.
– Frozen Aisle: Grab a peas-and-carrots mix to dodge chopping; add them near the end so the color stays bright.
– Specialty Item: Refrigerated biscuit dough is the weeknight hero—flaky layers for lighter dumplings, homestyle for hearty chunks.
– Spices: Poultry seasoning or a thyme/parsley blend makes it taste like Sunday supper with basically zero effort.
– Budget Swaps: Use thighs for better value, or skip the soup and thicken the broth with a quick flour slurry if the pantry is running the show.

Prep Ahead Ideas

– Chop onions, carrots, and celery the night before and stash in a lidded container so morning-you can just dump and go.
– Mix your spice blend ahead in a tiny jar—one less thing to measure before coffee.
– In the morning: load up chicken, veggies, broth, and seasonings, then set low and leave. In the evening: shred chicken, drop in biscuit pieces, and finish with peas.
– If packing for lunches, portion into individual containers so it thickens nicely and reheats evenly. A splash of broth or milk revives it day two.

✔Time-Saving Tricks

– Use frozen onion/pepper blends if you’re not in a chopping mood—no one will know.
– Kitchen shears make quick work of cutting biscuit dough into little dumpling bites right over the pot.
– Rotisserie chicken hack: add at the end with the veggies; you’ll only need 30–45 minutes on high to warm through and cook dumplings.
– Don’t rush the dumplings—give them the time to puff and set. Lid stays on, hands off.

✔Common Mistakes

– Adding dumplings too early: they dissolve and disappear. Wait until the chicken is cooked and shredded.
– Over-salting up front: canned soup and broth can be sneaky. Taste at the end and season then.
– Veggies turning mushy: cut carrots in chunkier pieces or add delicate veggies (peas) at the very end.
– Too thin? Stir in a quick cornstarch slurry and let it bubble on high 10–15 minutes. Too thick? Loosen with a splash of warm broth or milk.

What to Serve It With

– Simple green salad with a lemony vinaigrette.
– Roasted green beans or asparagus—something snappy alongside all the cozy.
– Buttered corn or honey-glazed carrots for the sweet-savory vibe.
– Warm biscuits or crusty bread if you’re living your best carb-on-carb life.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Keep the lid closed while dumplings cook—steam is the secret.
– Thighs for tenderness; breasts for a clean shred. Both are right.
– Black pepper at the end wakes the whole pot up.
– Forgot fresh herbs? A little dried thyme early, fresh parsley late if you have it.

✔Storage Tips

Pop leftovers in airtight containers and refrigerate up to 3–4 days. It thickens as it chills (not a bug, a feature). Reheat gently on the stove with a splash of broth or milk. It’s weirdly excellent cold from the fridge at 10 p.m.—the dumplings are like savory pudding—but if you need steam-in-your-face cozy, microwave in bursts and stir. Freezes okay for 2–3 months; thaw overnight so the sauce doesn’t split.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Swap cream of chicken for cream of mushroom or celery if that’s what’s on hand. Different, still dreamy.
– No biscuits? Make quick drop dumplings with flour, baking powder, milk, and a pinch of salt; spoon on top for the last 30–45 minutes.
– Dairy-free: use dairy-free cream soup or thicken with a cornstarch slurry and finish with a splash of oat milk.
– Herb switch: thyme and parsley are classic, but rosemary is lovely (go light). A squeeze of lemon at the end brightens everything.
– Add-ins: corn, diced potatoes, or mushrooms make it heartier. Bacon bits on top if you’re feeling rowdy.
– Gluten-free: use GF cream soup and a gluten-free biscuit dough or dumpling batter; watch the thickener—cornstarch is your friend.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Cozy, creamy chicken and dumplings made right in the slow cooker. Tender biscuits, soft vegetables, and rich broth with minimal prep.

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 4 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 4 hours hours 45 minutes minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• ▢ 1 cup chopped yellow onion
• ▢ 0.75 cup sliced celery
• ▢ 1 cup sliced carrots
• ▢ 1.5 tsp minced garlic
• ▢ 0.75 tsp dried thyme
• ▢ 0.5 tsp poultry seasoning
• ▢ 1 tsp kosher salt plus more to taste
• ▢ 0.5 tsp black pepper
• ▢ 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
• ▢ 4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• ▢ 21 oz condensed cream of chicken soup
• ▢ 2 tbsp all-purpose flour for tossing biscuit pieces
• ▢ 16 oz refrigerated biscuit dough
• ▢ 2 tbsp cornstarch
• ▢ 2 tbsp water for slurry
• ▢ 1 cup frozen peas optional
• ▢ 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Coat the slow cooker with melted butter. Add onion, celery, carrots, and garlic.
• Season chicken with thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Nestle on top of the vegetables.
• Whisk broth and condensed soup until smooth. Pour over the chicken and vegetables.
• Cover and cook on High 4 hours or Low 7 hours, until chicken shreds easily.
• Transfer chicken to a board, shred with two forks, then return it to the slow cooker.
• Stir together cornstarch and water. Pour slurry into the pot and mix well.
• Cut biscuits into 1-inch pieces. Toss with flour to prevent sticking.
• Scatter biscuit pieces over the surface. Gently press to submerge in liquid.
• Cover and cook on High 45–60 minutes, without lifting the lid, until dumplings are set.
• Fold in peas and parsley. Cook 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if needed.

Notes

Variation: Swap thighs for chicken breasts, or add a splash of cream for extra richness. For a scratch dumpling, use spoonfuls of thick biscuit mix instead of canned dough. Leftovers keep 3 days refrigerated; reheat gently with a splash of broth to loosen.

This recipe is an original creation inspired by classic Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings flavors. All ingredient ratios and instructions are independently developed.