This Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a slow cooker version of a classic comfort food! Tender chicken, loads of veggies, and fluffy homemade dumplings are simmered in a thick and flavorful gravy.
Love dumplings? Try my Drop Dumplings for Soup in this Chicken Dumpling Soup, too!
Table of Contents
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings ingredients and substitutions:
- How to make slow cooker chicken and dumplings
- How long should dumplings cook?
- Why are my chicken and dumplings mushy?
- How to shred chicken
- Can you make chicken and dumplings without a crockpot?
- Serving suggestions
- How to store leftover chicken and dumplings
- Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
We love comfort foods at our house. Mac and cheese, chicken parmesan, chicken pot pie, and of course this crockpot chicken and dumplings!
I love this recipe because not only is it a hit with the kids, but it’s a complete meal with protein, veggies, and carbs. Plus, it’s made in the crockpot so the prep is quick and easy and the rest is mostly hands-off!
Working with less time? Check out my instant pot chicken and dumplings instead!
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings ingredients and substitutions:
For the chicken stew:
- Chicken Broth: I use low sodium chicken broth. If you’re using regular broth you may want to adjust the amount of salt you use.
- Chicken Breasts: use boneless and skinless chicken breasts. Chicken thighs will also work, if preferred.
- Carrot, Onion, and Celery: a “mirepoix” which is a trio of veggies used in cooking to add flavor, color, and texture.
- Potatoes: you can use 2 medium-sized potatoes cut into 1/2-inch pieces or 10 baby potatoes, quartered.
- Frozen Peas: add a pop of texture in each bite. You can use thawed peas as well, you will just want to add them right before you add the dumplings instead of adding them with the chicken and other veggies.
- Minced Garlic: adds a kick of nutty flavor.
- Salt, Dried Parsley, Dried Thyme, and Black Pepper: a simple spice blend that gives the gravy an earthy, slightly sweet, herbaceous flavor.
- Cream and Cornstarch: makes up a cornstarch slurry which helps thicken the gravy.
For the dumplings:
- All-Purpose Flour: you can also use whole wheat flour, if preferred.
- Baking Powder: helps the dough rise as it cooks so that the dumplings are light and fluffy.
- Salt and Italian Seasoning: gives the dumplings just the right amount of earthy, sweet, peppery flavor.
- Milk: adds moisture to create that dough-like texture. Any milk will work. You can even use an unsweetened plant-based milk for a dairy-free option!
- Canola Oil: keeps the dough from becoming too sticky and adds flavor depth.
How to make slow cooker chicken and dumplings
- Add carrots, onion, celery, potatoes, peas, garlic, salt, parsley, thyme, and pepper to a 3-6 quart crockpot and stir well.
- Place chicken breasts on top and add broth.
- While the chicken mixture is cooking, stir together flour, baking powder, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Add milk and canola oil and stir until combined. The mixture should be thick. Cover and refrigerate until you’re ready to add it to the slow cooker.
- When the cook time is up, remove the chicken, place on a cutting board, and shred.
- Whisk together the cream and cornstarch and stir that into the slow cooker with the shredded chicken.
- Turn the crockpot to high, and use two tablespoons of the dumpling mixture to form rough dough balls and place them on top of the stew.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for another 1-2 hours or until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
How long should dumplings cook?
In the slow cooker, the dumplings should take anywhere from 60-90 minutes to cook fully.
I recommend cooking at least one hour, and if your filling hasn’t quite thickened there’s no problem in letting everything cook a little longer.
Why are my chicken and dumplings mushy?
If the dumplings ended up mushy, chances are they’re undercooked. This might have something to do with the temperature they’re cooked at. Be sure that you switch the crockpot from LOW to HIGH after you cook the chicken and veggies and before you add the dumplings.
If the dumplings still aren’t quite done after they’re cooked on high for the full hour, your crockpot may just run a little cooler than some and you can add time as needed.
How to shred chicken
There are a couple of super easy ways to shred chicken:
- With two forks: hold one fork in each hand and use them to pull the chicken apart. Alternatively, use one fork to hold the chicken down and use the other to pull it apart.
- With a mixer: you can use either your stand mixer or hand mixer to easily shred chicken. Simply place the cooked chicken in a bowl and mix on low until shredded.
Can you make chicken and dumplings without a crockpot?
Absolutely! You can either check out my instant pot chicken and dumplings recipe or follow these simple stovetop instructions:
- Combine chicken broth, chicken breasts, carrots, onion, celery, potatoes, peas, garlic, salt, parsley, thyme, and pepper in a large stockpot.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes.
- While that mixture is simmering, make your dumplings by combining flour, baking powder, and Italian seasoning in a medium bowl. Add in milk and oil, then stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate.
- When the broth mixture is done simmering, remove and shred the chicken, then stir that back into the pot. Whisk together the cream and corn starch and add that as well.
- Portion the dumpling dough out into balls using 2 tablespoons of dough for each, then add that into the broth. Simmer for another 15-20 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked through.
Serving suggestions
This chicken and dumplings recipe contains protein, veggies, and carbs which I would say is a pretty darn complete meal.
However, if you do want to bulk your meal up a bit, try serving it alongside a simple green salad, dinner rolls, or roasted potatoes and carrots.
How to store leftover chicken and dumplings
Leftovers will last in an airtight container or ziplock baggie in the fridge for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 2-3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge if frozen, then microwave or warm on the stove with a splash of cream to thin, if necessary.
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
Chicken and Dumplings
- 3 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 2 ribs celery chopped
- ½ medium onion finely chopped
- 2 medium potatoes cut into 1/2″ pieces or 10 baby potatoes, quartered
- ½ cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 2 ½ cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup half and half
- 2 tablespoons corn starch
Dumplings
- 1 cup all purpose flour or sub whole wheat
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
Instructions
- Add carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, peas, garlic, salt, parsley, thyme and pepper to a 4-6 quart slow cooker and stir well.
