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Best Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Tender shredded chicken in a thick, creamy stew with fluffy drop dumplings the timing method, toothpick test, and no-lift rule make this the most reliable slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe for any slow cooker model.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 5 hours
Cook time (Dumplings) 45 minutes
Total Time 6 hours
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Comfort Food, Dinner, Main Course, Winter
Cuisine: American
Calories: 487
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Chicken Stew Base
  • 2 lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs stays moist through long cooking
  • ¼ cup All-Purpose Flour coats chicken thickens stew naturally
  • 4 cups Low-Sodium Chicken Broth
  • 3 medium Carrots cut into ¼-inch rounds
  • 3 stalks Celery sliced ¼-inch thick
  • 1 large Yellow Onion diced
  • 4 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste depth of flavor do not skip
  • 1 tbsp Fresh Thyme or 1 tsp dried
  • 2 Bay Leaves remove before serving
  • 1.5 tsp Salt
  • ½ tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 cup Frozen Peas added with dumplings
  • ½ cup Heavy Cream added AFTER dumplings are done
Homemade Drop Dumplings
  • 1.75 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tbsp Baking Powder must be fresh test it first
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 cup Whole Milk
  • 4 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted

Equipment

  • 1 Slow Cooker 6 quart recommended for 6 servings
  • 1 Medium Bowl for dumpling batter
  • 1 Cutting Board and Two Forks for shredding chicken
  • 1 Toothpick for dumpling doneness test
  • 1 Ladle for serving

Method
 

Build the Stew
  1. Coat Chicken Toss chicken thighs in flour until lightly coated on all sides. Place in slow cooker. Add carrots, celery, onion, garlic, tomato paste, thyme, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Pour broth over everything. Stir gently to distribute.
    Chicken thighs lightly coated in flour on a ceramic plate, accompanied by bowls of chopped carrots, celery, and aromatics, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
  2. Cook the Stew Cook on high 4 to 5 hours or low 7 to 8 hours until chicken shreds easily with a fork and broth is at a visible simmer. Do not open lid more than once during this phase.
    A slow cooker filled with simmering chicken thighs, vegetables, and savory broth, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
  3. Shred Chicken Remove chicken thighs to cutting board. Shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker. Remove bay leaves. Add frozen peas. Taste stew and adjust seasoning should be well-seasoned before dumplings go in.
    Cooked chicken thighs being shredded with two forks on a wooden cutting board next to a small bowl of green peas, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
Dumplings
  1. Make Dumpling Batter Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Add melted butter and milk. Stir until just combined lumps are correct. Do NOT overmix. Smooth batter produces tough dumplings.
    A ceramic bowl containing dumpling batter being mixed with a wire whisk, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
  2. Add Dumplings (Critical Timing) Drop batter by heaping tablespoons onto top of hot stew. Do not crowd dumplings expand. They should sit on top of stew, not be pushed under. Replace lid immediately. Cook on high 45 minutes. Do NOT open lid for first 35 minutes steam cooks the dumpling tops.
    Dumpling batter being dropped by spoonfuls onto hot stew in a slow cooker, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
  3. Toothpick Test At 40 minutes: open lid quickly, insert toothpick into center of largest dumpling. Comes out clean = done. Wet batter = replace lid, cook 5 more minutes, test again.
    A toothpick being inserted into a cooked dumpling in a slow cooker to check for doneness, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings
Finish and Serve
  1. Add Cream and Serve Stir heavy cream into stew around (not over) dumplings. Wait 3 minutes. Ladle into bowls ensuring 1 to 2 dumplings per serving. Serve immediately.
    Heavy cream being poured into a bowl of chicken stew with fluffy dumplings, prepared for slow cooker chicken and dumplings

Notes

Dumplings still dense?
Check baking powder freshness drop 1 tsp into ½ cup hot water. Must bubble vigorously. Also ensure dumplings were not added early and lid was not opened in first 35 minutes.
Bisquick shortcut?
Mix 2 cups Bisquick + ⅔ cup whole milk until just combined. Drop by spoonfuls onto hot stew. Same 45-minute timing and toothpick test. Slightly lighter texture than homemade.
Stew too thick (casserole)?
Add chicken broth ¼ cup at a time before adding dumplings until stew consistency is right. Dumplings absorb additional liquid during cooking.
Cream separating?
Cream added early in slow cooking always separates. Add only after dumplings are completely done last 10 minutes maximum.
Storage?
Store dumplings on top of stew not submerged. Dumplings soften overnight regardless. Freeze stew base only (before dumplings) for up to 3 months. Make fresh dumplings when reheating from frozen.