This easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is going to amaze you with the simplicity of it.
This chicken and dumplings recipe is made with canned biscuits that will make the creamiest dumpling gravy you have ever tasted.
I've got a trick to make the best Chicken and Dumplings you don't want to miss.
This is one of the best crock pot chicken recipes to make when it is cold or rainy outside.
One of the best things about cooking in a crock pot is that many recipes only require a few ingredients.
This Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe only has a few ingredients plus the fresh and dried seasonings to flavor the broth.
How to make Chicken and Dumplings in a Crock Pot
Many many years ago before the internet even existed when I was learning to make meals for my growing family I learned that canned biscuits make wonderful dumplings.
When you drop cubed or sliced canned biscuits into a pot of hot or boiling broth they float to the top and then sink to the bottom after they are cooked.
Back before I ever used a crock pot I would make this Chicken and Dumplings recipe in a big stockpot.
Back then I would boil bone-in chicken breasts (my family hates dark meat) with all the ingredients to make a lovely broth.
I would then pull the meat from the bones and put the chicken back into the pot.
Then I would slice up a couple of cans of biscuits and drop them in the pot. They behaved and taste just like homemade dumplings would.
I decided to convert that old family recipe into a Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
The canned biscuits do the same thing when you cook them in a crock pot.
Using bone-in chicken
If you have used chicken on the bone you will have to carefully strain the hot broth through a fine-mesh strainer.
Straining the chicken broth gives you a nice clear chicken broth and removes those weird little pieces that float in the broth when you cook chicken on the bone.
Straining also makes sure that no pieces of the chicken bone end up in your Chicken and Dumplings.
Shred the chicken or pull the chicken from the bone into bite-size pieces and return the cooked chicken to the crock pot.
Canned Biscuit Dumplings
I used 2 rolls of buttermilk biscuits to make the dumplings for this recipe. You can use any flavor of biscuits you'd like but avoid the "layered" biscuits.
They don't work as well as the plain old style of biscuits.
The layers tend to separate and the dumplings are thin. With this type of canned biscuit, the dumplings turn out nice and plump.
Cut this size of biscuit into fourths. If using the Grand biscuits you can cut those up into about 9 bite-size pieces.
Cut all of the biscuits at once before adding them to the crock pot or some biscuits will be cooked while the last biscuit pieces added to the crock pot with be doughy.
Add the biscuits to the crock pot and stir them well.
Replace the lid and cook until the dumplings are no longer doughy in the center and have sunk below the broth.
They start cooking immediately from the heat of the broth. It will take 30 to 60 minutes for the biscuits to cook.
Serve a big bowl of this Easy Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe on a cold winter day and your family will love you for it!
How to make Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Scroll down below for the recipe card where you will find the ingredient amounts, directions and for one-click printing or to Pin the recipe.
Ingredients
- chicken: I used boneless chicken. You can use bone in chicken but you will need to remove the meat from the bone and strain the broth to remove any pieces of bone that may have fallen into the broth.
- vegetables: sliced carrots, sliced celery, diced onion
- herbs: minced garlic , dried bay leaves, fresh or dried thyme, dried parsley
- seasonings: salt and pepper
- chicken broth
- canned biscuits
Directions
Step 1: Put the boneless chicken, sliced carrots, sliced celery, diced onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and bay leaves into an 8-quart crock pot.
Step 2: Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
Step 3: Remove the chicken breasts from the crock pot and place them in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat.
Return shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir.
Step 4: Cut the canned biscuits into cubes or strips. Drop the canned biscuit pieces into the crock pot and stir.
Step 5: Place the lid back on and cook for about an hour or until the biscuits are cooked through the center. It will take about 30-60 minutes depending on how many biscuits you used.
As the canned biscuits cook the chicken and dumplings will thicken and make a rich and creamy dumpling gravy that is very creamy.
Recipe Expert Tips
- If using bone-in chicken you will need to strain the broth after the chicken has cooked to remove any bones that may have fallen into the chicken broth as the chicken cooked.
- Do nut use butter flavored biscuits.
For more easy Crock Pot Chicken recipes head over to the crock pot chicken recipe page.
Print the Crock Pot Chicken Dumplings Recipe below.
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Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 lbs boneless chicken
- 5 medium carrots washed, peeled and sliced
- ½ cup sliced celery
- 1 medium onion peeled and diced (about 1 cup)
- 1 tablespoon fresh garlic minced
- 5 to 6 medium dried bay leaves
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cups of chicken broth (add more as needed)
- 1-2 cans canned biscuits I used Grands Southern Style Biscuits
Instructions
- Put the boneless chicken, sliced carrots, sliced celery, diced onion, minced garlic, salt, pepper, parsley, and bay leaves into an 8-quart crock pot.
