Creamy Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings (No Canned Soup)

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This from-scratch version skips the canned cream soup and uses a simple homemade cream sauce instead.

You get the same rich, creamy texture with better flavor and no mystery ingredients.

Why You’ll Love It

  • No canned soup needed — made entirely from scratch.
  • Tastes richer and more homemade than versions with cream of chicken soup.
  • Still a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe.
  • Feeds 6–8 people comfortably.
  • Freezer-friendly for meal prep.

Ingredients

For the Chicken Base

  • 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 1 medium onion, finely diced
  • 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1 bay leaf

For the Cream Sauce

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half

For the Dumplings

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

Optional Add-Ins

  • 1 cup frozen peas (added at the end)
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

  1. Add chicken, onion, carrots, celery, garlic, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaf to your 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until the chicken is cooked through.
  3. Remove the chicken and shred it using two forks or a meat shredder tool.
  4. While the chicken rests, make the cream sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisk in flour, and cook for 1 minute.
  5. Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot liquid from the slow cooker, then add the heavy cream.
  6. Stir until thickened, about 2–3 minutes.
  7. Pour the cream sauce back into the slow cooker along with the shredded chicken and stir to combine.
  8. Remove the bay leaf.
  9. Drop biscuit pieces evenly on top of the mixture — do not stir them in.
  10. Cover and cook on HIGH for 1 hour until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
  11. Add frozen peas during the last 10 minutes if using.
  12. Garnish with parsley and serve.

Helpful Tips and Substitutions

Use a silicone whisk to make the cream sauce — it prevents lumps and won’t scratch your pans.

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.

Chicken thighs work better than breasts here — they stay more tender during the long cook time.

If your sauce is too thin, mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp cold water and stir it in before adding dumplings.

Keep the lid closed once dumplings are added — steam is what cooks them through.

You can use evaporated milk instead of heavy cream for a slightly lighter version.

Serving Ideas

Serve in deep bowls with crusty bread for dipping.

A side of roasted green beans or steamed broccoli balances the richness.

Leftovers reheat well over rice or egg noodles.

A squeeze of lemon juice right before serving brightens the creamy sauce.

Make-Ahead and Storage

Prep vegetables and season the chicken the night before — store in a zip-top bag in the fridge.

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

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Reheat on the stovetop over medium-low heat, adding a splash of broth if it thickens too much.

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

Thaw overnight in the fridge, reheat, then add fresh dumplings before serving.

Worth the Extra Step

Making the cream sauce from scratch takes about 5 extra minutes but delivers noticeably better flavor.

You control the salt, the richness, and there are no additives or stabilizers.

Once you try this version, you probably won’t go back to canned soup.

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