Cozy Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Crockpot chicken and dumplings with tender homemade dumplings steamed right on top. The lid stays on the whole time, that’s the trick.
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Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings is the dinner that makes the whole house smell like someone’s been cooking all day, and technically, the crockpot has been. Chicken, carrots, celery, and onion simmer into a creamy broth for hours, then simple dumpling dough gets dropped on top for the final steam-cook.
The dumplings are the part people get wrong, and it comes down to one rule: once the dumplings go in, the lid stays ON for the entire 30-45 minutes. Lifting it to check lets steam escape, and steam is what actually cooks dumplings through. Peek even once and you risk gummy, undercooked centers.
Everything else about this recipe is genuinely low-effort. The chicken and vegetables run themselves for hours, and the dumpling dough takes five minutes to stir together right before it goes in.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Real homemade dumplings. A simple flour dough, not a canned-biscuit shortcut, and it’s just as easy.
- Genuine comfort food. Creamy broth, tender chicken, vegetables, dumplings, everything a cold night calls for.
- Mostly hands-off. Hours of simmering happen without you, the dumpling dough takes five minutes.
- A picky-eater favorite. Mild, creamy, and familiar enough that it rarely gets pushed around the plate.
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 small onion, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 (10.5 oz) can cream of chicken soup
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup milk
- 2 tbsp butter, melted
Recipe Variations
- No time for homemade dumplings? Cut 2 cans of refrigerated biscuit dough into quarters and drop them in instead, same lid-on rule applies.
- Chicken thighs work in place of breasts and add a little more richness to the broth.
- Stir in a cup of frozen peas with the dumplings for extra color and vegetables.
How to Make Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
- Load the crockpot: Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, broth, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- Mix the dumpling dough: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk and melted butter just until combined.
- Add the dumplings: Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the top of the simmering broth. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are cooked through.
Recipe FAQs
Can I Use Canned Biscuits Instead of Homemade Dumpling Dough?
Yes. Cut 2 cans of refrigerated biscuit dough into quarters and drop them in the same way; the lid-on rule still applies either way.
Why Can’t I Lift the Lid While the Dumplings Cook?
Dumplings cook by steam, not direct heat, and lifting the lid lets that steam escape. Even one quick peek can mean undercooked, gummy centers, so resist checking until the full 30-45 minutes is up.
Can I Make This Ahead?
Make the chicken-and-broth stage ahead, up to 3 days in the fridge, then bring it back to a simmer and add fresh dumplings when you’re ready to eat. Dumplings don’t hold or reheat well once cooked.
Why Are My Dumplings Gummy or Doughy in the Middle?
This is almost always a lid issue, the pot got opened during the steam-cook. Give it the full time with the lid sealed, and if they’re still underdone, reseal and give them another 10-15 minutes rather than opening repeatedly to check.
What Should I Serve This With?
It’s a full meal on its own, though a simple green salad is a nice contrast to how rich the broth is. To double it, use an 8-quart crockpot so there’s room for the broth and dumplings both.
Cooking Tips
- Mix the dumpling dough just until combined; overmixing makes them tough instead of tender.
- Make sure the broth is at a good simmer (high setting) before adding the dumplings, they need active heat to steam through properly.
- Drop the dough in evenly sized spoonfuls so all the dumplings finish cooking at the same time.
Storage and Freezing
To store: Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dumplings will soften further as they sit.
To freeze: This one is better fresh, dumplings turn mushy after freezing and thawing. If you want a freezer stash, freeze just the chicken-and-broth stage and make fresh dumplings when you reheat.
To reheat: Warm gently on the stovetop over low heat, or microwave in 30-second bursts. Avoid a hard boil when reheating, it can break the dumplings apart.
How to Serve Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
This is a full meal on its own; a simple green salad on the side is the only addition it needs. This is one of the recipes in our upcoming 25 Easy Crockpot Chicken Recipes round-up, more dump-and-go crockpot dinners are on the way. In the meantime, try the Crockpot Honey Garlic Chicken that started the whole series.
Loved This Recipe?
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings comes down to one rule, keep the lid on, and the payoff is real homemade comfort food.
Leave a star rating in the comments below, it helps other people find this recipe. Made it? Tag @allwellfed on Instagram, I love seeing this one in other people’s kitchens.
Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 3 carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 1 onion small, diced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 10.5 oz cream of chicken soup 1 can
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp poultry seasoning
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for dumplings
- 2 tsp baking powder for dumplings
- 1/2 tsp salt for dumplings
- 3/4 cup milk for dumplings
- 2 tbsp butter melted, for dumplings
Instructions
- Load the crockpot: Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, broth, cream of chicken soup, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
- Cook: Cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3 hours, until the chicken is tender.
- Shred the chicken: Remove the chicken, shred it with two forks, and return it to the pot.
- Mix the dumpling dough: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in the milk and melted butter just until combined.
- Add the dumplings: Drop the dough by spoonfuls onto the top of the simmering broth. Cover and cook on high for 30-45 minutes, without lifting the lid, until the dumplings are cooked through.
