Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings brings together two classics in one pot, with shredded chicken and vegetables in a creamy, herby filling topped with fluffy biscuit dumplings.
With this recipe, you get the best of both worlds: chicken pot pie with no crust to roll, and chicken and dumplings with shortcut dumplings and tons of veggies. The slow cooker handles nearly everything, so you'll love how little prep work is involved.
I love this recipe because it gives me the rich filling from my classic Chicken Pot Pie with the soft, doughy biscuit pieces I want from dumplings, without turning on the oven or standing at the stove.
I usually get it started in the morning, shred the chicken late in the afternoon, and let the biscuits finish steaming while I take care of everything else.
It's a great pick for a chilly evening, but I make it any time I want a big pot of something warm and filling. For a totally different take on these same flavors, you should try my Chicken Pot Pie Pasta, too!
Ingredients for Chicken and Dumplings Pot Pie
I use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, but boneless, skinless chicken thighs work just as well if that's what you have.
For the veggies, go for frozen vegetables because canned ones turn mushy over a long cook. If you want a heartier, more traditional pot pie filling, you can add diced Yukon gold potatoes to the mix, too!
For the liquids, cream of mushroom soup can replace the cream of celery soup if you have it on hand, and half-and-half can stand in for the heavy cream. Canned soup already brings plenty of salt, so I like to use low-sodium chicken broth so I have more control over the seasoning.
Grands! Buttermilk biscuits hold their shape better than smaller biscuits once you cut and steam them. Refrigerated Southern-style biscuits work well in their place if they're easier to find.
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Season the chicken, then add the vegetables and mix the sauce
Add the chicken to the slow cooker and sprinkle over the salt, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, onion powder, and minced garlic. Spread the frozen vegetables over the chicken and toss in the butter. Whisk the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and chicken broth together until smooth.
Add the creamy sauce and cook
Pour the soup and broth mixture evenly over the vegetables and chicken. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours, until the chicken shreds easily.
Shred the chicken and top with dumplings
Move the chicken to a cutting board and pull it apart into bite-sized pieces with two forks. Return it to the slow cooker, pour in the heavy cream, and stir until the filling is evenly mixed. Cut each biscuit into eighths and scatter the pieces over the filling in a single layer. Leave them sitting on top instead of stirring them in, so they steam and turn fluffy.
Finish cooking and serve
Cover and cook on HIGH for 45 to 60 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through and puffed. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Variations
- Herb Chicken Pot Pie & Dumplings: Add 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1 teaspoon chopped fresh sage to the filling.
- Bacon Chicken Pot Pie & Dumplings: Stir in 6 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon just before the biscuits go on.
- Turkey Pot Pie & Dumplings: Replace the chicken with 4 cups of cooked leftover turkey and cook on LOW for 2 to 3 hours before adding the biscuits.
- Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie & Dumplings: Add ½ teaspoon celery seed to the filling for an old-fashioned flavor.
Equipment
I make this Crock Pot chicken and dumplings in a 6-quart slow cooker because the biscuit pieces need enough surface area to sit in a single layer. If yours is smaller, use fewer biscuit pieces instead of stacking them, since stacked pieces take longer to cook through.
A programmable slow cooker is handy because it switches to warm when the cook time ends. If yours has dropped to warm before you add the biscuits, set it back to HIGH and give the filling time to heat up first.
Kitchen shears are also super handy for cutting the biscuits into eighths.
Storage
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat gently in the microwave or on the stovetop until heated through, adding a splash of chicken broth if the filling has thickened too much.
To freeze, freeze the filling without the biscuits for up to 3 months, then add fresh biscuits when you reheat it.
Pro Tips
- Avoid lifting the lid while the biscuits cook. Each peek lets out steam they need, so they take longer to finish.
- If your slow cooker runs hot, start checking the biscuits after 40 minutes.
- Taste the filling before the biscuits go on, and add a pinch of salt or pepper if needed, since canned soups and broths vary by brand.
- Serve with plenty of black pepper and crusty bread for soaking up the sauce.
FAQ
Traditional chicken and dumplings is a brothy stew with dumplings cooked right in the liquid, while chicken pot pie is a thick, creamy filling under a baked crust. This recipe uses that chicken pot pie style filling and lets the biscuit pieces stand in for both the crust and the dumplings.
Cut one piece in half. The center should be soft and bready with no raw dough, and the tops should look dry instead of shiny. If the centers are still doughy, put the lid back on quickly and give them another 15 to 20 minutes on HIGH before checking again.
That's normal! The biscuit pieces thicken the filling as they cook, and it tightens up a bit more as it stands for a few minutes before serving.
More Slow Cooker Recipes
Looking for other easy slow cooker recipes like this? Try these:
Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 4 cups frozen mixed vegetables see notes below
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 oz cream of celery soup
- 2 cups chicken broth
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 can refrigerated biscuits 16.3 oz, I used Grands!
- fresh parsley optional
Instructions
- Add the chicken, salt, pepper, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, onion powder, and minced garlic to a slow cooker.
- Top with the frozen vegetables.
- Whisk together the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, and chicken broth, then pour over the chicken and vegetables. Dot with the butter.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Shred the chicken, then return it to the slow cooker and stir in the heavy cream.
- Cut each biscuit into eighths and arrange in a single layer over the filling without stirring.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 45-60 minutes, until the biscuits are cooked through and fluffy.
- Sprinkle with parsley before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
All nutritional information provided is an estimate. For specific dietary needs or concerns, we recommend consulting a nutrition calculator or a qualified expert.
Karen Kelly
Karen Kelly is a nationally syndicated food and travel writer, founder of Seasonal Cravings, and co-founder of The Roam Report. She develops approachable seasonal recipes and covers travel and lifestyle trends. Her work has appeared in numerous media outlets, including Yahoo, Taste of Home, Apple News, NBC, FOX, and other national and regional publications.
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