Mexican-Style Chicken and Rice Bake

Creamy, hearty, and filled with tender chicken and soft biscuit dumplings, this slow cooker chicken and dumplings recipe is comfort food made wonderfully easy.

There’s something especially satisfying about coming back to a slow cooker filled with a warm, cozy dinner. The chicken has had hours to become tender, the vegetables have cooked into the creamy broth, and all that’s left to do is shred the chicken and add the biscuits.

I love how simple this recipe keeps things. Instead of making dumpling dough from scratch, it uses refrigerated biscuits, which puff and soften right in the slow cooker. You get creamy chicken, peas and carrots, and tender dumplings together in every bowl, without having to spend much time in the kitchen.

It’s the kind of dinner I’d make on a chilly evening when something warm and filling sounds just right. Spoon it into big bowls and serve it piping hot.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

There’s a lot to love about this slow cooker chicken and dumplings, but the easy biscuit dumplings might be my favorite part. There’s no flour-covered counter and no homemade dough to prepare. Just cut the refrigerated biscuits into quarters and let them cook right on top of the creamy chicken mixture.

It’s wonderfully hands-off, too. The initial ingredients go into the crock pot in just a few minutes, and the chicken can cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3. Once it’s tender, shred it, add it back to the pot, and finish everything with the biscuits.

And then there’s that creamy, cozy combination! Chicken, peas, carrots, onion, savory seasonings, and soft dumplings make this a satisfying all-in-one dinner. It serves 6, so there’s plenty to bring straight from the slow cooker to the dinner table.

Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients

Chicken Breasts – Boneless skinless chicken breasts become tender and easy to shred after slow cooking, giving you plenty of chicken throughout every bowl.
Frozen Mixed Vegetables – Peas and carrots add a little sweetness, color, and texture while keeping the prep nice and easy.
Onion – Finely chopped onion cooks right into the creamy mixture and adds extra savory flavor.
Cream of Chicken Soup – This is what gives the chicken and dumplings their rich, creamy base without having to make a separate sauce.
Chicken Broth – Adds savory chicken flavor and provides the liquid needed to bring everything together.
Garlic Salt – An easy way to add a little garlic flavor while seasoning the chicken and creamy broth.
Poultry Seasoning – Adds those warm, savory herb flavors that pair especially well with chicken and dumplings.
Salt and Pepper – Simple seasonings that round out and enhance all the other flavors.
Refrigerated Biscuits – The easy shortcut for the dumplings! Cut them into quarters and they cook right in the crock pot until soft and tender.

Step-by-Step Instructions

First, build the creamy chicken mixture. Place the chicken and veggies in the crock pot. Add in the cream of chicken soup and seasonings. Pour the chicken broth over the top.

Now let the slow cooker do its work. Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3. By the end of the cooking time, the chicken should be cooked through and ready to shred.

Next, once cooked through shred the chicken and place back into the crockpot.

Then come the dumplings! Cut up the biscuits into quarters and place on top of the other ingredients in the crock pot.

For the final cook, cover and cook on high for 60-90 minutes until the biscuits are cooked through (stir occasionally during this cook time).

Serve warm and enjoy!

Expert Tips

Keep the biscuit pieces similar in size. Cutting each biscuit into quarters gives you pieces that can cook more evenly throughout the creamy mixture.

Let the dumplings cook through. They need 60 to 90 minutes on high after you add them. Look beyond the surface of the biscuits and make sure the dough is cooked through before serving.

Don’t keep lifting the lid. A slow cooker loses heat each time it’s opened. Aside from the occasional stirring called for during the biscuit cooking time, keep it covered so the mixture stays hot.

Shred the chicken before adding the biscuits. This gives you tender pieces of chicken throughout the dish instead of large chicken breasts sitting beneath the dumplings.

And remember that the mixture will continue to change as the biscuits cook. They absorb some of the creamy liquid as they turn into dumplings, giving the finished dish its thick, hearty texture.

