Loading...

Place the cut chicken thighs, chopped carrots, celery, and onion into a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker.

Pour in the chicken broth and condensed cream of chicken soup. Add the salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir everything together until well combined.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup of the hot liquid from the slow cooker until smooth. Stir this slurry into the slow cooker to help thicken the stew.

While the stew continues to simmer, prepare the dumplings. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter pieces using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the milk, stirring until a soft dough forms.

Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly onto the simmering stew. Cover the slow cooker and continue to cook on the LOW setting for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. They should be firm to the touch.

If using, stir in the heavy cream. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the hearty chicken and dumplings into bowls and serve warm.


Place the cut chicken thighs, chopped carrots, celery, and onion into a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker.

Pour in the chicken broth and condensed cream of chicken soup. Add the salt, black pepper, dried thyme, and bay leaf. Stir everything together until well combined.

Cover the slow cooker and cook on the LOW setting for 3 1/2 to 4 hours, or on the HIGH setting for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and the vegetables are tender.

Carefully remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. In a small bowl, whisk together the 1/4 cup all-purpose flour with 1/4 cup of the hot liquid from the slow cooker until smooth. Stir this slurry into the slow cooker to help thicken the stew.

While the stew continues to simmer, prepare the dumplings. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cut in the cold butter pieces using a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually add the milk, stirring until a soft dough forms.

Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough directly onto the simmering stew. Cover the slow cooker and continue to cook on the LOW setting for another 20 to 30 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed and cooked through. They should be firm to the touch.

If using, stir in the heavy cream. Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Ladle the hearty chicken and dumplings into bowls and serve warm.