- Place the lid on the crock pot and cook on high for 3-4 hours, 5-6 on low or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the crock pot and place them in a bowl. Use two forks to shred the meat.
- Return shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir.
- Cut the canned biscuits into cubes or strips. Drop the canned biscuit pieces into the crock pot and stir.
- Place the lid back on and cook for about an hour or until the biscuits are cooked through the center. It will take about 30-60 minutes depending on how many biscuits you used.
- As the canned biscuits cook the chicken and dumplings will thicken and make a rich and creamy dumpling gravy that is very creamy.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- If using bone-in chicken you will need to strain the broth after the chicken has cooked to remove any bones that may have fallen into the chicken broth as the chicken cooked.
- Canned biscuits: Canned biscuits are used and the preferred type of biscuit.
Lynne Meredith
Can not wait to try this. my question is what is a "sad " dumpling? I have always made from scratch but some would be hard in the middle and not sure what I have done wrong?? S I stopped making them. But will try again. Using canned biscuits I hope my grandmother will forgive
Ali
Can you also give us the stovetop version for when we don't have 4+ hours!
Rebecca
I am going to try this one on Sunday. Thank you
Arlene Mobley
Rebecca
Enjoy the recipe!
Janell
This was SO GOOD as well as easy!
Arlene Mobley
Janell
So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe!
Alicia
Hey! Excited to try this recipe. If I wanted to add veggies, say celery or carrots, would it be okay to add those at the beginning and just cook as written? Thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Yes, Alicia you could add carrots and celery.
susan
I have a question about the onion....it looks like you put it in whole? is that correct? also...when you drain the liquid what r u doing with the onion then? thanks!!! can't wait to make this 🙂
Arlene Mobley
Hi Susan
Yes I did use the onion whole. When I drained the broth I discard the onion pieces. Enjoy the recipe!
susan
thank you so much for the reply! I've made this twice now and hubby loves it!!!
Arlene Mobley
Susan I'm so happy to hear that. My family love this recipe!
J. Chimeri
Your list of ingredients does not mention garlic.
Arlene Mobley
I've updated the ingredient list. Thanks!
D S Craft
When you say to use 4 chicken breasts do you mean 4 whole breasts (8 halves)? That's a lot of chicken. I'm thinking you mean 4 half breasts or 2 complete.
Arlene Mobley
D S yes I mean half breasts. Sorry for the confusion.
Kristan
I made this tonight and it turned out horribly! The biscuits never cooked all the way through- I left them for 90 min on high! They were so doughy. It was awful. What did I do wrong?
Arlene Mobley
Kristan
It's hard to know what the problem could have been without more information. Did you use the amount of broth the recipe calls for? Did you cut the biscuits into small pieces? Did you stir the biscuit dumplings into the broth? Did you use a big enough crock pot?
Kristan
Yes, I used a large crock pot (6qt), put 6 cups of broth in with onion, bay leaves,salt & pepper. I only used 3 chicken breasts. Cooked on low for 6hrs. Filtered the broth,replaced the shredded chicken, cranked it up to high for 30 min. I used one can of buttermilk biscuits (Immaculate Baking brand). Chopped each biscuit into 6 pieces, put them all in at the same time and stirred. I checked it again in 30 min, they were still very doughy. I checked every 15 min from there but after 90 min and still gooey, I scrapped it and ordered pizza.
Arlene Mobley
Kristan
So sorry you had a hard time. What I think may have been the issue is lifting the crock pot lid so many times. Every time you lift the lid of a crockpot it takes about 60 minutes for the internal temperature of the ingredients to return to the cooking temperature. Each time you opened the lid you added 60 minutes to the cooking time.
xx
We love this! No, it doesn't taste like my mother-in-law's chicken and dumplings, but it's waaaaayyy healthier and easier and a very VERY close second. Couldn't be easier! Thanks!
Arlene Mobley
Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Angie
I fixed this yesterday and it was AMAZING! I used 2 cans of biscuits. To thicken, i dredged the biscuits in flour before adding them to the broth. Turned out PERFECT!
Arlene Mobley
Angie
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Great tip for thickening the gravy. Thanks for sharing it.
Sharon @ Nut Free Wok
This looks like an easy and perfect recipe to keep on hand for when mom or kids are sick. Yum and easy, thanks! 🙂
Arlene Mobley
Sharon
It would be perfect!
Julie Wood
I love your CrockPot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. I will have to make it soon!
Arlene Mobley
Julie
Thank you. I hope you enjoy it!
Susan@LunaCafe
What an easy dinner for the rushed work week. Looks delicious too. Really must dig out that unused crockpot. 🙂
Arlene Mobley
Susan
Yes pull that crock pot out. You won't be sorry you did.