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A comforting green bowl of slow cooker chicken and dumplings with carrots, celery, and fresh parsley.

Hearty Slow Cooker Turkey and Dumplings

A comforting and easy one-pot meal, this slow cooker turkey and dumplings recipe combines tender turkey, savory vegetables, and fluffy dumplings for a perfect weeknight dinner with minimal fuss.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 6 hours
Total Time 6 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food
Calories: 450
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Turkey Stew
  • 1.5-2 lbs boneless, skinless turkey breast cut into 1-inch cubes
  • 4 cups chicken or turkey broth
  • 1 (10.5 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 2 cups carrots peeled and sliced
  • 2 stalks celery sliced
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp salt or to taste
  • 1/4 tsp black pepper or to taste
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch optional, for thickening
  • 2 tbsp cold water optional, for thickening
For the Dumplings
  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 cup cold butter cubed
  • 2/3 cup cold milk

Equipment

  • 6-quart or larger Slow Cooker
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Whisk
  • Pastry Blender (optional)

Method
 

Prepare the Turkey Stew Base
  1. In a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker, combine the cubed turkey breast, chicken or turkey broth, condensed cream of chicken soup, chopped onion, sliced carrots, sliced celery, dried thyme, poultry seasoning, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to combine.
Cook the Stew
  1. Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours, until the turkey is cooked through and tender, and the vegetables are soft.
Prepare the Dumpling Dough
  1. About 30-45 minutes before the stew is done, prepare the dumplings. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  2. Add the cold, cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry blender, two knives, or your fingertips to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
  3. Gradually add the cold milk, stirring with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Do not overmix.
Add Dumplings to Slow Cooker
  1. Drop the dumpling dough by tablespoonfuls directly onto the hot turkey stew. Ensure the dumplings are mostly submerged in the liquid.
Finish Cooking
  1. Re-cover the slow cooker and continue to cook on HIGH for another 20-30 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed up, cooked through, and no longer doughy in the center.
Add Peas and Thicken (Optional)
  1. Stir in the frozen peas. If desired, in a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch and cold water to create a slurry. Stir the slurry into the slow cooker. Cook for an additional 10-15 minutes on HIGH, or until the stew has thickened to your desired consistency.
Serve
  1. Ladle the hearty slow cooker turkey and dumplings into bowls and serve hot.

Notes

For a richer flavor, you can briefly sear the turkey cubes in a skillet with a little olive oil before adding them to the slow cooker, but this step is optional. If your slow cooker tends to run hot, check the dumplings earlier to prevent overcooking. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. The dumplings may become softer upon reheating.