Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings: Easy Comforting Family Dinner

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings brings tender chicken, hearty vegetables, savory broth, and fluffy dumplings together in one comforting slow cooker dinner. It uses boneless chicken thighs, carrots, celery, onion, and simple seasonings, while refrigerated biscuit dough makes the dumplings especially easy.

Most of the cooking happens without much attention. The chicken slowly becomes tender in seasoned broth while the vegetables soften alongside it. Then you shred the chicken, return it to the Crock Pot, and add pieces of biscuit dough during the final stage.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings works especially well when you want a warm family dinner without spending the evening standing over the stove. You can also thicken the broth with a simple cornstarch slurry before adding the dumplings.

I always appreciate meals where the kitchen starts smelling like dinner long before I need to do anything else. This one has that comforting combination of chicken, onion, celery, carrots, and thyme that makes the whole house smell inviting. My favorite part comes near the end. Once the chicken is tender enough to shred, I tear the biscuit dough into small pieces and scatter them over the top. In about half an hour, those simple pieces turn into soft, fluffy dumplings. I also like having the cornstarch option because some nights I want plenty of broth, while other times I prefer a thicker, almost stew-like consistency.

Preparing the Chicken and Vegetables

Build the Slow Cooker Base

Place 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs in the bottom of your Crock Pot.

Chicken thighs work particularly well with the long cooking time because they become tender enough to shred easily.

Next, add 1 cup chopped carrots and 1 cup chopped celery.

Dice 1 onion and scatter it over the chicken and vegetables.

Keeping the vegetables in bite-sized pieces makes the finished Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings easier to serve and eat.

Once the chicken and vegetables are arranged, you’re ready to add the broth and seasonings.

This simple preparation takes only a few minutes, which makes the recipe especially practical when you need to get dinner started early in the day.

Add the Broth and Seasonings

Pour 4 cups chicken broth over the chicken and vegetables.

Next, add 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon onion powder, and 1 teaspoon dried thyme.

Season with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

The thyme adds a familiar savory herb flavor, while garlic and onion powder reinforce the fresh diced onion.

Cover the Crock Pot.

Cook everything on LOW for 6 to 8 hours.

During this time, the chicken becomes tender while the carrots, celery, and onion soften in the seasoned broth.

Keep the lid closed as much as possible because repeatedly opening the slow cooker releases heat.

After the long cooking period, check that the chicken has cooked completely and shreds easily.

Shredding the Chicken and Preparing the Broth

Shred and Return the Chicken

Carefully remove the tender chicken thighs from the Crock Pot.

Place them on a plate or cutting board.

Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.

Because the chicken has cooked slowly for several hours, it should pull apart without much effort.

Return all the shredded chicken to the Crock Pot.

Then stir gently so the chicken becomes evenly distributed among the carrots, celery, onion, and savory broth.

At this point, Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings already has the foundation of a hearty chicken soup or stew.

However, the biscuit dumplings added next transform it into the finished comfort-food dinner.

Thicken the Broth if Desired

If you enjoy a brothier Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings, you can skip this step completely.

For a thicker consistency, combine 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water.

Stir until the cornstarch dissolves completely and the mixture looks smooth.

Pour the slurry into the hot broth before adding the dumplings.

Stir gently to distribute it throughout the Crock Pot.

The cornstarch helps the broth develop a thicker consistency that coats the shredded chicken and vegetables.

Once you’ve adjusted the broth, taste it carefully and decide whether you want additional salt or black pepper.

Then you’re ready for the biscuit dumplings.

Making the Easy Biscuit Dumplings

Tear the Biscuit Dough Into Pieces

Open 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough.

Separate the biscuits and tear the dough into bite-sized pieces.

Try to keep the pieces relatively similar in size so they cook at approximately the same rate.

You don’t need perfectly shaped dumplings.

In fact, the irregular pieces give Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings a rustic homemade appearance.

Drop the biscuit pieces over the surface of the chicken mixture.

Spread them around rather than stacking all the dough in one area.

