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Cozy Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings with Fall Herbs

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A slow-simmered, herb-kissed stew with tender chicken and cloud-like dumplings that soak up all that savory broth. The slow cooker does the heavy lifting while you go about your day, and the result tastes like something you’d pay for at a cozy farm-to-table spot.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs (about 4–6 thighs)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 3 celery stalks, sliced (about 1 cup)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
  • 1 bay leaf
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (for dumplings)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt (for dumplings)
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed
  • ¾ cup whole milk

Instructions

  1. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Season both sides with a pinch of salt and pepper. Sear the thighs for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion, carrots, and celery to the same skillet. Cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the vegetables start to soften. Add the minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
  3. Transfer the sautéed vegetables to the slow cooker. Place the browned chicken thighs on top. Add the chicken broth, water, salt, pepper, fresh sage, thyme, rosemary, and the bay leaf. Stir gently to combine. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chicken should be tender enough to shred easily with a fork.
  4. Carefully remove the chicken thighs from the slow cooker and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool for 5 minutes. Shred the meat using two forks, discarding any visible fat or gristle. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Remove and discard the bay leaf.
  5. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup all-purpose flour and ¼ cup heavy cream until smooth. Ladle about 1 cup of hot broth from the slow cooker into the slurry and whisk until combined. Pour the slurry back into the slow cooker and stir gently. Cover and cook on HIGH for 15-20 minutes until the broth thickens slightly. Stir in the frozen peas.
  6. While the broth thickens, prepare the dumplings. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon dried thyme. Add 3 tablespoons cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter bits remaining. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh parsley. Pour in ¾ cup cold milk and stir with a fork until just combined. The dough will be thick and sligh…
  7. Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough onto the surface of the hot stew. Use a tablespoon or a small cookie scoop to make about 12-14 dumplings. Leave space between them because they’ll expand. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 25-30 minutes. Don’t lift the lid during this time. They’re done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Notes

Don’t skip browning the chicken for deeper flavor. Fresh herbs are key for autumn aroma. Do not lift the lid while dumplings are cooking. For gluten-free, use Cup4Cup flour. For dairy-free, use coconut cream and oat milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: slow cooker chicken and dumplings, fall herbs, chicken stew, comfort food, easy dinner

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/cozy-slow-cooker-chicken-and-dumplings-with-fall-herbs/