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Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Tender shredded chicken and vegetables in a creamy slow-cooked stew, topped with fluffy homemade biscuit dumplings — classic Southern comfort food made easy in the crockpot.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 7 hours 30 minutes
Total Time 7 hours 45 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American (Southern)
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • ​ ​ ​ ​
For the Creamy Chicken Stew
  • 1½ lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs, left whole (700g)
  • 1 ​ large onion diced
  • 3 ​ medium carrots peeled and sliced into ½-inch rounds
  • 3 ​ celery stalks sliced
  • 1 ​ bay leaf ​
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme ​
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder ​
  • 1 teaspoon salt plus more to taste
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper ​
  • 4 cups chicken stock ​
  • 1 cup evaporated milk ​
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water cornstarch slurry
For the Fluffy Biscuit Dumplings
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour ​
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder ​
  • 1 teaspoon salt ​
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder optional
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cubed
  • ¾ cup whole milk plus 1–2 tablespoons more if needed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley chopped

Method
 

  1. Place chicken thighs in a 6-quart slow cooker. Scatter onion, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme, garlic powder, salt, pepper over top. Pour in chicken stock. Cover; cook LOW 6–7 hours or HIGH 3–4 hours until fall-apart tender.
  2. Shred chicken with two forks into bite-sized pieces. Discard bay leaf. Return chicken to the slow cooker and stir.
  3. Whisk cornstarch slurry into the hot stew; stir in evaporated milk. Cover; cook HIGH 20–30 minutes until thick and velvety. Adjust salt and pepper.
  4. Whisk flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder. Cut in cold butter to coarse crumbs. Stir in milk and parsley just until a soft shaggy dough forms.
  5. Drop heaping tablespoon-sized mounds of dough onto the simmering stew (12–14 dumplings), spacing slightly apart.
  6. Cover (towel under lid optional); cook HIGH 45–60 minutes without lifting the lid until dumplings double in size and a toothpick comes out clean.
  7. Spoon stew into bowls topped with 2–3 dumplings each; garnish with parsley; serve hot.

Notes

Don't lift the lid while dumplings steam; evaporated milk prevents curdling; stew can be made 2 days ahead — steam fresh dumplings before serving; freezer-friendly up to 3 months.