Cracker Barrel Inspired Chicken & Dumplings
There are a ton of chicken and dumplings recipes out there, but none ever compare to my favorite. Cracker Barrel Inspired Chicken & Dumplings is just like the one you can get at the restaurant, but you don't have to leave home to get it.
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken
- 3 carrots, cut up
- 1 yellow onion, minced
- 4 stalks of celery, chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 2 teaspoons sage
- pepper, to taste
- pinch salt
- 5 quarts water
- 3 cups strained stock
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 2 celery ribs, chopped
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon sage
- For Dumplings:
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons crisco
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped or 1 tablespoon of dill weed
- 1 1/4 cup milk
Instructions
- Simmer all stock ingredients in water for about 45 minutes.
- Remove chicken from pot and cool until able to handle. Skin and bone chicken and cut or tear into small pieces.
- Strain stock reserving 3 cups or so.
- Add chicken and ingredients list for soup. Bring to a simmer while you are preparing the dumplings.
- Dumplings can either be made with Bisquick or you make them with the ingredients listed above.
- Mix dry ingredients and cut in Crisco, using a pastry blender or two knives.
- Add parsley or dill and stir milk in with a wooden fork. Do not overmix.
- Drop by large spoonfuls on top of the simmering soup. Simmer 5 minutes with the lid off, then cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes longer. Serve immediately.
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munsonnv 9725563
Jan 21, 2014
This recipe is NOT like CB I have included a recipe for Chicken and Dumplings that is a copy of CB They do not use additional stock and the dumplings are rolled and cut Then the dumplings slowly disolve to thicken the broth They also add fresh not bottled lemon juice to liven the flavor Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings Recipe Chicken and Broth quarts water - pound chicken cut up teaspoons salt small onion sliced stalks celery chopped clove garlic peeled and quartered bay leaf - whole parsley leaves teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper tablespoon lemon juice Dumplings cups all purpose flour tablespoon baking powder teaspoons of salt cup plus tablespoons milk Bring the water to a boil in a large pot Add the chicken teaspoon of salt onion celery garlic bay leaf and parsley to the pot Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken uncovered for hours…Read More The liquid will reduce by about one third When the chicken has cooked remove it from the pot and set it aside Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum You only want the stock and the chicken so toss everything else out Pour quarts cups of the stock back into the pot keep the leftover stock if any for another recipe-it can be frozen You may also want to use a smaller pot or a large saucepan for this Add coarsely ground pepper the remaining teaspoon of salt and the lemon juice then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the dumplings For dumplings combine the flour baking powder teaspoons salt and milk in a medium bowl Stir well until smooth then let the dough rest for - minutes Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a inch thickness Cut the dough into inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock Use all of the dough The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy Simmer for - minutes until thick Stir often While the stock is thickening the chicken will have become cool enough to handle Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin Cut the chicken meat into bite-size or a little bigger than bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot Discard the skin and bones Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another - minutes but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart You want big chunks of chicken in the end When the gravy has reached the desired consistency ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables if desired
Rjpanko 9338532
Jul 20, 2013
This is NOT Cracker Barrel chicken And dumplings. They should be rolled and cut into squares. Dropped into hot broth until they come go the top. Just the way my grandmother made them.
ema39
Jul 04, 2013
This person has never eaten dumplings at a Cracker Barrel. While the broth being used is likely quite good and similar to what is used to make dumplings at a Cracker Barrel, the retaurant uses nothing but white meat in the prepared dish. Further, the dumplings are rolled, never ever served as "dropped dumplings". Shame on anyone who claims to duplicate a recipe and instead touts their own recipe.
Lynalive 0326508
May 06, 2013
This is not even close to the Cracker Barrel recipe. I have been making it for years andI thought they used My grandmothers recipe! Lol. But not this one!
