Description
This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a warm and hearty one-pot meal featuring tender slow-cooked chicken, fluffy homemade dumplings, and a rich, creamy savory broth. Perfect for effortless family dinners, it delivers classic comfort food flavors with minimal prep and cleanup.
Ingredients
Scale
Chicken and Broth
- 2–3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery stalks, chopped
- Salt and pepper to taste
Dumplings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend for gluten-free option)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup milk or cream (or plant-based milk for dairy-free)
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken and Broth: Place the chicken breasts or thighs at the bottom of your crockpot along with chopped onions, garlic, carrots, celery, and chicken broth. Season with salt and pepper. This forms the flavorful base as the chicken slowly cooks and becomes tender.
- Slow Cook Until Tender: Cover and cook on low for 6-7 hours or on high for 3-4 hours. The chicken will be juicy and easy to shred while the vegetables soften and infuse the broth with rich flavor.
- Shred the Chicken: Remove chicken pieces from the crockpot and shred them using two forks or your hands. Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stirring it into the broth and vegetables.
- Make the Dumpling Batter: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and milk to create a thick but soft batter for the dumplings. This mixture will turn into fluffy pillows on top of the stew.
- Add the Dumplings and Finish Cooking: Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto the simmering broth in the crockpot. Cover and cook for an additional 30-45 minutes on low until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Avoid lifting the lid frequently to keep steam trapped and dumplings light.
Notes
- Choose dark meat (chicken thighs) for juicier slow-cooked chicken.
- Do not skip baking powder for fluffy dumplings.
- Keep the lid closed when cooking dumplings to ensure they rise correctly.
- Use full-fat milk or cream for a rich, velvety broth.
- Season tastefully with salt and pepper before adding dumplings.
- Swap chicken with mushrooms or plant-based chicken for a vegetarian version.
- Add cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes for a spicy twist.
- Use gluten-free flour blends to make gluten-free dumplings.
- Mix in shredded cheese into dumpling batter for cheesy dumplings.
- Store leftovers in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.
- Reheat gently on stove or microwave, adding broth or milk if too thick.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (low) or 3-4 hours (high), plus 30-45 minutes for dumplings
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl (approx. 1/6th of recipe)
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 30 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg