Spare Spoons Kitchen
Quick Chicken ’n’ Dumplings
The shortcut chicken and dumplings — canned dumplings and cream of chicken soup, melted together with a little butter and left to mellow in the slow cooker. About as low-spoons as comfort food gets.
Ingredients
Easier, if you like
- Stovetop: skip the slow cooker and warm everything in a saucepan over low heat, stirring gently, until hot.
- Make it heartier with leftover roast chicken or a can of mixed vegetables stirred in.
Method
Cook's notes
A true low-spoons supper — three cans and a slow cooker. Stir gently so the dumplings don't fall apart.
Stretch it with a cup of frozen peas and carrots, or a handful of extra cooked chicken.
On the stovetop it's even quicker — just warm it through over low heat in a saucepan.
Pepper generously at the end; the canned base is mild.
Want the from-scratch version? When you've got the time, the Southern Chicken & Dumplings in The Showroom builds the whole thing from a homemade stock and rolled dumplings.
A pantry comfort dish (not easily made gluten-free)
Note on gluten: both the canned dumplings and the cream of chicken soup contain wheat, so there's no simple swap — this one leans on the convenience products as written.
From scratch instead: if you want a gluten-free version, you'd make it the long way with homemade broth, shredded chicken, and gluten-free dumplings — a different recipe.