Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
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Chicken and Dumplings in the crock pot? Yes! It can be done! This classic comfort food will fill your home with delicious smells as it simmers for hours in the slow cooker.
This easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumpling recipe comes from our cookbook, From Freezer to Cooker, and was good enough to make national television. Seriously! Here is a segment of us cooking Chicken & Dumplings on Hallmark Home & Family!
My 13-year-old son, Jack, was the inspiration for this recipe. As we were brainstorming ideas for our second cookbook, he said, “Mom, you HAVE to include a chicken and dumplings recipe!” At the time, I hadn’t made it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot yet, but through many recipe tests, we finally nailed it. Not only that, but we also figured out how to freeze chicken and dumplings.
Friends, I think you are going to LOVE this homemade classic comfort dish that turns out perfectly every time! Be sure to double the recipe and freeze a batch for later using our freezing instructions.
10+ Amazing Crock Pot Soups
If you like slow cooker soups, you will love this round up we have put together with our best of the best recipes.
Ingredients Needed for Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
You won’t find any processed ingredients in our recipe, like cream soups or store-bought biscuits. That’s because this “from scratch” recipe isn’t difficult, it tastes so much better, and is healthier! Here are the ingredients you’ll need.
Ingredients for the Stew:
- Butter
- 1 yellow onion
- 2 celery stalks
- 4 carrots
- Poultry seasoning
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1½ to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (sub: chicken breasts)
- Low-sodium chicken broth
- Bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Salt and ground black pepper
Ingredients for the Dumplings:
- Unbleached all-purpose flour (or white whole wheat flour)
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Sugar (just a little!)
- Dried parsley
- Butter
- Milk (your choice)
How to Make Chicken and Dumplings in a Crock Pot
Take a look at just how easy it is to pull this slow cooker dinner together…
Step-by-Step Instructions for Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Step 1: Sauté the Veggies
While we would love to not have to pre-cook vegetables for this slow cooker meal, we found that they don’t get cooked enough in the 3-4 hours it takes for the chicken to get done in the slow cooker. Plus, sautéing vegetables adds lots of flavor. You’ll also lightly season your veggies at this stage with salt and pepper. Seasoning at each step, enhances flavor along the way.
Shortcut Tip: Instead of sautéing over the stove, place all the chopped veggies in a microwave safe bowl. Add the oil and stir. Cover with a napkin and microwave for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
Step 2: Season the Chicken Thighs
Once those veggies start to get tender and you’ve added your garlic and seasoning, transfer them to the slow cooker. Then, season your chicken with salt and pepper.
We use chicken thighs for the recipe because they stay incredibly tender and juicy when cooking in the slow cooker. Just make sure you cook the chicken the correct amount of time! Boneless, skinless chicken breasts will work, too.
Step 3: Slow Cook in the Crock Pot
Add the chicken, broth, and bay leaves to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) Trust us, this is really only how long you cook it or else it will turn out dry! Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaves (make sure to return the lid to the cooker quickly).
Step 4: Make the Dumpling Batter
Set the slow cooker to High. While it heats up, make the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and dried parsley. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and milk together until warm, about 1 minute, then whisk to melt the butter and combine. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined (do not over mix).
Step 5: Add the Dumplings to the Crock Pot
Working quickly and using a soup spoon or tablespoon, uncover the slow cooker, scoop out heaping tablespoons of dumpling batter, and drop into the stew. (Wet your hands to prevent sticking and use them to help slide the batter off the spoon and into the stew.)
Try to spread the dumplings out so they cover the whole surface and aren’t on top of one another. Get the lid back on the cooker as soon as possible. Cook on High for 30 to 40 minutes or until the dumplings have doubled in size and a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean.
Step 6: Dice or Shred the Chicken
Meanwhile, shred or chop the chicken into bite-size pieces on a wooden cutting board and set aside.
Step 7: Stir in Chicken and Frozen Peas
When the dumplings are done, gently stir the chicken and frozen peas into the stew. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Last Step: Enjoy!!
Serve warm in bowls with a little chopped fresh parsley as garnish, if you want.
How to Freeze Chicken and Dumplings
You’ve come to the right place if you’re looking for freezer meal advice. THIS IS WHAT WE DO!
Many would not consider Chicken and Dumplings to be a great freezer meal. Wrong! We have devised a way that Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings can be frozen and thawed and still taste like a fresh, delicious meal.
Read our article here for all our pro tips for freezing chicken dumplings. I promise, it will taste like a fresh meal if you follow our instructions.
What to Serve With Chicken and Dumplings
We love that Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings are a one-pot wonder. You’ve got vegetables, protein, and bread/starch all in one delicious bowl! But, if you’d like to add in something on the side, here are a few ideas to round out this comfort meal…
- Salad: Autumn Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
- Side: Crock Pot Cinnamon Apples
- Dessert: Pumpkin Dump Cake
Have questions? Feedback? Leave a comment and let us know!
Can You Make This Dish in the Instant Pot?
Oh yeah! I make it this way all the time using our Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. Give it a try!
Did you make this? Snap a photo and tag us on Instagram at @thrivinghome so we can see your creations and cheer you on!
Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings are probably the ultimate comfort food. This one-pot-wonder stew is filled with tender vegetables, juicy shredded chicken, and topped with soft dumplings.
Instant Pot directions are here.