This arrangement helps expose more pieces to the heat and steam inside the Crock Pot.

Once you’ve added all the biscuit dough, replace the lid.

Cook Until the Dumplings Are Fluffy

Switch the Crock Pot to HIGH.

Cook the chicken and dumplings for approximately 30 additional minutes, or until the biscuit pieces cook through and become fluffy.

The dumplings will expand as they cook, so give them enough room across the surface.

Check a larger piece before serving to make sure the dough has cooked through in the center.

Once the dumplings are ready, gently stir only as much as necessary.

Aggressive stirring can break the soft dumplings into smaller pieces.

The finished Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings should contain tender shredded chicken, soft vegetables, savory broth, and fluffy pieces of biscuit dumpling in every serving.

Serving and Storing Chicken and Dumplings

Serve the Dinner Warm

Spoon Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings into deep bowls while everything remains hot.

Make sure each serving gets plenty of shredded chicken, carrots, celery, onions, broth, and several fluffy dumplings.

Because this recipe already combines protein, vegetables, and dumplings, it can stand alone as a complete family dinner.

However, you can serve a simple green salad alongside it if you want something crisp and fresh.

Green beans or roasted vegetables can also complement the warm, savory flavors.

A little freshly cracked black pepper over each bowl makes a simple finishing touch.

Store and Reheat Leftovers

Allow leftovers to cool before transferring them to covered containers.

The dumplings can continue absorbing broth during storage. Therefore, Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings may become noticeably thicker by the next day.

When reheating, add a small splash of chicken broth if you want to restore a looser consistency.

Heat the leftovers gently until the chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings become hot throughout.

Stir carefully because the cooked dumplings become softer after storage.

For convenient lunches, divide leftovers into individual portions before refrigerating.

That way, you can reheat one serving without repeatedly warming the entire batch.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup carrots, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional
• 2 tablespoons water, optional, for the cornstarch slurry

Instructions

1. Place the chicken thighs in the bottom of the Crock Pot.
2. Add the chopped carrots, celery, and diced onion over the chicken.
3. Pour in the chicken broth. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper.
4. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours, until the chicken is tender and fully cooked.
5. Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return the shredded meat to the Crock Pot.
6. For thicker broth, whisk 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until smooth. Stir the slurry into the Crock Pot before adding the dumplings.
7. Tear the refrigerated biscuit dough into bite-sized pieces and distribute them over the chicken mixture.
8. Cover and cook on HIGH for approximately 30 additional minutes, or until the dumplings cook through and become fluffy.
9. Gently stir if needed and serve hot.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use chicken thighs for Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings?

Yes. This recipe specifically uses 2 pounds of boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They become tender during the 6- to 8-hour cooking period and shred easily before you add the dumplings.

Do I cook the biscuit dough before adding it?

No. Tear the refrigerated biscuit dough into bite-sized pieces and add the uncooked pieces directly to the Crock Pot after shredding the chicken.

How do I make the broth thicker?

Mix 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water until completely smooth. Stir it into the hot broth before adding the biscuit pieces.

How long do the dumplings take in the Crock Pot?

After adding the biscuit pieces, cover the Crock Pot and cook on HIGH for approximately 30 minutes, or until the dumplings cook through and become fluffy.

What vegetables are in Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings?

The recipe includes 1 cup chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped celery, and 1 diced onion. They slow cook with the chicken, broth, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder.

Conclusion

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings makes a comforting family dinner with straightforward ingredients and very little hands-on work.

Boneless chicken thighs cook slowly with carrots, celery, onion, chicken broth, thyme, garlic powder, and onion powder. Once the chicken becomes tender, you shred it and return it to the flavorful broth.

Then refrigerated biscuit dough provides an easy shortcut for fluffy dumplings. Simply tear the dough into pieces and cook them on HIGH for about 30 minutes.

With about 20 minutes of preparation and six servings, Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings makes a practical choice when you want a warm, hearty slow cooker dinner that brings chicken, vegetables, broth, and dumplings together in one pot.