Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I’ve only had chicken dumpling soup from a can, so when the weather turned cold I figured it was a perfect time to try making this comfort soup. It’s a simple recipe that will not disappoint! The dumplings are a highlight for me. Be sure as you’re planning it into your menu you take into account the additional amount of time to cook the dumplings.

Serves: 6 | Serving Size: 1/6 of soup and 3 dumplings

Cook time: 6 hours on low, plus an additional 30 to 40 minutes for the dumplings.

Ingredients:

• Stew:
  • 3 chicken breast – boneless/skinless (about 18 ounces)
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 sweet yellow onions – diced
  • 5 celery ribs – diced
  • 6 garlic cloves
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/3 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup dry sherry
  • 5 cups low sodium chicken broth – plus extra as needed
  • 1 pound baby carrots – sliced cut in half
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 3/4 cup frozen corn
  • 3 tablespoons fresh parsley – minced
• Dumplings:
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk – room temperature
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter – soft

Directions:

1. For the Stew: Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Set crock pot to simmer and heat 1 tablespoon oil – brown chicken lightly on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer browned chicken to a plate.
2. Heat remaining tablespoon of olive oil in now empty crock pot. Add onions, celery, garlic, tomato paste and thyme – cook until vegetables are softened. Stir in flour and cook until well coated. Stir in sherry. Stir in chicken broth, carrots and bay leaves.
3. Add chicken with any accumulated juice into slow cooker. Cover and cook on low 6 hours, and chicken has reached internal temperature of 165*F. Discard bay leaves
4. Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool, then shred. Or place chicken in stand mixer, with paddle attachment, speed on low until desired amount of shredding.
5. Stir shredded chicken, peas, corn and parsley into stew and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add additional chicken broth as desired.
6. Cover and set crock pot to high until simmering.
7. For the dumplings: (recipe makes about 16 dumplings)
   1. While stew comes to a simmer whisk flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. Whisk to milk and butter together in a separate bowl. Stir milk mixture into flour mixture until just incorporated and smooth.
   2. Drop golf ball sized dumplings on top of simmering stew, leaving space between each for when they rise. Cover and cook until dumplings have doubled in size, about 30 to 40 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Nutrition Information:

Per serving of stew: 

Calories: 442; Total Fat: 8g;  Cholesterol: 143mg; Sodium: 416mg; Total Carbohydrates: 27g; Dietary Fiber: 5g; Sugars: 11g; Protein: 59g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 429mg; Vitamin A: 120%; Vitamin C: 40%; Calcium: 15%; Iron: 13%

Per serving of dumplings: 

Calories: 225; Total Fat: 8g;  Cholesterol: 21mg; Sodium: 670mg; Total Carbohydrates: 33g; Dietary Fiber: 1g; Sugars: 2g; Protein: 5g
Nutrition Bonus: Potassium: 68mg; Vitamin A: 5%; Vitamin C: 1%; Calcium: 365%; Iron: 1%

Modified from: America’s Test Kitchen. “Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings.” Slow Cooker Revolution. Boston: America’s Test Kitchen, 2011. 46. Print.