Description
Hearty CrockPot Chicken and Dumplings with Cheddar Cheese delivers comfort through southern-inspired slow cooking. Creamy chicken stew with cheesy dumplings provides a satisfying meal ready in mere hours.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1.5 lbs (680 g) chicken breasts or thighs, boneless, skinless
- 1 cup (100 g) shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups (960 ml) chicken broth
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 can (10.5 oz) cream of chicken soup
- 1 cup (240 ml) milk
- 1 small onion, diced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup (115 g) cold butter, cubed
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preparation: Nestle chicken, aromatic vegetables, and liquid seasonings into the crockpot, ensuring thorough distribution and complete flavor integration.
- Slow Cooking: Allow the mixture to gently simmer, transforming chicken into meltingly tender morsels infused with rich, herbaceous undertones.
- Meat Preparation: Meticulously shred the cooked chicken using two forks, returning the delicate protein fragments back into the luxurious cooking liquid.
- Dumpling Creation: Combine flour, baking powder, and seasonings, then cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Fold in sharp cheddar cheese and milk, forming a soft, cohesive dough.
- Dumpling Placement: Artfully drop dumpling mixture in rustic mounds across the simmering chicken stew, allowing each portion to rest gently on the surface.
- Final Cooking: Continue simmering until dumplings puff into golden, pillowy clouds and absorb the surrounding savory essence, typically 30-40 minutes.
- Serving: Ladle the steaming, comfort-laden dish into bowls, optionally garnishing with fresh parsley or chives for a vibrant finishing touch.
Notes
- Prevent Overcrowding: Space out dumpling portions evenly across the crockpot surface to ensure each dumpling cooks uniformly and develops a light, fluffy texture.
- Control Moisture Levels: Add milk gradually to dumpling mixture, avoiding excess liquid that could make dumplings dense or soggy, maintaining an ideal tender consistency.
- Shred Chicken Strategically: Use two forks pulled in opposite directions when separating cooked chicken to create consistent, tender meat pieces that integrate smoothly into the stew.
- Cheese Selection Matters: Choose sharp cheddar with good melting properties to enhance dumpling flavor and prevent graininess, ensuring a creamy, rich taste profile throughout the dish.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 6-7 hours (on low) or 3-4 hours (on high)
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 420
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 800 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 37 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 25 g
- Cholesterol: 80 mg