Chicken and Dumplings Like Cracker Barrel’s

  • Prep Time: 1 hrs
  • Total Time: 3 hrs
  • Serves: 6-8,Yield: 1.0batch

    • About This Recipe

    “This tastes just like Cracker Barrel’s, if you have ever tried it. From book “Old Fashioned Country Cooking” found at Cracker Barrel.”

    Ingredients

  • 1 (3 -6lb)frying chickens( any whole chicken will do)
  • 2quartswater
  • 2teaspoonssalt
  • 1/2 teaspoonpepper( I use coarse ground and double it)
  • 2cupsall-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoonsalt
  • 3tablespoonsshortening( I use Crisco sticks)
  • 3/4 cupbuttermilk( I add 1 tbsp. vinegar to 1 cup milk let sit 5 minutes, then measure 3/4 cup)

    • Directions

  • Place chicken in a Dutch oven.Add water and 2 teaspoons salt.Bring to a boil.
  • Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender (should almost fall off bone).
  • Remove the chicken from the broth and cool.Bone the chicken and cut meat into bite-sized pieces.
  • Bring the broth to a boil and add pepper.
  • Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.Cut in the shortening.Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until moistened.
  • Knead the dough 4 to 5 times (never done), and pat to 1/2-inch pieces and drop into boiling broth (I do not pat it out, just pinch off pieces).Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Stir in the chicken and serve. I make it in the pressure cooker, much quicker and easier.
  • I pressure it for only 30 minutes.
  • It can also be done in the crockpot with 3-4 cups water but someone has that book so at this time I cannot give cooking times.
  • Good Luck! Hope you enjoy.

    • Reviews

  • “This was very good all of my familey loved it.I added 2 diced stalks of celery,2 diced carrots and 1 small onion diced to the water and chicken befor it was cooked for extra flavor.”

  • “I’ve been trying different chicken and dumpling recipes for years, usually with disappointment, but this one is fantastic.I actually worked for Cracker Barrel and can say that these come extremely close.I added onion, extra salt, pepper and thyme, which I love, and the recipe turned out perfectly.One tip, after rolling the dough out 1/2 inch thick, I used a pizza cutter to cut it into squares.I like my dumplings on the thin side and these were wonderful.”

  • “I made this tonight and it was fantastic!! My kids loved it too. I added carrots and celery also. This recipe is a keeper!!”

  • “I didn’t eat them because I’m on a diet. These comments are my husband’s and neighbor’s. It’s not as good as Cracker Barrell. But it is good.”

  • “I altered this recipe a little for my convenience. I bought a rotisserie chicken and de-boned it instead of boiling my own. So then I had to make my own broth using “better than broth” with 2 quarts of water. I also used margarine instead of shortening for the dumplings. It truly does taste just like Cracker Barrel’s and I love theirs. So thank you hcopeland for this recipe I have sent it on to many otherfriends.”

  • “This was fantastic!! The dumplings are soft, yet firm enough to have good texture. The gravy was nice and thick. I made my usual chicken stock with a chicken, one gallon of water, one bunch of celery, 3 large onions AND skins halved, 3 crushed garlic cloves, 2 Tsp. of salt, and 2 Tsp. of peppercorns. I doubled the dumpling recipe (since I doubled the broth). I kneaded the dough as directed, and patted it out on a floured counter to about 1/4″ thickness and then cut 1″ x 1 1/2″ strips. Placed them all into the boiling stock (that everything else was removed from), reduced the temp as directed, and cooked for 10 mins. w/the cover cocked to allow some steam to leave. It was FANTASTIC and a definite keeper. (It was so good I joined the site! LOL) Thank you for this recipe.”

  • “I am rating this on the dumplings mostly because I added celery, carrots, onions, green beans and peas to the soup.We loved the dumplings.I tore off little pieces like one reviewer suggested and they were perfect.I am making them a second time today and this time added some cajon seasoning salt for the salt called for.Thanks for a great recipe.”

  • “I normally make chicken and homemade egg noodles, and my family loves them, but DH wanted dumplings like his grandma made, and he loves Cracker Barrels, so I tried this recipe and he was very happy with it. I made exactly as written with one exception, I added one Knorr chicken stock container. I will keep using this recipe!! Thanks H for posting!!”

  • “Very yummy! I roll out and cut the dumplings like the Cracker Barrel does. I just use diced chicken or turkey, celery, carrots, onion, seasonings and low sodium chicken stock in a box to save time. Thank you for posting!”

  • “I did add carrots and onion, and celery to my homemade chicken broth, then strained.I did also mash the carrots and return to clear broth, and then added pepper.Otherwise folled completely as instructed, and turned out a pot pf creamy broth with chicken and light firm dumplings, which I had cooked for 20 minutes instead of the ten.Great recipe except I thought that the dumpling itself could use a touch more salt, so next time I will put in close to a teaspoon.Good recipe.”

  • “My family goes nuts over these dumplings! I do have some special things I do to the rest of the recipe. Definitely a keeper!
    1.Cook a whole chicken, made the broth from the stock (used soup base to add flavor)
    2. Lightly pan fried chicken breasts (then cubed them), for the broth used the Tones chicken soup base from Sam’s (that is my personal favorite). I always taste the broth a lot to make sure it is right…. I have found this recipe is best when done with just a few ingredients. We also really like to add frozen mixed veggies. :-)”

  • “I made this on 8/7/08,and I’m so sorry it wan’t rated till today.Before when I’ve made chicken and dumplings,canned biscuit were used.But after making these,never again.I used a butter flavored shortening and it seemed to work just fine,gave the dumplings a very nice buttery taste.Instead of using a whole chicken,I used 2 large bone-in chicken breast with the skin left on.And then I continued with the rest of the recipe as it was written.My SO and I both enjoyed the taste.Thank you for posting and “Keep Smiling :)””

  • “This recipe was fabulous.First time I’ve ever made dumplings from scratch instead of using baking mix and it was soooo worth the effort!My husband swears this was just as good as his very Southern grandmother used to make.Thanks so much for sharing, I will certainly make this again.”

  • “Loved this…These dumplings were wonderful and so simple to do. This is my first attempt at making this and everyone loved it. I was worried about the dumplings since they were very sticky. I just pinched hunks off and dropped them in the pot and they were perfect. Thank you for posting this great recipe.”

  • “Absolutely wonderful! I pinched off the dough instead of rolling it (easier that way)”

  • “Fantastic recipe.Like many others here, I have been looking for a good “CnD” recipe for quite some time.My own changes:I added celery, onions, carrots, and fresh thyme with the chicken to add extra flavor for the broth.I discarded the veggies and thyme I used for the broth, but sauted (crisp tender) extra in some butter (yum!) to add to the broth right before I dropped in the dumpling dough. I doubled the pepper as suggested in the recipe, but it was too much for my family.I think using course ground pepper makes a difference, so I definitely suggest using it, but I would stick with 1/2 tsp at first.You can always adjust the pepper the next time you make this.And there WILL be a next time! :o)”

  • “I made this on a cool, rainy day and it was a wonderful, homey tummy-warmer.Very good flavor and very close to Cracker Barrel’s.Thanks for sharing!”

  • “This is a great recipe! I am no where near domesticated, and do not have too much experience with cooking, so when this recipe turned out as great as it did, with little to no effort, I was shocked! I don’t think it is exactly like Cracker Barrels, but it comes pretty darn close.”

  • “Makes awesome chicken and dumplings. My husband loves them he says they are the closest he has seen to Cracker Barrel and he loves them there always get the Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and double dumplins when he goes there. Quite a compliment coming from him, I just follow the recipe.”

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