Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe


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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

close up of chicken and dumplings in slow cooker.
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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:

Ingredients: chicken, cream soups, chicken broth, carrots, onion, celery, thyme and biscuits.
  • 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.
Chicken and Dumplings photo collage. Steps how to add ingredients.

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)

4 picture collage of how to add dumplings to the soup.

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!

close up of chicken and dumplings in bowl

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.
serving chicken and dumplings in slow cooker with wooden spoon.

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.
chicken and dumplings in bowl

FAQs and Expert Tips for this Recipe

Can I add my chicken breasts whole instead of dicing them?

Yes, you can shred the chicken after the cooking time is up, before adding the biscuits

Can I add frozen chicken breasts to a slow cooker?

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.

Can I use a rotisserie chicken?

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.

Can I use turkey instead of chicken?

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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finished chicken and dumplings in slow cooker with spoon inside.

Easy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

4.39 from 34 votes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 4 hours 45 minutes
Total Time: 5 hours
Servings: 8
Creamy chicken soup with biscuits for the dumplings all made in the slow cooker.

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

Sarah’s Notes

Can I add frozen chicken to the slow cooker?
  • 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.
Can I put my chicken breasts in whole and not diced?
Yes, just shred them at the end of the cooking time with two forks.
Can I use a rotisserie chicken?
  • 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.
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.

Nutrition

Calories: 399kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 1308mg | Potassium: 654mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 2889IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition info is auto-generated. This information is an estimate; if you are on a special diet, please use your own calculations.

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Recipe Rating




160 Comments

  1. Pam says:

    That’s a lot of processed food. I won’t be making.

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Thanks for letting us know!

    2. Robyn says:

      Why did you feel the need to tell us that? There’s plenty of plant based recipes online. Knock yourself out with your twigs and berries and just move along!

  2. Anonymous says:

    5 stars
    Very delicious

  3. T says:

    1 star
    This came out bad.. like all other comments, biscuits didn’t cook.. idk how to save it. Too much celery, so disappointed 🙁

  4. Tess says:

    1 star
    Followed the recipe EXACTLY and the biscuits would not cook. Extremely disappointed..

    1. Savvy411RN says:

      I have found when cooking similar recipes in the past that the biscuits must be sitting on top of the liquid and not submerged. That makes all the difference for me. I’m making this recipe tonight, so we’ll see how it goes. 🙂

  5. Judy Andrews says:

    I use a can of mushroom soup instead of celery soup. I use a 1\2 of mixed veggies instead of peas and if the biscuits , tryputting the slow cooker in the over for 15 minutes without a lid. they wont be soggy

  6. Stephanie says:

    3 stars
    This was just ok. I cut the biscuits into eighths instead of quarters and they cooked perfectly in the 45 min time frame. However , i would lose the cream of celery soup altogether and use all cream of chicken – the soup had an extremely heavy celery taste. I dont think i would make this again.

  7. Sydney says:

    5 stars
    I love this!!

  8. Alexis says:

    How much is a serving??

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      1/8 of the recipe. I do not have a measurement, I apologize.

  9. Frog says:

    4 stars
    It was delicious, but the biscuits/dumplings didn’t cook all the way. I ended up putting the crockpot in the oven for 10-15 minutes. After that it was great!

  10. Madison Norton says:

    5 stars
    If I am cooking the biscuits separately, do I still need the 45min after the 4hrs on high?

    1. Sarah Olson says:

      Nope! It will be ready to serve over the biscuits without that extra time.