Slow Cooker Chicken Dumplings (Printable version)
Hearty blend of chicken, dumplings, and carrots simmered in a creamy sauce for comfort.
# What you need:
→ Chicken & Vegetables
01 - 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts
02 - 4 large carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
04 - 1 medium onion, diced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
06 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
→ Sauce
11 - 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
12 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
13 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
→ Dumplings
14 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
15 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
16 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
17 - 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
18 - 1/2 cup milk
# How To:
01 - Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, chicken broth, thyme, parsley, salt, and black pepper into the slow cooker. Stir gently to mix ingredients evenly.
02 - Cover and cook on low heat for 5 hours, or until the chicken and vegetables are tender.
03 - In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour and cook for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in heavy cream until mixture is smooth and thickened. Remove from heat.
04 - Using two forks, shred the chicken directly in the slow cooker until pieces are bite-sized.
05 - Stir the prepared cream sauce into the slow cooker with the chicken and vegetables until fully combined.
06 - In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in 2 tablespoons cold, cubed unsalted butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in 1/2 cup milk just until combined; avoid overmixing.
07 - Drop tablespoon-sized portions of dumpling dough evenly over the mixture in the slow cooker.
08 - Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 45 to 60 minutes, until dumplings are fully cooked and fluffy.
09 - Taste the dish and adjust salt or pepper as desired. Serve warm.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It practically cooks itself while you go about your day, then rewards you with minimal effort at the end.
- The dumplings transform from simple dough into pillowy clouds that somehow taste homemade without feeling precious or fussy.
- One bowl feeds a crowd, and leftovers taste even better the next day because everything melds together overnight.
02 -
- Don't skip the roux step when making the cream sauce; flour-thickened cream is infinitely better than cream dumped straight in because it actually coats the stew instead of settling at the bottom.
- The dumpling dough must be handled minimally or you'll end up with dense little hockey pucks instead of tender clouds, so stir it just until the milk disappears into the flour.
- Cold butter in the dumpling dough is non-negotiable because those little solid pieces create steam pockets that make them fluffy as they cook.
03 -
- Prep your vegetables the night before and store them in the slow cooker insert in the refrigerator; in the morning, you just add the broth and meat and you're done in 30 seconds.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, cook the base on low for 4 hours instead of 5, and check doneness before you plan the rest of your day.
- The roux can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, so sometimes I make extra when I'm making it for one meal and use it for another dish.