Prepare the Base: Lightly grease the inside of your slow cooker crock (a 6-quart or larger model is ideal). Add the chopped onion, sliced/diced carrots, and sliced/diced celery to the bottom of the slow cooker, creating an aromatic bed for the chicken.

Add Chicken and Seasonings: Place the boneless, skinless chicken pieces on top of the vegetables. Pour the low-sodium chicken broth over the chicken and vegetables. Add the minced garlic, dried thyme, dried rosemary, dried sage, black pepper, and salt. Gently stir to distribute the seasonings, ensuring the chicken is mostly submerged in the broth. Tuck the bay leaves into the liquid.

Incorporate Creaminess: Spoon the condensed cream of chicken soup over the chicken and broth. Do not stir it in vigorously at this stage; it will meld into the sauce as it cooks.

Slow Cook: Cover the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours. The chicken should be very tender and cooked through. Cooking on low is generally preferred for the most tender results and to prevent the chicken from drying out.

Shred the Chicken: About 30-45 minutes before the end of the cooking time, carefully remove the chicken pieces from the slow cooker and place them on a clean cutting board or in a large bowl. Using two forks, shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. It should shred very easily if cooked properly.

Return Chicken to Crockpot: Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker. Stir it gently into the broth and vegetable mixture. This is a good time to taste the broth and adjust seasonings if necessary. If you prefer a thicker gravy, this is when you would add the cornstarch slurry (2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water). Stir the slurry in and allow it to cook with the dumplings.

Prepare and Add Dumplings: Open the can of refrigerated biscuit dough. Separate the biscuits. You can either add them whole for very large dumplings, or cut each biscuit into quarters for smaller, more numerous dumplings (recommended for better distribution and cooking). Drop the biscuit pieces one by one on top of the simmering chicken mixture in the slow cooker. Try to arrange them in a single layer as much as possible, ensuring they are resting on top of the liquid and chicken, not fully submerged.

Cook the Dumplings: Replace the lid on the slow cooker. It’s important not to lift the lid while the dumplings are cooking, as this releases steam and can make them heavy. Cook on HIGH for another 30-45 minutes, or until the dumplings are puffed up, cooked through, and no longer doughy in the center. You can test one by inserting a toothpick; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

Rest and Serve: Once the dumplings are cooked, turn off the slow cooker. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Let the chicken and dumplings rest for about 5-10 minutes with the lid slightly ajar. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly more and the dumplings to set.

Garnish and Serve: Ladle the Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings into bowls, ensuring each serving gets a generous amount of chicken, vegetables, gravy, and dumplings. Garnish with freshly chopped parsley, if desired, for a touch of color and freshness. Serve hot and enjoy this ultimate comfort food!