This is a recreate of Cracker Barrel recipe and a taste of southern comfort food in your home. Tender chicken, pillowy homemade dumplings and a complex, flavorful broth combine for a hearty dish that’s perfect for chilly nights. With some basic staple ingredients and a bit of care, you will be able to replicate the bold, wholesome flavors that make this beloved dish so irresistible.

Why You’re Going to Love This Chicken and Dumplings Recipe:

Comfort in a Bowl: All the tenderness of chicken, dumplings and flavorful broth becomes pure comfort food in every bite.

Quick and Simple: With regular ingredients and uncomplicated instructions, this recipe brings home that Cracker Barrel flavor.

Hearty and Filling: This dish is hearty and filling, with a rich broth, fluffy chicken and tender dumplings — nearly ideal for family dinners.

Cheap: Thanks to a few bulk pantry staples — flour, milk and chicken broth — this recipe yields something hearty and filling and low-cost.

Key Ingredients:

Chicken Broth: You want a good quality chicken broth here as this is the base of the flavor of the dish. Uses homemade or low-sodium broth to control saltiness.

Celery and Onion: The flavor base of the broth — hearty underpinning without stealing the show. You can add additional vegetables if you like, like carrots, to lend a little sweetness.

All-Purpose Flour: The base of the dumplings, combined with baking powder for the right amount of rise and texture.

Self-Rising Flour (optional): This leavening agent gives the dumplings a soft, tender texture without being too heavy.

Milk: Milk is added to the dumpling dough to provide moisture and creaminess for tender, delicious dumplings.

Butter (Optional): A little butter added at the end, though, will give you a richer, silkier broth that pushes the dish over the edge.

You can find out how to make it in the card below.

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Instructions:

Prepare the Broth

Simmer the Broth: Place the chicken broth, celery and onion in a large stockpot (or Dutch oven) and simmer over medium heat. This will add more flavor to the broth.

Simmer the Chicken: Add chicken breasts to simmering broth and cook until tender, 15 minutes. Take the chicken out of the pot and let the meat cool, then shred it into bite-size pieces. Reserve the shredded chicken.

Prepare the Dumplings

Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and 1 teaspoon of salt, stirring well to combine.

Wet Ingredients: Add milk little by little to dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. If the batter is too liquid, add more flour; if too dense, add milk until you get a soft but not sticky batter.

Cook the Dumplings

Roll Out the Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and roll out to ¼ inch thick. You will need to cut the dough into small squares or rectangles, approximately 1-2 inches.

Simmer the Dumplings: Return the pot of broth to a very gentle simmer. Add the dumplings one by one, stirring to keep them from sticking. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes, until dumplings are soft and tender.

Finish the Dish

Add Approach Chicken: Once dumplings are finished, returned shredded chicken to the pot. Mix to combine and allow to heat through.

Taste and Adjust Seasoning: Taste the broth, adjusting salt and pepper to taste. (You can add 2 tablespoons of butter, if desired, for added richness.)

Garnish and Serve

Serve: Spoon the chicken and dumplings into bowls and garnish with shredded fresh herbs such as parsley or thyme for color and flavor.

Serving Suggestions:

Chicken and Dumplings is filling enough on its own, but here are some ideas for making a meal of it:

Crusty Bread: Serve with warm crusty bread, such as a baguette or dinner rolls, for dunking.

Side Salad: A fresh side salad dressed in a light vinaigrette refreshes the palate from the warmth and heaviness of the chicken and dumplings.

Roasted Vegetables: Served with roasted carrots, green beans or Brussels sprouts for color and nutrition.

Fruit Salad: A light fruit salad will be a sweet counterpoint to this savory dish.

Storage and Reheating Tips:

This Chicken and Dumplings recipe is a good ones for leftovers, and the flavors seem to meld even more as it sits.

Storage: Let the dish cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Refrigerate for up to 3 days.

Freezing: The dish is freezable, though the texture of the dumplings may change a bit. Freeze in an airtight container, 1 to 2 months. Defrost in the fridge overnight and reheat.

Reheat: Heat on the stove, over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until heated through. If it absorbed too much liquid during storage, add a splash of broth, or water.

Recipe Variations:

Herbed Dumplings: Increase the flavor by working in fresh or dried herbs — think thyme, parsley or rosemary right into the dumpling dough.

For a Creamier Broth: Stir in ½ cup heavy cream or milk with the broth in step 4.

Vegetables: Add diced carrots, peas or even mushrooms to broth, for flavor, texture and nutrients.

Spicy Chicken and Dumplings: For some heat, stir a few shakes of cayenne or crushed red pepper flakes into the broth, if you can handle the heat.

Time-Saving Rotisserie Chicken Shortcut: To really save time, use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of cooking chicken breasts.

Conclusion:

Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings is a comforting, nostalgic meal that combines the best of home cooking with barely any effort at all. It’s always a satisfying combination of rich broth, tender chicken and soft, pillowy dumplings. Using basic ingredients and easy steps, you can make this old-school dish at home yourself.

So here’s this recipe, I hope you give it a try, because the taste of traditional Chicken and Dumplings is cooking, right in your heart and I think it’s going to be one the family favorites!