Description
A comforting and hearty recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings, made with tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and soft dumplings simmered to perfection in a creamy chicken broth.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the Chicken and Vegetables
- 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 small onion, medium diced
- 2 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 64 ounces chicken stock
For the Dumplings
- 24 ounces frozen noodle-style dumplings (or homemade/biscuits, optional)
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Prepare the chicken and seasoning. Place the chicken breasts into the bottom of a large slow cooker (8-quart recommended). Sprinkle the kosher salt and black pepper evenly over the chicken.
- Add the vegetables and chicken stock. Layer the diced onion, sliced carrots, and sliced celery on top of the chicken. Pour the chicken stock over the top to submerge everything. Cover the slow cooker and set it to low for 4 hours or high for 3 hours.
- Shred the chicken and adjust seasoning. Once the cooking time is complete, remove the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken back into the pot. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper, if necessary.
- Add the dumplings. Break the frozen dumplings into thirds and add them one by one to the pot. Stir gently after adding every 5 dumpling pieces to ensure even distribution.
- Cook the dumplings and thicken the broth. Set the cooker to high and cook for an additional 1 to 1 ½ hours, stirring every 15 minutes to keep the dumplings from sticking together or to the pot. The dish is ready when the dumplings are tender, puffed up, and the broth is thickened.
- Garnish and serve. Optionally, garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving to add a fresh touch.
Notes
- We like to use frozen dumplings for convenience, but you can also make your own or substitute with biscuits for a different texture.
- Chicken breasts are used in this recipe, but you can swap them out for chicken thighs for a different flavor and texture.
- Feel free to experiment with other vegetables like peppers, mushrooms, peas, and more.
- This recipe makes a hearty batch. If you want to double it, you will need two 8-quart slow cookers for best results.
- Chicken and dumplings tend to thicken as they sit. You can thin the dish with additional chicken broth if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