Member 8195154
Feb 10, 2013
the kind of dumplins at Cracker Barrel are rolled and sliced. That's what I grew up on and the way I prefer it. I'm not fond of drop dumplings unless they're small enough to soak the broth all the way through.
shasha 9234313
Jan 28, 2013
I have been making chicken and dumplins for years and I have the easiest recipe! cook chicken in water, debone and put back in broth. In bowl put 3 cups of self rising flour make well in center, add 1 and 1/2 cups of HOT broth, mix with fork, roll out, cut in strips and drop in hot broth. I usually add a can of cream of chicken soup, and 1 stick of margarine, salt pepper cover stiring every so often. the dumplings will cook after about 30 min. on med to low! they are great!
mariposa1011 50881 28
Jan 22, 2013
Way to much sage! The dumplings can be rolled instead of dropped and the vegetables are a nice addition, but 2 1/2 tsp of sage completely overpowers the dish.
Craftygrandma31
Dec 06, 2012
I agree with the other ladies. This recipe is nothing like their dumplings. I eat their dumplings everytime I got there and theirs are rolled out dumplings, not drop ones. Doubt if I would eat the drop ones as I prefer the rolled out dumplings like my mother & grandmother made before me!
pattijoeris 191683 2
Aug 18, 2012
Maby this is what they told you thier receipeis but the real dish served up at the cracker barrel in virginia beach was not fit to eat even the hogs left it
Member 8195154
Feb 10, 2013
I think their key word is "inspired", which is how they're getting away with this. Rolled dough is the only way to go.
Master Editor
Feb 20, 2012
Thank you everyone for your feedback, this was a reader-submitted recipe with their interpretation of what the Cracker Barrel dumplings were like. This is why the recipes is just "inspired by". This recipe is by no means a direct copy of the Cracker Barrel recipe. We appreciate the suggestions and we updated the ingredients to make "dumpling recipe" more clear. Also using a "rolled" recipe for the dumplings can be substituted to make more authentic. Thanks again and sorry for any confusion.
kentucky blossom
Feb 19, 2012
I am sorry, this is nothing like Cracker Barrel's chicken and dumplings. First of all, there are no vegetables in the dish. Secondly, the dumplings are rolled dumplings and are not dropped by the spoonful in the pot. This may be her recipe but it is not even remotely the same as Cracker Barrel's which is the authentic southern way of making this dish.
Shrimpsdesk 585002 9
Feb 19, 2012
Oh my goodness! I must agree with member 6912932...Does the second half of this recipe begin with carrots again.....This recipe is poorly composed and direction poorly explained....
Member 6912932
Feb 19, 2012
Where does the soup begin and the dumplings begin? I have to agree with Chale6514 that this is not from the Cracker Barrel.
chale6514 3690262
Feb 19, 2012
I've eaten chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel and the don't contain carrots, celery or that other junk. To me the ingredients in the recipe above IS NOT chicken and dumplings. I like chicken and dumplings the way my grandmother made them and that is how I make them. It is just chicken and dumplings made from flour, crisco and milk. I roll my dumplings out and drop them in the water while the chicken is boiling. I cut the chicken up into bite size pieces before I cook them. That is old fashioned chicken and dumplings. I'm a Texan and the old fashioned way is the only way I have or will eat chicken and dumplings.
littlebitz1025 181 5953
Jan 29, 2012
I think there is a lack of seperation of ingredients what is for stock, filling etc I love to cook, and I am a recipe junkie but there is a lack of what goes where in this dish....
debenedittislinda 1889739
Jan 11, 2012
Cracker Barrel's Dumplings are not a "drop dumpling"; they are a rolled out dumpling that is cut into strips and then dropped into the broth while stirring to assure they cook and do not stick together.
usslci680
Jan 12, 2012
Correct! Thats the best part of it. Just like 'Nana' Made. Extra...The ingredients for the dumplings are confusing??? DustyDal
dmatthews109 19504 33
Jan 29, 2012
So are these to be rolled out instead? I grew up with both kinds but like the rolled out better.
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