Pour cream of chicken soup over raw chicken breasts, along with 3 other ingredients, into slow cooker for a cozy bowl of goodness that's the first thing I suggest

This slow cooker Amish-style chicken and dumplings is the kind of supper that makes the whole house feel like a hug. It starts just the way my mother and the church ladies would have loved: raw chicken breasts laid right in the slow cooker, a can of cream of chicken soup poured over the top, and just three other simple pantry staples to bring it all together. In the Midwest, especially out in farm country, we’ve always leaned on slow cookers and a handful of ingredients to stretch a busy day into a cozy evening meal. This is the first thing I suggest when someone wants real comfort with almost no fuss—just fix it, forget it, and come back to tender chicken and fluffy dumplings in a creamy gravy.

Serve this chicken and dumplings in warm bowls with a sprinkle of black pepper and a little chopped parsley, if you have it. It’s lovely with buttered peas or green beans, a simple side salad, or some sliced fresh tomatoes in summer. A pan of cornbread or a few dinner rolls on the table never hurts, and a dish of applesauce on the side adds that old-fashioned Midwestern touch. Finish the meal with something simple, like sliced fruit or a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and you’ve got a Sunday-style supper any night of the week.

Servings: 6

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Place the raw chicken breasts in an even layer on the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker. This is your foundation, so nestle them in so they’re mostly flat and touching the bottom.

In a bowl or measuring pitcher, whisk together the cream of chicken soup, chicken broth, and dried thyme until fairly smooth. It doesn’t have to be perfect, just well combined.

Pour the soup mixture evenly over the raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker, making sure all the chicken is covered. This is the cozy, creamy blanket that will turn into your gravy.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 4–5 hours, or on HIGH for about 2–3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easily shreds with a fork.

Once the chicken is cooked, use two forks to shred it right in the slow cooker, stirring it into the creamy sauce so it’s well mixed.

Open the can of refrigerated biscuit dough. On a cutting board, cut each biscuit into 4–6 small pieces, depending on how big you like your dumplings.

Gently stir the biscuit pieces into the hot chicken and gravy mixture, making sure they’re mostly submerged in the liquid but not packed tightly together.

Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 45–60 minutes, without lifting the lid if you can help it, until the dumplings are puffed, cooked through in the center, and no longer doughy.

Give everything a gentle stir, taste the gravy, and add salt and pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve warm.

For a heartier, more traditional farmhouse feel, you can add 1–2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables (like peas and carrots) over the chicken before you pour on the soup mixture; just keep in mind this adds ingredients beyond the basic five. If you prefer a thicker, stick-to-your-ribs gravy, reduce the chicken broth to 1 1/2 cups. For a bit more old-country flavor, swap the dried thyme for a mix of dried parsley and a pinch of poultry seasoning. If you don’t have biscuit dough, you can stir together a simple drop dumpling batter from scratch and spoon it over the hot chicken and gravy for the last hour of cooking. To lighten things up a bit, use reduced-fat cream of chicken soup and slice the chicken breasts in half horizontally so they cook a touch faster and shred more easily. Leftovers reheat well on the stove with a splash of extra broth or milk to loosen the sauce, making this a good recipe to double for busy weeks or to share with neighbors.