Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

 I came upon this super easy recipe many years ago on a cooking site called GroupRecipes. The recipe was posted by one of my favorite cooks on that site named Frankieanne. She helped me to realize how easy it is to make big fluffy dumplings!
Before trying her recipe I thought that making perfect dumplings was something that took many years of practice....or that you had to be a southerner to have the ability to make perfect dumplings with ease! This worked for me the first time I made it and has worked every time since! I've made this at least a dozen times over the years. I've even added shredded cheddar cheese to the dumplings and served them on top of chili. The only change I made to her recipe was to use thyme instead of rosemary in my soup and in the dumplings. And I don't use a whole cut-up chicken. I just use skinless thighs and some thin sliced cutlets.

This recipe can also be made on the stove top in a large soup pot with a lid. Follow the same directions but cover and let simmer for about 3 hours on the stove top instead of 4 hours in the slow cooker.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
  5 skinless chicken thighs and 1 lb. of thin sliced cutlets
3 Tbls. olive oil
2-4 large carrots-peeled and chopped 
2 celery stalks-chopped 
1 large onion - thinly sliced
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 cup peas, frozen petite

FOR THE DUMPLINGS:
1 cup flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 cup milk - I use low fat
1 large egg-lightly beaten
 
DIRECTIONS:
Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bag. Add chicken pieces and toss to coat. Heat oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Brown chicken pieces in oil on all sides (8 to 10 minutes).
Set aside.

Put carrots, celery, onion and thyme in slow cooker. Set browned chicken pieces over vegetables. Pour 1/2 cup chicken broth into skillet and cook over medium high heat, scraping up brown bits. Pour pan juices into slow cooker along with remaining broth. Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 8 hours. Add peas and stir gently to combine.

DUMPLINGS: In a bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, thyme and salt. In a measuring cup combine milk and egg. Mix well and add to flour mixture. Stir with a fork to make a lumpy dough (do not overmix - lumps are fine). Drop dumpling mixture, by the heaping spoon full, over chicken pieces. Should make about 12 dumplings. Cover and cook on High for 25 minutes.
Serves about 4 - 6 people