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.
More Cozy Slow Cooker Soups
Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie and Ham Hocks and Dumplings bring classic comfort straight from the crockpot.
Turkey and Dumplings and Slow Cooker Chicken Gnocchi Soup offer hearty bowls for chilly evenings.
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I love your recipe, I have made this my go to comfort meal. I usually add diced potatoes to mine and broccoli instead of peas. Thank you so much for agaringthis recipe.
Taste was great but came out soupy, what can I do to thicken it up?
Cornstarch and cold water is my go to when things are soupy.
What type grands biscuits did you use?
Buttermilk or home style?
Do you recommend rolling them out and then cutting or just cutting them?
I am thinking of using 2 cans cream of chicken and a can of cream of celery … how much more liquid should I add?
I use homestyle. I do not roll them. I’m unsure on the liquid without testing it, sorry!
Making it for the 1st time today for an older couple who loves Chicken and Dumplings. I plan on making homemade dumplings. Is 6 hours on low enough time? I have a timer set for 5 hours, at which time I will add the dumplings and finish cooking.
I’m unsure if the carrots will be done. I would cook on high for part of the time if possible.
The 6 hrs on low was perfect, everything was tender. I added the homemade dumplings and cooked on high for 45 minutes as directed. I doubled the recipe, some for the older couple and some for my family for dinner. The couple said it was delicious and my family now has a new comfort food go-to recipe. Thank you for the recipe!
Can I use frozen biscuits?
I’ve never used thouse, it would have to be tested, I apologize.
Can I use frozen veggies instead with this? Would I just add them when I add the biscuits?
I always use fresh veggies for this but only have frozen mixed on hand.
I personally would add them at the beginning. If you add them with the biscuits, your soup will not be hot enough to cook the biscuits.
So I accidentally used all the biscuits. I watched the video after putting them in. Oops! We will see how this turns out!
It will be fine!
Is there a substitute for cream of celery? I’m not a huge celery fan and was wondering if cream of mushroom or onion would work? Or just double up on cream of chicken?
You can use any of those!
The soups in my slow cooker seemed to separate. I’m not sure why? Any tips to correct this? Otherwise smelling great and can’t wait to eat it!
You may need to whisk them better into the other liquids to start with maybe?
I made this last night, and it was delicious! I did find it to be more liquidy than I wanted, so I added a handful of rice in at the time I added the peas. Next time I will skip the cup of water. I did use all of the biscuits, but I cut them into eighths. I wasn’t able to get cream of celery soup, so I used cream of mushroom in its place. I used the 4 hours on high method. My husband and I both had leftovers of it for lunch today; safe to say it’s a hit at our house!
Made this, but left out the peas. Was absolutely fantastic. The tip about the extra time for the biscuits if the crock had switched over to warm was spot on. Thank you so much!!