Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients

For the Chicken Stew:

• 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts, fully thawed and cut into even 2–3 cm pieces
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup frozen peas (added later)

For the Dumplings:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. In the slow cooker, combine chicken, chicken broth, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
2. Cook on low for approximately 6–8 hours, until the vegetables are tender and the chicken reaches 74°C/165°F. Keep the lid on during cooking; different slow cookers heat at different rates.
3. When the chicken is cooked, stir in the frozen peas and switch to high. Wait until the stew is visibly simmering before adding dumplings.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together whole wheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, and salt for the dumplings.
5. Add almond milk, olive oil, and chopped parsley to the flour mixture. Stir until just combined. The mixture should be soft enough to scoop but hold a mound; add extra almond milk one teaspoon at a time if dry flour remains. Avoid beating it smooth.
6. Divide the dough into about 12 equal spoonfuls, roughly 2 tablespoons each. Drop onto the simmering stew in a single layer with a little space between them; do not stir them under.
7. Cover and cook on high without lifting the lid for 30 minutes. Split one of the largest dumplings: the centre should be set with no wet floury dough. If still raw, cover and continue in 5–10 minute intervals. Small spoonfuls cook more reliably than large mounds; timing varies by appliance.
8. Serve the chicken and dumplings hot, garnished with extra fresh parsley if desired.

Avoid dense or raw dumplings

Use fresh baking powder and measure flour without packing it into the cup. Do not put the dumplings into a lukewarm stew: steam is needed to cook the tops. Resist frequent lid lifting, which lets heat escape. If the cooker cannot maintain a simmer on high, finish the stew and dumplings in a covered saucepan on the hob.

Contains wheat and almonds. This mixture is not gluten-free and has not been nutritionally analysed. Swapping almond flour for another flour changes moisture absorption and requires adjusting the dough; do not assume an equal-volume swap behaves identically.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in a covered, shallow container within two hours (one hour above 32°C/90°F). Keep at 4°C/40°F or colder and use within 3–4 days. Reheat cooked leftovers to 74°C/165°F.

Temperature guidance: USDA safe food handling.