Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Slow-cook the chicken and broth
- Place the boneless skinless chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Arrange them so they sit mostly in a single layer for even cooking.
- Add the sliced onion and minced garlic to the slow cooker. Spread them around the chicken so the flavor gets into the broth.
- Pour in the chicken broth and add the cream of chicken soup. Stir just enough to start combining, without worrying about fully smoothing.
- Sprinkle in the garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Give a gentle stir so the seasonings disperse through the liquid.
- Cover and cook on low for 5–6 hours until the chicken is very tender. The visual cue is that the chicken shreds easily when pierced with a fork.
Shred and add pierogies
- Remove the chicken from the slow cooker and shred with two forks. Keep the juices in the cooker so the stew stays flavorful.
- Add the frozen potato and cheese pierogies to the broth and stir to submerge. The visual cue is that the pierogies start to float and become glossy.
- Return the shredded chicken to the slow cooker, cover, and cook on high for 30–40 minutes. Cook until the pierogies are cooked through with no icy centers.
Finish and serve
- Stir in the sour cream until the broth looks creamy and evenly colored. The visual cue is a thicker, velvety stew texture.
- Sprinkle the shredded cheddar cheese over the top, cover, and let it sit for 5 minutes. The visual cue is melted cheddar pooling across the surface.
- Serve hot and garnish with fresh chives and extra sour cream. The visual cue is bright green chives on top and swirl-ready sour cream.
Notes
For thicker stew, stir the sour cream in only after the pierogies are tender so the dairy doesn’t break. Refrigerate leftovers in a sealed container for up to 4 days; reheat gently until steaming. Freezing is not recommended because pierogies can become softer after thawing. For a gluten-free swap, use gluten-free pierogies and gluten-free cream of chicken soup.