Cracker Barrel–Style Chicken and Dumplings
I grew up with a bowl of chicken and dumplings simmering on the stove whenever the weather turned gray — it’s the kind of dish that hugs you. This Cracker Barrel–style version strips the process down to cozy essentials: a clear, savory chicken broth, pillowy rolled dumplings, and shredded chicken. It’s weeknight-friendly, family-approved, and hits that nostalgic comfort-food mark without a lot of fuss.
Why you’ll love this dish
This recipe gives you classic comfort with minimal ingredients and a straightforward technique. It’s budget-friendly (flour and milk do most of the heavy lifting), kid-approved (soft dumplings and mild chicken), and flexible: you can stretch it into extra servings or adapt flavors easily. Make it when you want something warming that doesn’t require babysitting for hours.
“Exactly the kind of homey, stick-to-your-ribs meal you crave on chilly nights — simple, nostalgic, and surprisingly fast.”
If you want a different take on home-cooked chicken staples, see a related chicken-and-broccoli nuggets idea for another kid-friendly dinner.
Step-by-step overview
Before you dive in, here’s what happens in this recipe:
- Build a simple broth: simmer chicken with celery and a halved onion for flavor.
- Make a basic drop/rolled dumpling dough with flour, baking powder, salt, and milk.
- Remove the chicken, discard aromatics, then simmer dumplings directly in the broth until tender.
- Shred the chicken and return it to the pot to warm through.
This gives you a clear roadmap so you know when to multitask (dough while chicken cooks) and what to expect.
Gather these items
- 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium preferred) — gives control over final saltiness.
- 2 celery ribs, broken into large pieces — for subtle aromatics.
- ½ medium onion, left whole — imparts savory depth, then discarded.
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved — cooks quickly and shreds easily.
- 3 cups all-purpose flour — the dumpling base.
- 1 tbsp baking powder — lifts the dumplings for a tender bite.
- 1¼ tsp salt (divided) — part in the dough, part for finishing.
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk — hydrates the dough; use whole or 2% for richness.
- Salt and pepper, to taste — finish the final pot.
Substitutions & notes: swap part of the broth for water if you want a lighter flavor, or use leftover cooked chicken to skip poaching. For gluten-free, try a 1:1 GF flour blend and reduce handling.
Step-by-step instructions
- Pour 6 cups chicken broth into a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the celery pieces and the halved onion.
- Nestle the halved chicken breasts into the liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- While the chicken simmers, make the dumpling dough: whisk 3 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1¼ tsp salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in 1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk gently until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough and roll it to roughly ¼-inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut strips or squares 1–2 inches wide.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Discard the celery and onion from the broth. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully drop the dumpling pieces into the simmering liquid, stirring gently to separate and distribute them.
- Simmer the dumplings for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. Test one for doneness—dumplings should be tender and cooked through.
- While dumplings cook, shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken back to the pot and warm through for a few minutes.
- Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve hot.
For a related comfort dinner idea, you can compare techniques with this homemade chicken and dumplings guide.
What you’ll need (quick reference)
- 6 cups chicken broth (low-sodium if preferred)
- 2 celery ribs, broken into large pieces
- ½ medium onion, left whole
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1¼ tsp salt (divided)
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk
- Salt and pepper, to taste
If you prefer to use pre-cooked chicken or leftover roast, add it at the end to warm through rather than cooking it in the broth. For another simple family-friendly recipe, try this chicken-and-broccoli nuggets idea.
How to plate and pair
Serve bowls of steaming chicken and dumplings with a sprinkle of black pepper and a few chopped fresh parsley leaves for color. Pairings:
- Buttery biscuits or soda bread to sop up broth.
- A crisp green salad with vinaigrette to cut richness.
- Steamed green beans or roasted carrots for added veg.
This soup-like main shines with bright, acidic sides to balance the creamy dumplings.
Storage and reheating tips
- Refrigerator: Cool completely, transfer to an airtight container, and refrigerate up to 3–4 days.
- Freezing: Freeze in portioned containers for up to 3 months. Note: dumpling texture softens after freezing and reheating.
- Reheating: Gently rewarm on the stove over low heat to avoid breaking dumplings. Add a splash of broth or water if it feels too thick.
Food safety: cool food within two hours and reheat to at least 165°F (74°C).
Helpful cooking tips
- Don’t overwork the dumpling dough — that keeps them tender.
- Keep simmer low and steady; a vigorous boil will make dumplings fall apart.
- Cut dumplings similar in size so they cook evenly.
- Taste the broth after dumplings finish; low-sodium broth often needs extra salt at the end.
- If you want richer broth, swap half the milk in the dough for buttermilk for tang and depth.
Creative twists
- Herb-forward: add 1–2 tsp chopped thyme or a bay leaf during simmering (remove before serving).
- Veg boost: stir in frozen peas or diced carrots in the last 5–10 minutes of dumpling cooking.
- Biscuits-instead: drop spoonfuls of a biscuit-style dough instead of rolled dumplings for a thicker, cakey bite.
- Gluten-free: use a tested 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and reduce handling to prevent gummy texture.
- Dairy-free: use a plant milk (unsweetened) in the dumpling dough.
Common questions
Q: Can I use shredded rotisserie chicken instead of poaching breasts?
A: Yes. Add pre-cooked chicken near the end to warm through. Skip the poaching step and use the broth base to simmer dumplings.
Q: My dumplings turned out dense—what went wrong?
A: Likely overmixing the dough or rolling too thin and overhandling. Use light strokes, keep dough about ¼-inch thick, and don’t compress when cutting.
Q: How do I know when dumplings are done?
A: Test one: it should be tender and cooked through with no raw dough center. Cooking time varies by size; 20–30 minutes is typical for 1–2 inch dumplings.
Q: Can I make the broth richer without adding cream?
A: Yes — simmer a smashed garlic clove and a bay leaf with the aromatics, or use part chicken stock and part low-sodium beef broth for a deeper flavor (taste and adjust salt).
Q: Is this recipe freezer-friendly?
A: You can freeze leftovers, but dumplings soften after freezing. For best texture, freeze just the broth and reheat, then make fresh dumplings.
Conclusion
This copycat-style recipe is an easy way to get classic Cracker Barrel comfort at home — minimal ingredients, forgiving technique, and plenty of room for personalization. For another detailed copycat version and comparison, see this Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe. If you’re curious about alternative copycat takes and reader-tested tips, check out this Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Copycat | Kitchen Trials.
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
Method
- Pour 6 cups chicken broth into a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the celery pieces and the halved onion.
- Nestle the halved chicken breasts into the liquid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cover partially and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
- While the chicken simmers, make the dumpling dough: whisk 3 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, and 1¼ tsp salt in a medium bowl.
- Stir in 1 cup plus 2 tbsp milk gently until a shaggy dough forms. Don’t overmix.
- Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out the dough and roll it to roughly ¼-inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter or knife to cut strips or squares 1–2 inches wide.
- Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and place it on a cutting board. Discard the celery and onion from the broth. Bring the broth back to a gentle simmer.
- Carefully drop the dumpling pieces into the simmering liquid, stirring gently to separate and distribute them.
- Simmer the dumplings for 20–30 minutes, stirring occasionally so they don’t stick together. Test one for doneness—dumplings should be tender and cooked through.
- While dumplings cook, shred or chop the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add the chicken back to the pot and warm through for a few minutes.
- Taste the broth and season with salt and pepper to your liking. Serve hot.
