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Quick & Easy Kid-Approved Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings

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This crockpot chicken and dumplings recipe is a weeknight lifesaver, delivering creamy, peppery broth with pillowy soft dumplings. With just 15 minutes of prep, it’s a set-it-and-forget-it meal that the whole family will love.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3 medium breasts)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1 bay leaf
  • Salt and black pepper to taste (start with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional, for garnish)

Instructions

  1. Sauté the Aromatics (10 minutes): Melt the 4 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.
  2. Make the Roux (2 minutes): Sprinkle the 1/3 cup of flour over the sautéed vegetables. Stir constantly with a whisk or wooden spoon for about 1-2 minutes until the mixture looks pasty and smells nutty.
  3. Deglaze the Pan (1 minute): Slowly pour in about 1 cup of the chicken broth while whisking vigorously. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Pour this entire mixture into your slow cooker.
  4. Build the Soup Base (5 minutes): Add the remaining 3 cups of chicken broth, the whole milk, dried thyme, dried rosemary, and bay leaf to the slow cooker. Whisk everything together until smooth. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid. Season with salt and pepper.
  5. Slow Cook (4-5 hours on LOW): Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 4-5 hours. Do not open the lid during this time. The chicken is done when it shreds easily with a fork.
  6. Shred the Chicken (5 minutes): After 4 hours, carefully remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat. Discard the bay leaf. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Taste the broth and adjust the salt and pepper if needed.
  7. Make the Dumpling Dough (5 minutes): In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 teaspoon of salt, and the optional garlic powder. In a separate small bowl or measuring cup, combine the 1 cup of milk and the 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir with a fork until just combined. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky—do not overmix.
  8. Add the Dumplings (2 minutes): Drop heaping spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the simmering soup. You should get about 12-14 dumplings. Do not stir the soup after adding the dumplings.
  9. Cook the Dumplings (30-40 minutes): Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 30-40 minutes. The dumplings are done when they are puffed up, cooked through, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  10. Serve and Garnish (2 minutes): Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t skip the sauté step—it deepens the flavor. Cook on LOW for the most tender chicken. Do not lift the lid during cooking. For the dumplings, mix until just combined to avoid toughness. Check that your baking powder is fresh. If the broth is thin, thicken with a cornstarch slurry before adding dumplings.

Nutrition

Keywords: crockpot chicken and dumplings, slow cooker chicken and dumplings, easy chicken and dumplings, kid-friendly chicken and dumplings, comfort food, weeknight dinner

Find it online: https://cookluma.com/quick-and-easy-kid-approved-crockpot-chicken-and-dumplings/