Just when you think classic chicken and dumplings can't get any better, we introduce cornbread to the mix. This hearty, warm soup makes great leftovers so you can enjoy it again and again throughout the week.
Chicken
3 skinned, bone-in chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lb.)
6 skinned and boned chicken thighs (about 1 lb.)
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
½ teaspoon poultry seasoning
½ pound carrots, sliced
½ pound parsnips, sliced
4 celery ribs, sliced
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 (10 ¾-oz.) cans cream of chicken soup
1 (32-oz.) container chicken broth
Cornbread Dumplings
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup self-rising yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Prepare Chicken: Rub chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Place breasts in a 6-qt. slow cooker; top with thighs. Add carrots and next 3 ingredients. Whisk together soup and broth until smooth. Pour soup mixture over vegetables. Cover and cook on HIGH 3 ½ hours or until chicken shreds easily with a fork. Remove chicken; cool 10 minutes. Bone and shred chicken. Stir chicken into soup-and-vegetable mixture. Cover and cook on HIGH 1 hour or until boiling.
Prepare Dumplings: Whisk together flour and next 3 ingredients. Make a well in center of mixture. Add milk, butter, thyme, and parsley to dry ingredients, gently stirring just until moistened.
Drop dough by ¼ cupfuls into simmering chicken mixture, leaving about ¼-inch space between dumplings. Cover and cook on HIGH 30 to 35 minutes or until dumplings have doubled in size.
