Easy Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings: Tender (Print Version)

Easy Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings! Enjoy tender chicken, fluffy dumplings & creamy broth with minimal effort. Your perfect comfort meal awaits.

# Recipe Info:

Prep Time: 20 Minutes minutes
Cook Time: 240 Minutes minutes
Total Time: 260 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings
Difficulty: Beginner
Cuisine: American Comfort
Dietary: N/A

# Ingredients:

→ Main & Protein

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
02 - 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
03 - 1 (10.75 oz) can cream of chicken soup
04 - 1/2 cup whole milk (for sauce)

→ Veggies & Aromatics

05 - 1 medium onion, diced
06 - 2 stalks celery, diced
07 - 2 medium carrots, diced
08 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Flavor Boosters

09 - 1 tsp dried thyme
10 - 1/2 tsp dried rosemary
11 - Salt, to taste
12 - Black pepper, to taste

→ Dumpling Dough

13 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
14 - 1 tbsp baking powder
15 - 1/2 tsp salt (for dumplings)
16 - 1/2 cup whole milk (for dumplings)
17 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted

# Instructions:

01 - Okay, first things first, let's get those veggies going. If you're feeling fancy, you can quickly sauté the diced onion, celery, and carrots in a skillet for about 5 minutes until they soften a bit. This step isn't strictly necessary for a crockpot, but honestly, it deepens the flavor so much! Then, toss them into your slow cooker. Next, tuck those chicken breasts right on top of the veggies. You want them nestled in there, getting ready for their long, slow bath. This is where the magic starts to happen, you can almost smell the comfort already.
02 - Now for the liquids and seasonings! In a bowl, whisk together the chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, milk, minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, a good pinch of salt, and a generous grind of black pepper. Mix it until it's mostly smooth – don't stress about every little lump, it'll all melt together in the crockpot. Pour this creamy mixture evenly over the chicken and vegetables. Make sure the chicken is mostly submerged. This is where I always remind myself not to over-salt at this stage, because the soup is already seasoned. You can always adjust later!
03 - Pop that lid on your slow cooker and set it to low for 4-5 hours, or high for 2.5-3 hours. Walk away, go live your life! Seriously, the best part about this Easy Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe is letting the machine do all the work. Resist the urge to peek too often; every time you lift that lid, you lose heat, and it slows down the cooking. Your kitchen will start smelling absolutely incredible, like pure home. That's your cue that things are going wonderfully!
04 - Once the cooking time is up and the chicken is super tender (it should shred easily with two forks), carefully remove the chicken breasts from the crockpot. Shred them into bite-sized pieces – this is surprisingly satisfying, honestly. If you want a thicker sauce, you can scoop out about a cup of the broth, whisk in a tablespoon or two of cornstarch, and then return it to the crockpot. Stir it all together. Return the shredded chicken to the pot. Oh, the aroma now! It's rich and savory, just what you want.
05 - While the chicken is shredding, let's make those fluffy dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. In a separate small bowl, combine the milk and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined. Don't overmix! A few lumps are totally fine; overmixing leads to tough dumplings, and nobody wants that. I learned this the hard way after making rubbery dumplings once. Keep it light, keep it fluffy!
06 - Now for the fun part! Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly onto the simmering chicken mixture in the crockpot. Don't worry about perfect shapes; rustic is charming. Make sure they're somewhat separated so they don't all stick together. Put the lid back on and continue cooking on high for another 20-30 minutes, or until the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy. They'll puff up beautifully. The final result should look like little cloud pillows swimming in a creamy, dreamy sauce. So good!

# Notes:

01 - Always use full-fat milk for the creamiest sauce and tender dumplings – it truly makes a difference!
02 - To save time, you can chop your veggies the night before and store them in an airtight container in the fridge.
03 - If you're out of cream of chicken soup, a can of cream of mushroom soup can work as a substitute, though it will alter the flavor slightly.
04 - A sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives right before serving adds a lovely pop of color and freshness.

# Tools You'll Need:

01 - 6-quart slow cooker (crockpot)
02 - Large bowl
03 - Whisk
04 - Two forks for shredding

# Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):

Calories: 450
Total Fat: 20g
Total Carbohydrate: 35g
Protein: 35g

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