Crock Pot Chicken & Dumplings

⏱ Time

• Prep: 10 minutes

• Cook: 5–6 hours (LOW) or 3–4 hours (HIGH)

• Dumplings: Last 30 minutes

🍽 Servings

6 servings

🛒 Ingredients

Chicken & Soup Base

• 1½–2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs

• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

• 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup

• 1 small onion, finely chopped

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 tsp poultry seasoning

• ½ tsp black pepper

• ½ tsp salt (adjust to taste)

• 1 cup frozen peas & carrots

• 2 tbsp butter (optional but adds richness)

Dumplings

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

• ¾ cup milk

• 2 tbsp melted butter

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Step 1: Load the Crock Pot

Add chicken, broth, cream of chicken soup, onion, garlic, seasonings, and butter into the slow cooker. Stir gently.

Step 2: Cook

• LOW: 5–6 hours

• HIGH: 3–4 hours
  Chicken should shred easily.

Step 3: Shred Chicken

Remove chicken, shred with forks, and return to crock pot.

Step 4: Add Veggies

Stir in frozen peas and carrots.

Step 5: Make Dumplings

In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and melted butter until just combined.

Step 6: Cook Dumplings

Drop tablespoon-sized dollops on top of soup. Cover and cook:

• HIGH: 30 minutes

• LOW: 45 minutes
  Do not lift lid during this time.

🌟 Flavor & Texture Notes

• Soup will be thick, creamy, and stew-like.

• Dumplings turn out soft, fluffy, and biscuit-style.

• Chicken thighs give richer flavor; breasts stay lean.

💡 Recipe Tips & Variations

✔ Best Results

• Use thighs for juiciest chicken.

• Stir dumpling dough minimally — overmixing makes dense dumplings.

• If soup thickens too much, stir in ¼–½ cup warm broth.

✔ Shortcut Option

• Use refrigerated biscuit dough — cut into quarters and drop in.

✔ Healthier Version

• Use low-fat cream soup or substitute ½ cup Greek yogurt + ½ cup broth.

• Add more veggies: celery, corn, mushrooms, spinach.

✔ Flavor Boosters

• Add ½ tsp thyme or rosemary.

• Finish with chopped parsley.

🧊 Storage & Reheating

• Fridge: 3–4 days in airtight container

• Freezer: Soup base freezes well (without dumplings) up to 3 months

• Reheat: Microwave or stovetop with splash of broth or milk

❓Q & A

Q1: Can I use frozen chicken?

Yes — add directly but increase cooking time by 30–45 minutes.

Q2: Can I use rotisserie chicken?

Yes — stir in shredded chicken during last hour and skip shredding step.

Q3: Why are my dumplings doughy inside?

They need more steam — cook 10 more minutes and avoid lifting lid.

Q4: Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes — use dairy-free cream soup and plant milk for dumplings.

Q5: Can I cook dumplings longer for firmer texture?

Yes — cook up to 45 minutes on HIGH for denser dumplings.

Q6: Can I double this recipe?

Yes — as long as crock pot is at least 6–7 quarts.

Q7: Can I make dumplings gluten-free?

Yes — use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend + ¼ tsp xanthan gum if needed.

Q8: Why is my soup thin?

Remove lid last 20 minutes or stir in 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water.

🥣 Serving Ideas

• Serve with side salad or steamed green beans

• Add hot sauce or cracked pepper for kick

• Estimated WW Points (per serving, 6 servings)

  Using standard ingredients:

  • Boneless chicken breast

  • Low-sodium broth

  • Regular cream of chicken soup

  • Homemade dumplings

  ➡ ≈ 7–8 points per serving

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  🔹 Lower-Point Version

  • Use fat-free cream of chicken soup

  • Skip butter

  • Use 2% milk for dumplings

  ➡ ≈ 4–5 points per serving