Comforting & Easy Chicken & Dumplings

If using a whole chicken, remove skin. Then remove backbone and save for soup. Cut legs into drumsticks and thighs. Slice breasts into a total of 4 pieces. If using thighs, leave whole.

Turn slow cooker to high and add soup and poultry seasonings. Stir to evenly mix. Then chop onion and add with carrots. Stir until coated with soup. Place chicken pieces on top, bone-side up. Press into the soup mixture. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours.

After chicken has cooked 3 hours, continue to cook on high while you prepare dumplings. In a large bowl, stir flour with baking powder, thyme and salt. Coarsely grate in butter, then gently stir it in. Gradually stir in ½ cup (125 mL) milk. Dough should be very moist. If some areas are still dry, stir in more milk, a tablespoon (15 mL) at a time.

Stir chicken and vegetables, making sure you turn the chicken pieces. Drop rounded large spoonfuls of dough on top of creamy mixture, leaving as much space between them as you can. It will make 8 to 9 dumplings. Do not push them into the sauce. They should be about half submerged. Cover and continue cooking 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time. Serve in wide bowls, sprinkled with parsley if you like.