Hearty Crock Pot Chicken Dumplings: A Weeknight Hug (Print Version)

Simple Crock Pot Chicken Dumplings make weeknights easy. Tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and a savory broth for a comforting, homemade meal.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 4 Hours minutes
Total Time: 24 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American
Dietary: Comfort Food

# Ingredients:

→ For the Chicken & Broth Base

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 4 cups chicken broth (low sodium preferred)
03 - 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup

→ Veggies & Creamy Goodness

04 - 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
05 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
06 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
07 - 1/2 cup whole milk

→ Dumpling Dry Mix

08 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
09 - 4 tsp baking powder
10 - 1 tsp salt

→ Flavor Boosters

11 - 1 tsp dried parsley
12 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
13 - 1 tsp garlic powder

# Instructions:

01 - First things first, get your chicken breasts nestled into the bottom of your crock pot. Pour in that chicken broth, making sure the chicken is mostly submerged. This is where the magic starts, honestly. I usually give the chicken a quick pat dry before it goes in, just because I feel like it helps absorb the flavors better. Don't worry too much about perfection here; it's a slow cooker, it's pretty forgiving. This step always makes my kitchen smell like potential comfort, you know?
02 - Now for the good stuff! Add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots right over the chicken. Then, spoon in the can of cream of chicken soup and sprinkle in your dried parsley, black pepper, and garlic powder. Give it a gentle stir – you don't need to mix it vigorously, just enough to get things acquainted. I always take a moment to admire the colors here; it's so vibrant before it all melds together. I once added way too much pepper by accident, making it spicier than planned, but it was still delicious!
03 - Cover your crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours. You want that chicken to be fall-apart tender. This is the best part, honestly, just letting it do its thing while you go about your day. The aroma that starts to waft through the house after a few hours is just incredible. It's the kind of smell that promises a really good, hearty dinner. I usually set a timer, because I'm terrible at remembering what time I started things, oops.
04 - Once the cooking time is up and the chicken is super tender, carefully remove the chicken breasts from the crock pot. Use two forks to shred the chicken right on a cutting board; it should practically fall apart. Then, return the shredded chicken to the crock pot. This is where your Crock Pot Chicken Dumplings really start to come together. I've tried shredding it in the pot once, and it was a splashy mess, so I always take it out now.
05 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt for your dumplings. Make a little well in the center and pour in the milk. Stir with a spoon until just combined; don't overmix, or your dumplings will be tough! It should be a sticky, shaggy dough. I always get a little flour on my nose during this step, it's just part of the process. I didn't expect how easy these dumplings are to make, honestly.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly onto the hot chicken mixture in the crock pot. Don't worry about them being perfectly shaped; rustic is good! Cover again and cook on high for another 30-45 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy. They should be soft and puffy when you check them. This is the final push, and the smell of the cooking dumplings is just heavenly. I always peek a few times, just to see them puffing up!

# Notes:

01 - Don't overcrowd the crock pot; I learned the hard way that it prevents even cooking.
02 - Leftovers are even better, but the dumplings can get a bit soft after reheating.
03 - I tried biscuit mix for dumplings once, totally different texture, but works in a pinch.
04 - A sprinkle of fresh parsley at the end really brightens it up, both visually and flavor-wise.

# Equipment Needed:

01 - 6-quart slow cooker (crock pot)
02 - cutting board
03 - sharp knife
04 - measuring cups and spoons
05 - mixing bowl
06 - whisk
07 - two forks

# Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 450 kcal
Total Fat: 18g
Total Carbohydrate: 40g
Protein: 30g

Back