Easy slow cooker chicken and dumplings, made with canned biscuits and cream soups but tastes completely homemade. This comfort food recipe is perfect any time of year
This is my husband’s favorite meal. Before life got hectic, I used to make chicken and dumplings from scratch often. Nowadays, I love easy recipes like this one. You will notice this recipe is a one-pot meal! The dumplings are cut-up Pilsbury Grands Biscuits.
How to make Chicken and Dumplings in the Crockpot
Follow my easy directions for the best Chicken and Dumplings! You will want to have this on the menu every week!
Ingredients:
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless skinless chicken breasts. Cut these into large cubes.
- Condensesed soups – Cream of chicken soup and cream of celery
- Water – Just one cup
- Chicken broth – One can is all this recipe needs, this will add flavor and just enough liquid.
- Vegetables – Fresh carrots, celery and onion. Add the frozen peas at the end of the cooking time.
- Seasonings – Freshly ground pepper and thyme. No extra salt is needed for this recipe.
- Biscuits – I use pilsbury brand, I find that this brand always cooks through unlike the organic brand that seems to stay doughy in this recipe.
Step by Step Directions
Step 1 – Add diced chicken, carrots, celery, and onion to a slow cooker.
Step 2 – Add a can of cream of chicken and a can of cream of celery. Also, add thyme and black pepper.
Step 3 – Pour over a can of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Stir.
Step 4 – Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on HIGH or 8 hours on LOW. (WAIT TO ADD THE BISCUITS)
Step 5 – After the cooking time is up. Cut up 7 Pilsbury Grand Biscuits into quarters; this is the perfect amount for this recipe; use any extra for another purpose.
Step 6 – Stir in the frozen peas into the soup. Add the cut-up biscuits on top of the soup, spreading them out evenly. Sprinkle over dried thyme and black pepper.
Step 7 – Place the lid back on the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 45 minutes more. The biscuits are cooked in with the soup.
Step 8 – Serve and enjoy!
What can I use instead of canned biscuits?
- Bisquick – Follow this recipe for Bisquick dumplings from Betty Crocker. Cook the dumplings for the same amount of time I have listed for the canned biscuits (with the lid on).
- From Scratch – Use this recipe for homemade dumplings from Spruce Eats. Cooking time remains the same as my recipe.
- Crescent rolls – you can use the crescent dough the same way this recipe does for biscuits. Cut into small pieces and add to the hot soup.
- Flour tortillas – These can be used if you have none of the above. Cut into small squares and add to the finished soup. Cook for 20 minutes on high.
Can I freeze leftover chicken and dumplings?
- Yes! Let the soup cool off and place into freezer ziplock bags or plastic Tupperware.
- Freeze for up to three months.
- Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop in a pan or in the microwave.
FAQs and Expert Tips for this Recipe
Yes, you can shred the chicken after the cooking time is up, before adding the biscuits
I do not recommend adding any frozen meats to the slow cooker. The chicken may stay in the “danger zone” too long before cooking and is not safe for eating. Plan ahead and thaw your chicken in the fridge; this usually takes about 24 hours.
If you would like to use a rotisserie chicken, dice up the chicken, you can use white or dark meat. Use 3 cups of diced rotisserie chicken for this recipe. Follow recipe the same as using raw, for the vegetables still need a long time to cook properly.
You can use raw or cooked turkey in this recipe if desired with great results. It will be called turkey and dumplings instead!
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Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Equipment Needed:
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breasts cubed
- 10.5 oz. can cream of chicken soup
- 10.5 oz. can cream of celery soup
- 1 cup water
- 14.5 oz. can chicken broth
- 2 carrots sliced (about 2 cups after being sliced)
- 2-3 ribs celery sliced (about 2 cups after being sliced)
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1/2 tsp. thyme
- 1/2 tsp. black pepper
- 1 cup frozen peas optional
- 16.3 oz. Pillsbury Grand Biscuits 8 biscuit sized can note- I only use 7 of these biscuits
- more thyme and pepper for the top of biscuits
Instructions:
- Add chicken, carrots, celery, onions, thyme, and black pepper to your slow cooker.