- Place chicken breasts on top and add the broth.
- Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or high for 2-3 hours until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are crisp-tender.
- Meanwhile, make the dumplings. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and Italian seasoning. Add milk and canola oil and stir until combined — it will be thick. Cover and refrigerate until ready to add to the slow cooker.
- When chicken is cooked through, remove to a cutting board and shred.
- Turn crockpot to high.
- Whisk together the half and half and corn starch and stir into the slow cooker.
- Stir shredded chicken back in to crockpot and top with dumplings, using two tablespoons to form rough balls of dough and dropping them onto the top of the chicken and vegetables.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 1-2 hours, until dumplings are puffed and cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Emily says
I’m making this tomorrow possibly. I don’t use canola oil but could you use softened butter for the dumplings instead of oil?
Ashley Fehr says
I probably wouldn’t as they would be tough, but you could use another oil
Debbi A says
It was so EASY to make and very DELICIOUS. I used Bisquick for the dumplings. I will have to try your dumpling next time. I ran out of time so I dumped the crockpot mixture into a large pot and follow the bisquick recipe
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Debbi!
Kary says
Can I use whole milk instead of half and half?
The Recipe Rebel says
That should work!
Jess says
Has anyone used frozen chicken breast? Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jess, I actually don’t recommend using frozen for this recipe.
Lenora says
How many dumplings did this make for you. Using two tablespoons per dumpling, I got about 6 which didn’t seem like a lot. Do they grow really big?
Caroline says
Made this for dinner tonight and it came out so delicious! It was so flavorful and filling and so perfect for the cold nights we are having. It didn’t thicken up much but I’m not mad at that! The dumplings also came out perfect (I used oatmilk). Thank u again for another great recipe!
The Recipe Rebel says
Yay! Thanks Caroline!
Mel says
I made the dumplings, but I find they are super thick, Not sure if I should add more milk or what’s going on but my dough is like a dough ball.. any suggestions?
The Recipe Rebel says
Maybe add another splash of milk but it should be dough like.
Cierra B says
Excited to try this recipe! Would I be able to use canned biscuits instead of making the dough (I have biscuits that need to be used). If so, would this alter the recipe/cook time? Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Cierra, I haven’t tested this with canned biscuits, so unsure how that would go. I use them though in this chicken pot pie casserole: https://www.thereciperebel.com/chicken-pot-pie-casserole/
Jean says
Can pork be used instead of chicken and would you need to adjust the recipe
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jean, it’s going to depend on type and cut of pork you are interested in using. I haven’t tested it out but it might work.
Jodie says
Hello, I was just wondering if anyone has tried this recipe using a different kind of oil instead of canola??
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jodie, you can use whatever oil you prefer. Enjoy!
Ashley says
can I use sweet potatoes in dish instead of regular potatoes?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Ashely! I’ve only tested the recipe as is, but you likely could. I believe the sweet potatoes would cook faster so you might need to put them in at a later time. If you decide to experiment, I’d love to know how it goes!
Amy says
I made this for my fam tonight. It is delicious, easy, and filling. Big winner!!! Highly recommend.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Amy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Janet says
Can the veggies be cut the night before??
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Janet! You can always have celery, onion, and carrots precut in the fridge. This is great for meal prepping! The potatoes are a little tricky because if not stored properly they will turn brown. Enjoy!
Kimi says
I accidentally added the half and half and corn starch I feel I messed up
Kimi says
Before it was time
The Recipe Rebel says
How did it turn out?
Betty says
Hi! Wondering if it would be okay to use heavy cream instead of half and half? Would it change up the recipe in any way? Thanks!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Betty! Yes that should work. No need to change anything.
Deborah Haller says
I’m using heavy cream in mine so I will let you know how it turns out
The Recipe Rebel says
Enjoy!
Angela Kittterman says
This was excellent, however it really didn’t thicken up like I would have expected so I made a roux of chicken base, flour and half and half to thicken it up. And instead of dumplings I made biscuits and served it over the biscuits.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Angela! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Andrea W says
Can I make this into a freezer meal? Maybe make the dumplings and put them in a different bag to freeze?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Andrea! I’m sorry but I haven’t tried it this way before. I normally make it first and then freeze it. Hope you enjoy it!
Michel Hardy says
Made this last night and it was sooo good! I have only had 1 type of chicken and dumplings and it was my moms recipe (won’t tell mom this one was better). We didn’t do celery or potatoes and added cayenne because we like spicy but it was so good. My husband didn’t like my moms but cleaned his plate with this recipe.
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Michel! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Bettina says
Just curious if you would possibly have a non dairy sub for half & half?
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Bettina, you could try almond or oat milk. I haven’t tested it out myself, but let me know how it goes if you give it a try!
Lizzie says
Hi! Did you ever try this with a non-dairy milk? I was hoping to try this but would love to sub something for the half and half!
Mec says
I’ve done non dairy buttermilk, using 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice and topping that off with oat milk to get one cup. I’m making this recipe for tonight!
The Recipe Rebel says
Yay!
Jackie Bradley says
Hi, I just wanted to let you know that I found a lactose free half and half and it worked out great. I also used it in the dumplings in place of the milk.
The Recipe Rebel says
Thanks for the tip Jackie!
Jenn A says
Made this tonight for the first time and it was a hit! My picky husband requested this be put on our regular meal rotation. I did not have thyme so I used Italian seasoning instead.
This was my first recipe used from your page and I am excited to try others!
The Recipe Rebel says
Hi Jenn! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!