Spread cream of chicken soup on top of raw chicken breasts, in addition to 3 ingredients, into slow cooker for a comforting bowl that I crave week after week

This is the kind of slow cooker chicken and dumplings I lean on when the wind rattles the windows and I’m too tired to fuss with much more than a can opener. It’s a true shortcut, born of those practical Midwestern kitchens where cream-of soups and biscuit dough were pantry staples. You simply lay raw chicken breasts in the slow cooker, spread cream of chicken soup right over the top, add just three more simple ingredients, and let the day take care of the rest. By suppertime, the chicken is tender, the broth is creamy, and the dumplings puff up soft and comforting—just the sort of bowl I find myself craving week after week.

Serve these shortcut chicken and dumplings in wide soup bowls so you can catch plenty of broth and dumpling in each spoonful. A simple green vegetable—like steamed peas, buttered green beans, or a tossed salad—adds a bit of color and freshness alongside. Warm dinner rolls or a slice of buttered white bread are nice for soaking up the last of the gravy-like broth. For a cozy finish, a small dish of applesauce or sliced fresh fruit keeps the meal feeling homey without much extra work.

Servings: 4

1.5 to 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3–4 medium breasts)

Place the raw chicken breasts in a single layer on the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker. They can overlap slightly if needed, but try to keep them mostly flat so they cook evenly.

Open the cans of cream of chicken soup. Using a spoon or spatula, spread the soup directly over the tops of the raw chicken breasts, covering them from end to end. It will look thick at this stage, but it will loosen as it cooks.

Pour the chicken broth around the edges and over the soup-covered chicken, letting it settle into the slow cooker. Sprinkle the poultry seasoning (or dried thyme) evenly over the top.

Cover the slow cooker with the lid and cook on LOW for 5 to 6 hours, or on HIGH for 2.5 to 3 hours, until the chicken is very tender and easy to shred with a fork.

Once the chicken is cooked, use two forks to shred it right in the slow cooker, stirring it into the creamy broth and soup mixture until well combined.

Open the can of refrigerated biscuit dough. On a cutting board, cut each biscuit into 4 small pieces to make bite-size dumplings.

Gently stir the biscuit pieces into the hot chicken mixture, making sure they are mostly submerged in the liquid so they can cook through and puff up.

Cover the slow cooker again and cook on HIGH for 45 to 60 minutes, without lifting the lid during the first 30 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through in the center and no longer doughy. They will look puffed and slightly glossy on top.

Give everything a gentle stir to coat the dumplings with the creamy sauce. Taste and add a pinch of salt and black pepper if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

For extra flavor and color, you can add 1 to 2 cups of frozen mixed vegetables (such as peas and carrots) or just frozen peas during the last 30 minutes of cooking, when you add the biscuit dumplings. If you prefer darker meat, substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the breasts; they stay especially moist and shred beautifully. To stretch the meal for a larger family, increase the broth by 1 cup and add an extra half can of cream of chicken soup if you have it on hand, then use a second can of biscuits for more dumplings. For a richer, more old-fashioned taste, stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter at the end until melted. If you like a little herbiness, add a teaspoon of dried parsley or a pinch of rubbed sage along with the poultry seasoning. Those watching sodium can choose low-sodium cream of chicken soup and broth, then season to taste at the end. Leftovers thicken as they sit, so you may want to stir in a splash of broth or milk when reheating to bring back that cozy, spoonable texture.