- Add the cream of chicken soup, cream of celery soup, chicken broth and water. Stir.
- Cook on HIGH For 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours.
- Add peas at this point if you would like. Stir.
- I only use 7 biscuits for this recipe. Cut the biscuits into quarters. Arrange the biscuit quarters evenly over the soup.
- Sprinkle dumplings with a touch of thyme and pepper. Replace the lid.
- Turn your slow cooker to HIGH.
- Cover and cook on HIGH for 45 minutes (DO NOT OPEN THE LID DURING THIS TIME). You will know the dumplings are done when they are no longer shiny.NOTE- If your slow cooker has switched over to warm after cooking for a length of time you will need to cook the dumplings for 1.5 hours so the slow cooker gets back up to temperature.
How to Video:
Recipe Notes:
- I do not recommend adding any frozen meats to the slow cooker.
- The chicken may stay in the “danger zone” too long before cooking and is not safe for eating.
- Plan ahead and thaw your chicken in the fridge, this usually takes about 24 hours.
- If you would like to use a rotisserie chicken, dice up the chicken, you can use white or dark meat.
- Use 3 cups of diced rotisserie chicken for this recipe.
- Follow recipe the same as using raw, for the vegetables still need a long time to cook properly.
- Bisquick – Follow this recipe for Bisquick dumplings from Betty Crocker. Cook the dumplings for the same amount of time I have listed for the canned biscuits (with the lid on).
- From Scratch – Use this recipe for homemade dumplings from Spruce Eats. Cooking time remains the same as my recipe.
- Crescent rolls – you can use the crescent dough the same way this recipe does for biscuits. Cut into small pieces and add to the hot soup.
- Flour tortillas – These can be used if you have none of the above. Cut into small squares and add to the finished soup. Cook for 20 minutes on high.
- Yes! Let the soup cool off and place into freezer ziplock bags or plastic Tupperware.
- Freeze for up to three months.
- Thaw in the fridge 24 hours before needed.
- Reheat on the stovetop in a pan or in the microwave.
Nutrition Information:
Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.
I cooked on high and my chicken was a little overdone. I left the breasts whole and shredded at the end so this may have contributed. Used the homemade dumpling recipe linked at the bottom since I had no biscuits. I also added corn with the peas. Very good. We are all battling a cold here and this hit the spot.
Hello Sarah so I am a very beginner cooker and I was trying to make this chicken and dumpling recipe of yours. I used everything in the ingredients but where I am I could not find canned chicken stock so I used normal liquid chicken stock by campbells in a box/jug thing. I did this on high in the crock pot for the 4 hour time line. But about 50 mins till it was done the whole liquid separated and looked curdled.
What did I do wrong? Or what could I have used to cause this. Thank you so much for your time
Followed the directions exactly. Next time I’ll add more carrots but this was so delicious exactly as is. Definitely a new favorite
Omg! The constant “the biscuits didn’t cook” comments are killing me. Traditional Chicken and dumplings had the dumplings submerged, they are supposed to be moist, not like a baked biscuit! I have cooked this recipe many times and it’s been perfect each time. If you want a crispier top dumpling don’t submerge them and put paper towels under the lid to absorb the moisture, change it out every 20 minutes or so, then the tops will be a light gold brown, but although still fantastic, it is not traditional Chicken and Dumplings. If you want traditional dumplings submerge them and cook them longer on high. Always make sure the crock pot is on high for the dumplings and let them cook. Don’t rush it and don’t expect a biscuit, these are dumplings! Kthanksbye
I use magical slow cooker all the time. I love it. Can diced potatoes be added to the chicken and dumplings without ruining it?
Yes, you may have to cook a little longer to make sure the potatoes get tender (or cut them small_.
Absolutely loved this recipe!! I made it for dinner. Next time I will use less Thyme. I made home dumplings also
For everyone commenting on the biscuits not cooking, try putting a few paper towels under the lid to absorb the moisture. Change them out a couple of times. The tops of the dumplings will turn a nice golden color. This is not my trick someone else turned me onto it along time ago and it works!
Brilliant! Thank you for this pro tip!