Recipe Variations

One nice thing about chicken and dumplings is how naturally it works with different vegetables.

The recipe card calls for 12 oz frozen mixed vegetables (peas and carrots only), and that combination keeps things especially simple. If you want to experiment after making the original version, fresh carrots, fresh green beans, peas, carrots, and celery can all work with these flavors. Drained canned vegetables or other frozen vegetables are options as well.

Whatever variation you try, I’d make the original recipe first. Its simple combination of chicken, peas and carrots, creamy broth, and biscuit dumplings is exactly what makes it such an easy comfort-food dinner.

Storage & Reheating

If you have leftovers, let them cool and transfer them to an airtight container. According to the original recipe card, they can be refrigerated for up to 5–7 days.

The dumplings will continue soaking up some of the creamy liquid as they sit, so don’t be surprised if the mixture is thicker the next day.

For an individual serving, reheat it in the microwave until hot throughout. You can also warm leftovers gently on the stovetop, stirring as needed until the chicken, broth, and dumplings are heated through.

Serving Suggestions

This chicken and dumplings is hearty enough to be dinner all on its own. You already have tender chicken, vegetables, creamy broth, and dumplings together in one bowl, so there’s no need to prepare an elaborate side.

If I wanted to round out the meal, I’d keep things fresh and simple. Try it with a crisp green salad, steamed green beans, roasted broccoli, or roasted Brussels sprouts. The vegetables are a nice contrast to the rich, creamy chicken and dumplings.

For an extra-cozy dinner, add warm dinner rolls or crusty bread for scooping up the creamy broth.

Then ladle everything into bowls while it’s still piping hot, making sure every serving gets plenty of shredded chicken, vegetables, and those soft biscuit dumplings.

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I put the biscuits in at the beginning?

No, you’ll want to add the biscuits after the chicken has finished cooking. Cut them into quarters and add them to the crock pot for the final 60-90 minutes on high. This gives them enough time to cook through without sitting in the creamy mixture all day.

2. How do I know when the dumplings are done?

The dumplings should be soft and cooked all the way through, with no raw dough in the center. I recommend checking one of the larger pieces before serving. Depending on your slow cooker, they may be ready closer to 60 minutes or need the full 90 minutes.

3. Do I need to cook the chicken before putting it in the crock pot?

No, there’s no need to cook the chicken first. Simply place the boneless skinless chicken breasts directly in the crock pot with the vegetables and follow the recipe as written. Once the chicken is cooked through, shred it and add it back before adding the biscuits.

4. Can I use different vegetables?

Yes, you can definitely switch up the vegetables. The recipe calls for frozen peas and carrots, which keeps things really easy, but carrots, peas, celery, or green beans would also be delicious. If using canned vegetables, make sure to drain them first.

5. Why are my chicken and dumplings so thick the next day?

This is completely normal because the biscuit dumplings continue to soak up the creamy broth as they sit. If your leftovers are thicker than you’d like, add a little chicken broth when reheating to loosen everything back up.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings

Creamy chicken, tender vegetables, and soft biscuit dumplings come together in this simple slow-cooker dinner. Most of the cooking happens unattended, making this a practical choice when you want a warm, filling meal without spending much time at the stove.

Print Pin

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings, Slow Cooker Chicken and Dumplings Recipe

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 6

Total Time: 6 5

Servings:

Ingredients

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
12 oz frozen mixed vegetables (peas and carrots only)
1/2 onion (chopped finely)
2 cans cream of chicken soup (10.5 oz cans)
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 can biscuits (10 count)

Instructions

Place the chicken and veggies in the crock pot.
Add in the cream of chicken soup and seasonings. Pour the chicken broth over the top.
Cook on low for 6 hours, or high for 3. Once cooked through shred the chicken and place back into the crockpot.
Cut up the biscuits into quarters and place on top of the other ingredients in the crock pot.
Cover and cook on high for 60-90 minutes until the biscuits are cooked through (stir occasionally during this cook time).
Serve warm and enjoy!