Ingredients
Stew
- 1 to 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
- 2 celery stalks, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 4 carrots, sliced 1/4 inch thick (about 1 1/2 cups)
- Salt and ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, trimmed
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 cup frozen peas
Dumplings
- 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (You can sub white whole wheat flour, but we do not recommend subbing whole wheat flour.)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 teaspoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried parsley
- 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
- 3/4 cup milk (sub: plain, unsweetened almond milk or oat milk)
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Instructions
Make It Now
- For the stew: In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook, stirring, until they just begin to soften, 4 to 5 minutes, seasoning lightly with salt and pepper and stirring in the poultry seasoning and garlic during the last 30 to 60 seconds of cooking. Watch to make sure the garlic doesn’t burn. Remove from the heat. (Freezing instructions begin here.)
- Transfer the vegetables to the slow cooker. Lightly season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place in the slow cooker. Add the broth and bay leaves and stir to combine.
- Cover and cook on Low for 3 to 4 hours. (The chicken is done when it registers 165°F internally.) Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaves (make sure to return the lid to the cooker quickly). Set the slow cooker to High.
- For the dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and parsley. In a small microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter and milk together until warm, about 1 minute, then whisk to melt the butter and combine. Stir the wet mixture into the dry mixture until just combined (do not overmix).
- Working quickly and using a soup spoon or tablespoon, uncover the slow cooker, scoop out heaping tablespoons of dumpling batter, and drop into the stew. (Wet your hands to prevent sticking and use them to help slide the batter off the spoon and into the stew.) Try to spread the dumplings out so they cover the whole surface and aren’t on top of one another. Get the lid back on the cooker as soon as possible. Cook on High for 30 to 40 minutes or until the dumplings have doubled in size and a toothpick inserted into the center of a dumpling comes out clean.
- Meanwhile, shred or chop the chicken into bite-size pieces and set aside.
- When the dumplings are done, gently stir the chicken and peas into the stew. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.
Freeze for Later:
Follow step 1. Let the veggies cool. Season both sides of the chicken lightly with salt and pepper and place the chicken in a gallon-size freezer bag or container. Add the broth, bay leaves, and cooled veggies. Seal and freeze. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and parsley in a quart-size freezer bag or container. Seal and freeze alongside the stew.
Prepare From Frozen:
Note: You will need to have butter, milk, and frozen peas on hand to complete this meal. Thaw. Transfer the chicken-vegetable mixture to the slow cooker and follow steps 3 through 7, using the bag of dry mix to make the dumplings in step 4.
Notes/Tips
Instant Pot Instructions: Try making this same meal using our Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
Shortcut Tip: Instead of sautéing the veggies over the stove, place all the chopped veggies in a microwave safe bowl. Add the butter (or olive oil) and stir. Cover with a napkin and microwave for 4-5 minutes, until tender.
Can I Make This Gluten-Free? While I haven’t tested gluten-free flour for the dumplings, our readers have reported trying without much success. The dumplings seemed to fall apart for them and melt into the soup. Your best bet may be to make the stew, leaving off the dumplings, and make some gluten-free biscuits to serve on the side.
Where We Get Our Chicken: We get our chicken from ButcherBox. The chicken is organic and curated from trusted farms. We highly recommend this service to source healthy meat–like uncured bacon, grass-fed beef, and wild salmon–and have used it for years ourselves.
This is almost like my recipe . So good, only I make it Steve top & make dressing to go with it.
I could eat the stew all day long. So delicious. First time I ever made dumplings. My technique needs work. Great recipe. Easy too.
★★★★★
I’m with you on the stew thing, Mary. I’m glad you enjoyed it. I’ve found that making the dumplings smaller (just a 1 tablespoon scoop) and making sure they are covered in the liquid is helpful.
If I double or triple recipe will it fit in 6qt crockpot?
★★★★★
It should fit if you double it, but I think tripling it would be too much. Hope you enjoy it! It’s a fave in our family.
Making for group camping trip. Everyone has a meal while we are there. Will let you know how it turns out. We aren’t roughing it but close. Taking crock pot
★★★★★
I really don’t like the texture of chicken in a pot can I make it on top of the stove?
I have made this on the stove top and it works well that way. You’ll saute the veggies, add in the broth and seasonings, and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the chicken breasts or thighs. Simmer for about 12-15 minutes or until it’s done (165°F internally or no longer pink.) Remove and shred. Meanwhile bring the soup to a boil and drop in the dumplings. Cover loosely with the lid and simmer until done (about 10-12 minutes). Stir in the peas and shredded chicken at the end. Hope that helps!
How do we feel about me using boneless chicken breast for this, if I promise to not overcook it?
You for sure can do that. I’ve done it many times. And thanks for promising not to overcook it! Ha, ha!
Do you stir the peas into the stew (with the cooked chicken) still frozen? If so, do you need to stir and cook for a few minutes to cook them? This sounds wonderful and I’m hoping to try it soon!
K Ann, I’m a little confused. Are you using frozen chicken? If so, you need to thaw it first for the slow cooker. USDA says to not put frozen meals or meat into the crockpot unfortunately. Peas get stirred in at the very end. Or…did I misunderstand your question?
Our whole family (kids too!) loves this recipe! It’s easy to make and oh so good. The dumpling are the best part!
★★★★★
Awww, love this Haley!
I’m ready to try this recipe! It looks wonderful!
Yeah! Enjoy!
This recipe is so delicious! It has tons of flavor and the dumplings just melt in your mouth. It’s super kid friendly, too. I usually make this in my instant pot.
★★★★★
Sweet! Makes me happy that you all liked it. Yes, the Instant Pot is my favorite way to make it too.
So yummy!
★★★★
Thanks, Karen!