Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I have recently fallen in love with my Crock Pot.  She is shiny red and has been incredibly underused since her entry into my life.  Neglected no more :)  I have no idea why I didn't recognize the beauty of Crock-Pot cooking until recently; it is fast, easy, no fuss cooking, and it has changed my life for the better!  My roommate called me today on her way home from Missoula and indicated that my presence is requested downtown tonight to celebrate Halloween.....I don't have a costume.  Thankfully, I had started my first Chicken and Dumplings attempt this morning, so I have been able to spend the day making my last-minute costume and doing some much needed laundry.

It's been super windy and cold in Billings today, so Chicken and Dumplings sounds perfectly delightful for dinner tonight.  I found the recipe on Pinterest (if you don't know this site, you must request an invite immediately -- it is an amazing website!).  I made a couple of changes to the original recipe.  I added cubed butternut squash, potatoes, and 1/2 cup of Sauvignon Blanc -- my fave.  Other add-ins, such as sweet potatoes, peas, etc., would also be delicious. Here it goes:

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (I used 4 from Costco -- so they were pretty large)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup
1-2 cans Chicken Broth, depending on how soupy you like your chick and dumplings
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon dried Parsley
4 Grands flaky refrigerator biscuits
Cubed butternut squash -- not sure on the amount here, I bought pre-cut  squash from Costco
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

This recipe is SO easy.  First, place the chicken in the crock pot.  Put the pad of butter on top of the chicken.  Add the 2 cans Cream of Chicken Soup, 1 can chicken broth, onions, potatoes, and parsley.  I added the butternut squash at the beginning, but I will not do this next time as it got a little mushy.  I will add the squash after 1 hour of cooking next time.  Cover and cook on high 4-6 hours.  Mine was done in about 5 hours. After cooking time has elapsed and the chicken is done, take a fork and break the chicken up into pieces.  Add the wine, and also add extra chicken broth at this time if your dish needs more liquid.  (I ran out of broth, since I only bought one can, so I added 1 cup water with a chicken bouillon cube.  Next, cut the biscuits into 9 pieces (3 X 3 grid).  Stir into the hot chicken mixture and continue to cook for 30 minutes.  Serve hot!

This dish was absolutely delightful!  The wine definitely added a nice fruity touch, and the butternut squash fit perfectly with the other ingredients.  Using Grands biscuits is so much easier than making biscuits from scratch, and they make perfect dumplings in this recipe!  My boyfriend and roommate indulged with me, and they both thought the dish was absolutely delicious.  This recipe is a must-try, friends.  It is so easy and inexpensive!! It will be made again and again in my household for years to come.  Happy cooking!!!