Slow Cooker Ranch Chicken & Dumplings (Printable Version)

Creamy ranch-flavored stew with tender chicken and fluffy dumplings

# What You'll Need:

→ Chicken & Stew

01 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
06 - 1 can (10.5 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup
07 - 1 packet (1 ounce) ranch seasoning mix
08 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
09 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
10 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
11 - 1 cup frozen peas

→ Dumplings

12 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
13 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
14 - 1 teaspoon salt
15 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
16 - 1 cup whole milk
17 - 1 can (16 ounces) refrigerated biscuit dough (store-bought alternative)

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Place chicken, onion, carrots, celery, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, ranch seasoning, garlic, black pepper, and thyme in the slow cooker. Stir until fully combined.
02 - Cover and cook on low setting for 4 hours, or until chicken is tender and easily shreds.
03 - Remove cooked chicken from slow cooker, shred with two forks, and return to the stew. Add frozen peas and stir to combine.
04 - In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir in melted butter and milk until just combined, avoiding overmixing to maintain biscuit tenderness.
05 - Drop spoonfuls of biscuit dough evenly over the stew surface in the slow cooker, or arrange refrigerated biscuit dough pieces as an alternative.
06 - Cover and cook on high setting for 1 hour until biscuits are cooked through and fluffy.
07 - Ladle into bowls and serve hot, optionally garnished with fresh parsley.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It cooks itself while you're out living your life, no hovering required.
  • The ranch seasoning does all the flavor work without you measuring a dozen spices.
  • Biscuits steam right on top, so there's no extra pan or oven mess.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day when the flavors settle in.
02 -
  • Don't lift the lid during that last hour or the biscuits won't cook through properly.
  • If your slow cooker runs hot, check the biscuits at 45 minutes so they don't dry out.
  • Shred the chicken while it's still warm, it falls apart so much easier that way.
03 -
  • Use chicken thighs instead of breasts if you want richer, juicier meat that won't dry out.
  • Add a splash of heavy cream at the end for an even more luxurious, velvety broth.
  • Season the biscuit dough with a pinch of garlic powder or dried dill to echo the ranch flavor.
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