Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings: Bring the Restaurant Home
Learn how to make Cracker Barrel's famous chicken and dumplings at home with this easy copycat recipe.
Equipment
- large pot
- mixing bowl
- rolling pin
Ingredients
Base Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock low-sodium
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 pieces carrots diced
- 1 piece onion peeled but left whole
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 cups milk
Dumplings
- 3 cups flour more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cups buttermilk
Instructions
Cooking Steps
- Add your stock, bouillon, chicken breast, onion, carrots, and celery to a large pot over medium-high heat.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Let it simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Discard the onion.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk in a large bowl. Stir until a dough forms.
- If the dough is too dry, add a little more buttermilk; if it is too wet, add a little more flour.
- Once the dough comes together, dust it heavily with more flour.
- Roll the dough out thinly and slice it into squares.
- Add the dumplings to the simmering stock, stirring gently to prevent sticking.
- Cover and let the dumplings cook for another 20 minutes to let the stock thicken.
- Meanwhile, shred your chicken.
- Once the dumplings are done, return the chicken to the pot and stir to combine.
- Stir in the milk, then turn the heat off and let the chicken and dumplings sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
While buttermilk provides the best texture and flavor, you can make a quick substitute by adding one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using it. For creamier results, substitute heavy cream or evaporated milk for regular milk. Don’t overwork the dumpling dough. Mix until just combined. Use plenty of flour when rolling the dough out to prevent sticking. If you don’t want to make dumplings from scratch, use refrigerator biscuits cut into quarters. If it’s too thick after storing, add a splash of warm milk while reheating.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 534kcalCarbohydrates: 71gProtein: 36gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 74mgSodium: 1444mgPotassium: 1238mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 5408IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 291mgIron: 4mg
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