Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken & Dumplings (Printable)

Creamy ranch chicken stew with tender vegetables and fluffy dumplings, slow-cooked to perfection.

# What You Need:

→ Chicken & Stew

01 - 2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 medium yellow onion, diced
03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
07 - 1 packet (1 oz) ranch seasoning mix
08 - 1 tsp garlic powder
09 - 1 tsp dried parsley
10 - ½ tsp black pepper
11 - 1 cup frozen peas
12 - ½ cup heavy cream or half-and-half
13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

→ Dumplings

14 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
15 - 1 tbsp baking powder
16 - 1 tsp sugar
17 - ½ tsp salt
18 - 3 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
19 - 1 cup whole milk
20 - 1 can (16 oz) refrigerated biscuit dough, quartered (alternative)

# Steps:

01 - In the slow cooker, combine chicken, onion, carrots, celery, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, ranch seasoning, garlic powder, parsley, and black pepper. Stir thoroughly to combine.
02 - Cover and cook on low setting for 5 hours, or until the chicken is tender and easily shredded with a fork.
03 - Remove chicken from the slow cooker, shred with two forks, and return the shredded meat to the slow cooker.
04 - Stir in frozen peas, heavy cream, and cubed butter until well combined.
05 - In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
06 - Drop spoonfuls of dumpling dough onto the surface of the stew, spacing them apart. Alternatively, place quartered biscuit dough pieces on top.
07 - Cover and cook on high setting for 30 to 45 minutes until dumplings are puffed and cooked through.
08 - Serve hot, garnished with extra parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It practically cooks itself while you're out living your life, then rewards you with a meal that tastes like it took hours of actual work.
  • The fluffy dumplings soaking up that creamy, ranch-infused broth hit differently than any other comfort food, especially on days when you need something warm and unfussy.
02 -
  • Don't skip the shredding step and try to leave the chicken in chunks, because it won't absorb the creamy broth the way it should and the texture becomes uneven.
  • If your dumplings sink instead of float, your dough was probably too wet or too heavy, so next time add just a touch less milk and mix less aggressively.
03 -
  • Use thighs instead of breasts if you want meat that stays juicy and flavorful no matter what, and don't worry about trimming every last bit of fat because it adds richness.
  • The secret to dumplings that don't sink is keeping your broth at a gentle simmer before you drop them in, and never lifting that lid to peek more than once or twice.
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