Dump Meals

Chicken

Chicken and Dumplings

dumpmeals.com/recipes/chicken-and-dumplings/

Chicken thighs, carrots and celery in a creamy broth, topped with refrigerated biscuit pieces for the last hour.

Serves
6
Prep
20 minutes
Cook
Low 5 to 6 hours, or high 2 to 3 hours
Slow cooker
6-quart

Chicken and dumplings is chicken stew with soft dumplings on top. This version uses canned refrigerated biscuits, cut into pieces, instead of a dough you mix by hand. The stew cooks first, and the biscuit pieces go in near the end so they steam on top rather than dissolving.

The biscuits need the lid on and the heat on high to cook through. They are done when the pieces are puffed and there is no raw dough in the center. Serve in wide bowls with a spoon. Because of the biscuits, this one is made fresh and not frozen in a bag.

A plain green salad or steamed green beans balances the richness. If the stew looks thin before the biscuits go in, stir in a tablespoon of flour mixed with a little cold broth and let it heat for ten minutes.

Ingredients

Into the slow cooker

  • 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 (10.5-ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/2 inch thick
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper

Near the end

  • 1 (about 16-ounce) can refrigerated biscuits, each biscuit cut into 4 pieces

Directions

  1. If your meat is frozen, thaw it completely in the refrigerator first. Never put frozen meat in the slow cooker.
  2. Put the carrots, celery and onion in a 6-quart slow cooker. Lay the chicken on top.
  3. Stir the soup, broth, thyme and pepper together. Pour over the chicken.
  4. Cover. Cook on low 5 to 6 hours or on high 2 to 3 hours.
  5. Check the chicken. It should read at least 165°F. Shred it with two forks and stir it back in.
  6. Turn the cooker to high. Drop the biscuit pieces onto the stew in a single layer. Cover and cook 45 to 60 minutes.
  7. Check a piece from the center. It should be puffed, with no raw dough inside. Serve in bowls.

It's done when the chicken reads at least 165°F in the thickest piece. The stew is steaming hot, and the biscuit pieces are puffed with no raw dough in the center. Check with a food thermometer.

Leftovers go in the refrigerator within two hours. Reheat them on the stove or in the microwave until hot all the way through (165°F), not in the slow cooker. Slow cooker safety

Cooking for two

Use 1 lb chicken thighs, 1 can of soup, 1.5 cups broth, 1 or 2 carrots and celery stalks, and half the onion. Use a 3-quart slow cooker, so the food still fills it about halfway. Cut up 4 biscuits and cook them 45 to 60 minutes on high at the end.

More in Cooking for two in a slow cooker.

Tips

  • Space the biscuit pieces out. They need room to puff.
  • Keep the lid on during the biscuit hour. Peeking releases the steam they cook in.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, in shallow covered containers. Reheat them on the stove or in the microwave until they reach 165°F. Do not reheat them in the slow cooker.

Food-safety sources

More chicken

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  • Honey Garlic Chicken Thighs Low 4 to 6 hours, or high 2 to 3 hours Freezer bag Boneless chicken thighs in a sweet, salty honey and garlic sauce, thickened at the end and served over rice.
  • Chicken Tortilla Soup Low 3 to 5 hours, or high 1½ to 2½ hours Freezer bag Chicken breasts, beans, corn and tomatoes with green chiles in a cumin-spiced broth. Top with crisp tortilla strips.
  • White Chicken Chili Low 3 to 5 hours, or high 1½ to 2½ hours Freezer bag Chicken and white beans simmered with green chiles and cumin, then finished with cream cheese for a creamy broth.