Not Every Recipe Works Out as Advertised

Most recently, I was in the mood for Chicken & Dumplings. It’s been a long time since I’ve made this classic dish, so I had to dig around for a recipe. I found one designed for a slow cooker—perfect! I love slow cooker recipes. Just set it and forget it, as Ron Popeil always said about his rotisserie. So I gathered my ingredients for a bubbly, comforting Chicken and Dumplings meal.

The Recipe

This is the recipe as it came to me and as I started out. Feel free to try is as printed. I’d love to hear your results.

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 (10.5 ounce) cans condensed cream of chicken soup
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 (10 ounce) package refrigerated biscuit dough
• 2 cups water, or as needed to cover

Directions

1. Place chicken, condensed soup, onion, and butter in a slow cooker. Add enough water to cover; stir well. Cover and cook on High for 5 to 6 hours.
2. About 30 minutes before serving, tear biscuit dough into pieces. Place dough in the slow cooker. Cook until dough is no longer raw in the center.
3. Serve hot and enjoy!

Looks good doesn’t it.

My results

I shredded the chicken about 30 minutes before serving, but I noticed the broth was very thin—it lacked that rich, gravy-like consistency. So I made a small batch of roux, added some of the broth to bring it up to temperature, and then stirred it back into the pot. A roux is a mixture used to thicken sauces, soups, and stews, made by cooking equal parts flour and fat. That little tweak vastly improved the gravy portion of the dish.

Then I made a mistake. I added about a cup of frozen mixed veggies and replaced the cover. For some reason, the veggies came out hard and tasteless. I think I’ll skip them next time.

I also didn’t tear up the biscuit dough or add it to the mix. I’ve tried that before and didn’t love the result. You can give it a try, but I opted to bake the biscuits in the oven instead.

So my final result? Slow Cooker Chicken Stew and Biscuits. Not bad—but not one of my top 10 recipes. Next time, I’d use chicken broth instead of water for a richer flavor.