Chicken& Wine/Dumplings

This crockpot chicken and dumplings recipe layers seasoned chicken breasts with sliced onions, leeks, and carrot chunks, then slow cooks everything in a creamy sauce made from chicken bouillon, sour cream, cornstarch, and dry white wine. Fluffy Bisquick dumplings go on top for the last 30 to 40 minutes and steam until puffy and cooked through.

The sour cream and wine sauce is what sets this apart from a standard chicken and dumplings. Cornstarch dissolved in the bouillon thickens the liquid as it cooks, and the sour cream adds a tangy richness that plain broth can’t deliver.

Layering matters in a crockpot. Chicken goes on the bottom closest to the heat, then onions and leeks, then carrots on top where they steam gently and hold their shape.

Kitchen Tips

• Use the white parts of the leeks only. The green tops are tough and fibrous, even after hours in a slow cooker.
• Don’t lift the lid during cooking except to add the dumplings. Every time you open it, you lose heat and add 15 to 20 minutes of cooking time.
• Drop the dumpling dough directly on top of the chicken mixture, not into the liquid. They need to steam, not boil, or they’ll turn gummy.
• The dumplings are done when they’re firm on top and cooked through in the center. Break one open to check.

Variations

• Add sliced mushrooms with the leeks and onions for extra earthiness.
• Use fresh thyme sprigs instead of dried for a brighter herb flavor.
• Swap white wine for dry vermouth, which has more herbal complexity.