Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings with Cream Cheese

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This ultra-creamy version stirs cream cheese into the sauce for a richer, silkier texture.

The cream cheese melts completely and makes the whole dish taste more luxurious without much extra effort.

Why You’ll Love It

  • Cream cheese creates an incredibly silky, rich sauce.
  • No extra steps — the cream cheese melts right into the slow cooker.
  • More decadent than versions with just cream soup.
  • Family-friendly comfort food at its best.
  • Great for special occasions or when you want something extra indulgent.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Base

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 (10.5 oz) cans cream of chicken soup
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken broth
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened and cut into cubes
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper

For the Dumplings

  • 1 can (16 oz) refrigerated biscuits, each cut into 6 pieces
  • OR 1 1/2 cups homemade biscuit dough

Optional Add-Ins

  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 2 tbsp fresh chives, chopped
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

  1. Add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic to your 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together cream of chicken soup and chicken broth until smooth.
  3. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.
  4. Add the cubed cream cheese on top — don’t stir it in yet.
  5. Sprinkle thyme, onion powder, salt, and pepper over everything.
  6. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours.
  7. Remove the chicken and shred using two forks or a meat shredder.
  8. Use a whisk to stir the sauce vigorously until the cream cheese is fully melted and incorporated.
  9. Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker and stir.
  10. Turn the slow cooker to HIGH.
  11. Cut each biscuit into 6 pieces.
  12. Drop biscuit pieces evenly over the surface of the chicken mixture.
  13. Don’t stir them in — they need to steam on top.
  14. Cover and cook on HIGH for 45–60 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
  15. Don’t lift the lid during this time — steam cooks the dumplings.
  16. Stir in frozen peas during the last 10 minutes if using.
  17. Sprinkle with Parmesan and chives before serving.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

Soften the cream cheese before adding it — leave it on the counter for 30 minutes or microwave for 15–20 seconds.

Cutting the cream cheese into cubes helps it melt faster and more evenly.

If you see lumps after cooking, whisk the sauce well or use an immersion blender for a few seconds to smooth it out.

For an even richer version, use full-fat cream cheese — the reduced-fat version works but won’t be quite as silky.

You can substitute one can of cream of chicken soup with cream of mushroom for a slightly different flavor.

Chicken thighs stay more tender than breasts, but either works.

For homemade dumplings, mix 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup milk, and 3 tbsp melted butter.

Serving Ideas

Serve in shallow bowls so you get plenty of that creamy sauce.

A simple green salad with a light vinaigrette balances the richness.

Steamed broccoli or roasted asparagus makes a nice side.

Crusty bread or garlic toast is great for soaking up extra sauce.

A squeeze of lemon juice right before serving brightens the dish.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Prep vegetables and cut the cream cheese into cubes the night before.

Store separately in airtight containers in the fridge.

In the morning, dump everything into the slow cooker and start cooking.

Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days.

The sauce may thicken as it cools — add a splash of broth or milk when reheating.

Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring often.

The chicken mixture (without dumplings) freezes well for up to 3 months.

Thaw overnight and make fresh dumplings when reheating — dumplings don’t freeze well.

Extra Creamy, Extra Good

Cream cheese is the secret ingredient that takes this dish from good to outstanding.

It adds richness without being heavy and makes the sauce impossibly smooth.

Once you try this version, you might not want to make chicken and dumplings any other way.

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