Homemade Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings Soup
Ingredients
- Soup Base
- 1.5 –2 lbs 680–900 g chicken breasts or thighs, boneless and skinless
- 2 cups 200 g diced carrots
- 2 cups 200 g diced celery
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 –3 cloves garlic minced
- 4 –6 cups 960–1440 ml chicken broth, low-sodium
- 1 can 10.5 oz / 295 g cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 bay leaf
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Optional: 2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water for thickening
- Optional: 1/2 cup 120 ml heavy cream, half-and-half, or sour cream (for richness)
- Drop Dumplings
- 1 1/2 cups 180 g all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup 160 ml milk (whole milk preferred)
- 3 tablespoons 43 g unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Layer ingredients in slow cooker: Place chicken breasts or thighs in the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. Add diced carrots, celery, onion, and garlic. Pour in chicken broth, cream soup, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Stir gently to combine.
- Cook chicken: Cover and cook on low for 6–8 hours or on high for 3–4 hours. Chicken should shred easily with a fork and reach an internal temperature of 165 °F (74 °C).
- Shred chicken: Remove chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the pot.
- Thicken broth (optional): If the broth is too thin, mix cornstarch with cold water and stir into the soup. Set the slow cooker to high.
- Make dumpling batter: In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in milk and melted butter until just combined (do not overmix).
- Add dumplings: Drop spoonfuls of dumpling batter onto the surface of the simmering soup. Do not submerge. You should get about 12–16 dumplings.
- Cook dumplings: Cover and cook on high for 15–20 minutes, or until dumplings are puffed and cooked through. Do not lift the lid during cooking.
- Finish and serve: Remove bay leaf. If using, stir in heavy cream or sour cream. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.
Notes
Chicken choices: Breasts are leaner; thighs are more flavorful and forgiving. Rotisserie chicken (3–4 cups shredded) can be added in the last 30 minutes.
Dumpling shortcuts: Use refrigerated biscuit dough cut into quarters or commercial dumpling mixes (like Bisquick).
Vegetable additions: Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas, corn, or green beans in the last 30 minutes.
Instant Pot method: Use Sauté½½ to soften vegetables. Add chicken, broth, and seasonings. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release, shred chicken, and add dumplings using Sauté½½ to simmer for 15 minutes.
Storage: Store soup and dumplings separately if possible. Refrigerate for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Freeze soup without dumplings for up to 3 months. Make fresh dumplings when reheating.
Nutrition Information (per serving, based on 8 servings)
Calories: ~320 Total Fat: 12 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 65 mg Sodium: ~680 mg Total Carbohydrates: 32 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g Sugars: 5 g Protein: 22 g Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used.
Calories: ~320 Total Fat: 12 g Saturated Fat: 6 g Cholesterol: 65 mg Sodium: ~680 mg Total Carbohydrates: 32 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g Sugars: 5 g Protein: 22 g Nutrition values are estimates and may vary based on ingredients used.