A warm bowl of chicken and dumplings can turn a regular weeknight into a cozy Sunday afternoon. This is a humble dish with comforting flavors in each bite.
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Make Cracke Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
If we are eating at Cracker Barrel, we are ordering their chicken and Dumplings every single time. It’s one of my family's favorites, which is exactly why I decided to make it at home. After a few rounds of testing with my favorite recipe developer, this chicken and dumplings landed exactly where we wanted it.
I might be biased, but this version tastes even better to us than the Cracke Barrel one, and I love the fact that I can control the sauce thickness and how much chicken to serve in each bowl.
Ingredients
Pro Tip
It’s really easy to want to add a ton of seasonings to this, but Cracker Barrel’s Chicken and Dumplings are very basic. Here, just a touch of seasoning is added for a delicious dish.
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
Chicken:
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil ($0.33)
- 1 yellow onion chopped ($0.80)
- 2 teaspoons salt divided ($0.06)
- 1 teaspoon garlic minced ($0.08)
- 1 ½ pounds chicken breasts about 2 ($4.5)
- 2 cups chicken broth ($1.00)
- 1 ½ cups water
Dumplings:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour scoop and level (280g) ($0.56)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder ($0.1)
- 4 Tablespoons cold butter cubed (56g) ($0.52)
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature (180ml) ($0.52)
- ½ teaspoon ground sage ($0.1)
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed ($0.1)
- ⅛ teaspoon dried thyme ($0.0125)
- ½ teaspoon pepper ($0.08)
- Extra flour for dusting
Instructions
- In a large braiser pan or dutch oven, I like to use a 5 qt. Heat up olive oil over medium heat and add the onions. Add 1 teaspoon of salt while cooking the onions and cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds.
- Add the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts.
- Lower heat to medium low and simmer until the chicken breasts are fully cooked throughout and the internal temperature is 165°F. Cooking the chicken on a lower heat ensures the juiciest chicken and keeps it from drying out.
Prepare the Dumplings:
- Whisk together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Cut in the cold butter using a pastry cutter or clean hands until crumbly.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix until a soft sticky dough forms.
- Dump the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out to about ⅛-inch thickness. Cut into rectangles using a knife or pizza cutter.
- Lightly dust dumplings with flour, this will help thicken the sauce later when they’re cooking as well as keep them from sticking. Allow the dumplings to rest for a few minutes.
Shred the Chicken:
- Check the chicken is done and then carefully remove chicken breasts from the pot leaving the onions and broth in the pot.
- Using two forks or a sharp knife, chop/shred the chicken.
- Return the chicken back into the broth. The chicken should be partially submerged in broth. If needed, add a ¼ cup more chicken broth before cooking the dumplings.
- Add sage, celery seed, thyme and pepper. Bring broth to a gentle simmer.
Cooking the dumplings:
- Drop dumplings into the simmering broth one at a time, spacing out so they do not fully overlap.
- Cover and cook for 12 minutes.
- Then uncover and cook for additional 10 to 15 minutes, allowing the sauce to thicken.
- The dumplings should be set and the broth should transform into a thick, creamy sauce.
- Do not aggressively stir. If needed, gently nudge the dumplings around the edge
- The dumplings, chicken should be wrapped in a creamy sauce when done.
Notes
- Add seasonings before the dumplings for best flavor distribution. If you forget, you can add them after and gently stir.
- It’s vital to cover the dumplings tightly for the first 12 minutes, this allows them to steam and cook. Taking the cover off thereafter, allows the liquid to reduce and thicken.
- Lightly dusting the dumplings helps naturally thicken the broth.
This dish similar to Cracker Barrels is simple and comforting. Go easy on the seasonings. - The buttermilk should be room temperature so the dough comes together easily.
Nutrition
How to Make Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
1- Start by sautéing your onions in olive oil with a pinch of salt until they are soft and fragrant. Stir in the minced garlic for just a few seconds before adding your chicken, broth, and water to the pot.
2- Simmer the chicken breasts on medium-low heat until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F. Once cooked, remove the chicken to shred it with two forks before sliding it back into the seasoned broth.
3- To make the dumplings, whisk your dry ingredients together and cut in cold butter until the mixture looks crumbly. Stir in the buttermilk to form a soft dough, then roll it out thin and cut it into small rectangles.
4- Dust the dough pieces with a little extra flour and let them rest for a few minutes. This extra flour is the secret to creating that thick, signature creamy sauce as the dumplings cook. Put the shredded chicken back in the pot.
5- Gently drop the dumplings into the simmering pot and cover tightly to steam for twelve minutes. Finish by simmering uncovered for a few more minutes until the sauce is rich and the dumplings are perfectly set.
FAQs
The edges of the dumplings should puff slightly and look less doughy on the edges. The broth becomes more creamy and thicker.
When you cut one dumpling open there is no raw flour center. They puff slightly and look less doughy on the edges
The chicken and broth can be frozen but it’s best to make the dumplings the same day that you are serving. Allow the chicken and broth to thaw in your refrigerator overnight and then add it to your dutch oven over medium low heat to a simmer. Continue with the recipe card for making the dumplings.
Leftover chicken dumplings can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Gently reheat in your microwave or skillet. You may want to add a little bit of water or chicken broth if it’s very thick to loosen the sauce, however it will thin out once it starts to warm.
Add diced carrots or celery when you add the onions to the pot for a classic chicken soup base.
Use rotisserie chicken in place of cooking the chicken. Shred the chicken up and add 3 cups of chicken.
Add a splash of cream at the end for a richer sauce.
Stir in fresh parsley for a pop of color.
More Cracker Barrel Copycat Recipes
- Cracker Barrel Meatloaf.
- Cracker Barrel Chicken Tenders.
- Cracker Barrel Chicken and Rice.
- Cracker Barrel Biscuits.
- Cracker Barrel Fried Apples.
- Cracker Barrel Pancakes.
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