When I experimented with modifying this beloved childhood comfort food to be top-8-free in my Instagram stories, I received a record number of direct messages requesting the recipe. I’m happy to report that just in time for the worst of the winter doldrums, this cozy recipe is ready for you to try.
The dumpling dough is a take on Heather Christo’s “buttermilk” biscuit recipe, and just like the traditional recipe, you drop it right on top of the chicken in your crock pot for the last half hour of cooking.
Enjoy!
Equipment
- Large saute pan
- Large mixing bowl
- 2-inch cookie scoop or large spoon
Ingredients
For the Chicken:
- ½ cup gluten-free one-to-one baking flour, such as Bob's Red Mill
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 4 tbsp vegan, soy-free, nut-free butter, such as Soy-Free Earth Balance
- 5 small carrots, peeled and chopped small
- 3 celery stalks, chopped small
- 2 cups frozen corn
- 1 small Vidalia or sweet onion, minced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups chicken stock (my favorite brand is Kitchen Basics)
For the dumplings:
- 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2½ cups gluten-free one-to-one baking flour, such as Bob's Red Mill
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 1½ tsp xanthan gum
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp smoked paprika
- ½ cup cold, vegan, soy-free, nut-free butter such as Soy-Free Earth Balance, cut into cubes
- 1 small handful chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Combine flour, thyme, smoked paprika, salt and pepper in a shallow dish.
- Lightly dredge the chicken breasts in the flour mixture
- Melt the vegan butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat.
- Add the chicken breasts, cooking until brown on one side, then flip to brown the other side of the breasts.
- Place the chicken in your crockpot.
- Add carrots, celery, corn, onion, garlic and chicken stock.
- Secure the lid and cook on low for 4 hours, until juices run clear and a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a chicken breast reaches 165 degrees F.
- Remove chicken to a cutting board, shred and return to crockpot.
Make the dumplings:
- Combine the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar in a bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add gluten-free flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt and smoked paprika and stir with a fork or whisk until well combined.
- Add cold, cubed vegan butter and use your fingers to rub the butter into the flour mixture until small chunks form. Do not overwork dough.
- Add the coconut milk mixture, and use your hands to gently mix it into a wet, sticky dough.
- Add chopped parsley and gently mix until it's evenly distributed throughout.
- Using a 2-inch cookie scoop or large spoon, drop rounds of the dumpling dough on top of the chicken mixture in the crock pot.
- Turn the crockpot setting to high, place the lid on top, slightly vented to let out steam, and cook for 30 minutes or until dumplings are cooked throughout.
- Spoon into bowls and enjoy!
2 thoughts on “The Snuggliest Meal: Chicken and Dumplings (Gluten and Dairy-Free)”
Thank you! Looking forward to enjoying this. A couple questions… cook time says 6 hours yet it only shows cook time in slow pot as 4 hours low and 30 minutes high? Does 1-1 gluten free flour need to add zanthum gum? Thank you again!
Thank you so much for noticing this – I’ll update the cook time (4 hours and 30 minutes is correct). I added xanthan gum along with the 1 to 1 gf flour and it worked; but I would think that if you don’t have xanthan gum on hand you could try it without and just use the 1 on 1, if your flour mix includes it. If you try it, would you let me know if it works?