Chicken Stew with Dumplingsis a hearty slow cooker meal that is the epitome of comfort food. Prep in the morning and enjoy the perfect meal on a cold winter night.

Cooked chicken stew with dumplings in a white bowl with a spoon with a second bowl and some extra vegetables in the background.

Get ready towarm yourself up with a cozy bowl of Chicken Stew with Dumplingsmade right in your slow cooker. This hearty dish is perfect for chilly nights when you need something comforting and satisfying.

The combination of tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, and fluffy dumplings is sure to be a hit with your family. It can be acomplete mealon its own or serve it with asimple chef saladand someapple crumble.

Close-up of the cooked chicken stew in a white bowl.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The best part about this recipe is that it’seasy to prepare.
It is aone-pot wonder– no sides or additional cooking or prep needed.
The slow cooker does most of the heavy lifting.

Recipe Ingredients

Veggies:Carrots, celery, onion, peas, and garlic – just the classic basics.
Chicken thighs:A wonderful cut of meat for the crockpot because it doesn’t dry out and they are affordable.
Fresh rosemary and thyme:Fresh herbs are best because they brighten up slow cooker meals.
Butter, milk, and cream:These make the stew thick and creamy.
Simple dumpling ingredients:You will need flour, baking powder, salt, fresh rosemary and thyme, whole milk, and melted butter.

Ingredients to make chicken stew with dumplings including raw chicken thighs on a grey plate and peas, herbs, carrots, celery, onions, and garlic on a wooden cutting board.

How to Make Chicken Stew with Dumplings

Step #1.Put the vegetables, garlic, salt, pepper, and 2 cups of chicken broth into the slow cooker.
Step #2.Whisk together the ¼ cup chicken broth with the cornstarch and then add that to the slow cooker.
Step #3.Place the chicken thighs on top of everything in the slow cooker and put the rosemary, thyme, and butter on top of the chicken.
Step #4.Let the slow cook on low for 6 hours or on high for 3 hours.
Step #5.When the stew is done, shred the chicken, add the heavy cream, milk, and peas.
Step #6.Make the dumpling dough and then drop rounded tablespoons of the dough onto the stew. Cook for an additional hour on high.

Recipe FAQs

How long will it take for the dumplings to cook?

They are usually done in an hour. Open the lid as little as possible to check on them because the slow cooker will lose heat quickly and your dumplings might not turn out as well.

How do I prevent the dumplings from becoming soggy in the slow cooker?

Make sure to place the dumpling dough on top of the stew mixture and do not stir them.

Why are my dumplings hard?

You may have overmixed the dough – that will lead to dense and tough dumplings.

Can I add additional vegetables to the chicken stew?

You could customize this stew with your favorite veggies, such as sweet potatoes, parsnips, or green beans. Be sure to keep the vegetables roughly the same amount as the recipe so you don’t throw off the amount of liquid needed.

Two white bowls that contain chicken stew next to a crockpot with chicken stew.

Expert Tips

Mix up the dumpling dough while the stew is cookingto save yourself a bit of time when it’s time to add them to the stew.
After you drop in the dumpling dough, justleave the dumplings on top of the stew. Do not stir them in. They will cook just right on top.
If you wantto make this stew gluten-free, use a one-to-one gluten-free flour blend for the dumpling dough. Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking Company both make good blends.