Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
Keep pierogi in your freezer for quick family dinners: You can add them to soup or use in place of ravioli.
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker 6- to 8-quart capacity
- 1 Medium Pot For boiling pierogi
- 1 Medium Bowl For whisking broth and flour
- 1 Whisk
- 1 Cutting Board and Knife
Ingredients
Main
- 3 carrots sliced
- 3 stalks celery sliced
- 1 1/2 pounds skinless boneless chicken thighs (5 or 6)
- 2 cloves garlic chopped
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
- 2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 20 frozen cheese-filled mini pierogi from one 12-ounce package
- 2/3 cup frozen peas
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup roughly chopped fresh dill
Instructions
- Put the carrots and celery in a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker. Top with the chicken; sprinkle with the garlic, red pepper flakes, ½ teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Whisk the broth with the flour in a medium bowl until smooth; pour over the chicken. Cover and cook on low, 7 hours.
- About 20 minutes before serving, bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pierogi and cook as the label directs. Drain.
- Uncover the slow cooker and stir, breaking up the chicken. Add the pierogi, peas and heavy cream and stir. Let stand, uncovered, 10 minutes. Stir in the dill; season with salt and pepper.
Notes
For enhanced depth of flavor, consider briefly searing the chicken thighs in a pan before adding them to the slow cooker; this develops a rich fond. When whisking the flour and broth, ensure it's completely smooth to prevent lumps in the final sauce. The use of frozen pierogi makes this dish convenient; for a more traditional approach, homemade drop biscuits or simple flour dumplings can be added during the last hour of slow cooking. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper at the end, as slow cooking can sometimes mellow flavors. Fresh dill is excellent, but a mix of parsley and chives would also complement the dish beautifully.