Old Fashioned Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings
This is the traditional version with flat, rolled dumplings — the kind your grandmother made.
They cook into soft, slightly chewy strips that soak up the savory broth better than fluffy biscuit-style dumplings.
Why You’ll Love It
- Authentic Southern-style flat dumplings.
- Simple ingredients you probably already have.
- The slow cooker does most of the work.
- Comfort food that feeds a crowd.
- Tastes like it simmered all day on the stove.
Ingredients
For the Chicken Base
- 2 lbs bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (or a 3 lb whole chicken)
- 1 medium onion, quartered
- 3 celery stalks, cut into large chunks
- 3 carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 2 bay leaves
For the Flat Dumplings
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 3 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 3/4 cup cold broth from the slow cooker
Optional
- 1 cup frozen peas
- Fresh parsley for garnish
Steps
- Place chicken, onion, celery, carrots, broth, salt, pepper, thyme, and bay leaves in your 6-quart slow cooker.
- Cover and cook on LOW for 6–7 hours or HIGH for 3–4 hours until chicken is falling off the bone.
- Remove chicken and let it cool slightly.
- Discard skin and bones, then shred the meat using two forks.
- Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer and return it to the slow cooker.
- Add the shredded chicken back to the broth.
- Make the dumplings: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or your fingers until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Ladle 3/4 cup of hot broth from the slow cooker and let it cool for 2 minutes.
- Pour the broth into the flour mixture and stir until a shaggy dough forms.
- Turn dough onto a floured surface and roll it out to about 1/8 inch thick.
- Cut into 2-inch strips using a pizza cutter or knife.
- Turn the slow cooker to HIGH.
- Drop dumpling strips one at a time into the simmering broth, pushing them under gently.
- Cover and cook for 30–45 minutes until dumplings are cooked through and no longer doughy in the center.
- Stir in frozen peas during the last 5 minutes if using.
- Remove bay leaves and serve.
Helpful Tips and Substitutions
Bone-in chicken makes a richer, more flavorful broth than boneless — it’s worth the extra step of removing bones.
Cold butter is essential for tender dumplings — don’t let it soften before cutting it in.
If you don’t have a pastry cutter, use a fork or rub the butter in with your fingertips.
Roll the dough thin — thick dumplings can stay gummy in the center.
Don’t overcrowd the pot — add dumplings one at a time so they don’t stick together.
The broth will thicken naturally as the dumplings cook because of the flour coating.
For even richer flavor, use homemade chicken stock instead of store-bought broth.
Serving Ideas
Serve in shallow bowls so you get a good ratio of dumplings to broth.
Pair with a simple green salad dressed with apple cider vinaigrette.
Cornbread on the side is traditional if you want something extra for dipping.
A crack of black pepper and fresh parsley on top finishes it nicely.
Make-Ahead and Storage
You can cook the chicken base the day before — refrigerate overnight and skim off any fat that solidifies on top.
Make the dumpling dough up to 2 hours ahead and keep it covered at room temperature.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
The dumplings will absorb liquid as they sit — add a splash of broth when reheating.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat.
Flat dumplings don’t freeze as well as biscuit-style ones — they can become mushy when thawed.
The Real Deal
This is how chicken and dumplings was made before refrigerated biscuits existed.
The flat dumplings have more chew and absorb the broth beautifully.
It takes a little more effort, but the result tastes like it came from a Southern grandmother’s kitchen.