Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings with Canned Biscuits
168 Comments Aug 25, 2021
Updated Jul 16, 2025
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This easy slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe comes together with canned biscuits and cream soups but delivers rich, homemade flavor. A true comfort food classic, it’s perfect for any season.
Featured Comment
“Followed it by the book and it was delicious!”
– Denise
This is my family’s all-time favorite meal. Before life got busy, I used to make chicken and dumplings from scratch, but now I appreciate easy, comforting recipes like this one. My recipe for slow cooker chicken and dumplings is a true one-pot meal, with fluffy dumplings made from cut-up canned biscuits.
Key Ingredients
A few vegetables, chicken, and pantry items are needed to make these easy chicken and dumplings in the slow cooker. Find the full ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
- Chicken breasts – Use boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Cut these into large cubes.
- Condensed soups – Cream of chicken and cream of celery soup
- Chicken broth – One can is all this recipe needs; it will add flavor and just enough liquid to keep the soup thick.
- 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 Pillsbury Grands® Biscuits. I find that this brand always cooks through, unlike the organic brand, which seems to stay doughy in this recipe. You can use buttermilk or original style.
How to make Chicken and Dumplings in a Crockpot:
- Add the soups, vegetables (except the peas), broth and seasonings to the slow cooker.
- Mix up and let the soup cook away. Hold off on adding the can of biscuits – if added too early, they will disintegrate in the soup.
- After the chicken and vegetables are done cooking, add the peas and canned biscuits and continue cooking.
Variations & Substitutions
- 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 the recipe as you would with raw vegetables, as they still require a long time to cook properly.
- Turkey: You can use raw or cooked turkey in this recipe if desired with great results. It will be called turkey and dumplings instead!
- Other additions: Potatoes, mushrooms, or bacon can be added for more heartiness.
- Shred Instead: The chicken breasts can be left whole, then shredded before adding the dumplings (biscuits).
What can I use as a substitute for canned biscuits?
I understand some don’t want to use canned biscuits. Here are ways to make this recipe without them:
- 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 Pillsbury 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 add Frozen Chicken Breasts 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.
Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings with Canned Biscuits
How to Video
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.
Nutrition
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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Great recipe, this will warm your bones up on a cool day.
This is currently in my crockpot. It’s been on for 10 hours. The biscuits have been in for an hour and they arevstill not cooked. My crockpot gets very hot so I do not understand. I just mixed it hoping this will help but I’m doubtful. If I have to throw this away that will be depressing con’s inflation.
The dumpling will be doughy on the outsides. Did you take one out and open it?
I made it and my family loved it!!!!
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
You could also bake them and put them in for 5 minutes.
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!