Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings

"This takes a long time, but it is worth the work. If you decide to use canned broth, cut the salt in the dumplings. (I'm guesstimating on the prep/cook time.)"
 
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photo by Latinochef296 photo by Latinochef296
photo by Latinochef296
photo by Latinochef296 photo by Latinochef296
Ready In:
3hrs 20mins
Ingredients:
14
Serves:
4
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ingredients

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directions

  • Boil 3 quarts water in a large pot.
  • Add chicken, 1 t salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parsley and simmer for 2 hours.
  • The liquid will reduce by 1/3.
  • When chicken is cooked, remove it and set aside.
  • Strain stock and throw away everything but the stock.
  • Put 6 cups of the stock back into the pot. (Leftover stock can be frozen.)
  • Add the pepper, 1/2 t salt and lemon juice and reheat while you mix dumplings.
  • For dumplings, mix flour, baking powder, 1-1/4 t salt and milk in a medium bowl.
  • Stir until smooth, then let dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
  • Roll dough onto a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. (Handle the dough as little as possible for good dumplings).
  • Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares (I use a pizza cutter) 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 20 to 30 minutes until thick.
  • Stir often.
  • While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have cooled.
  • Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin.
  • Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and drop them into the pot.
  • Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, but stir carefully so you don't break the chicken up.
  • When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot.
  • (Very good over mashed potatoes.).

Questions & Replies

  1. As a new cook we don’t know every thing. A recipe says 2 cups of flour never says self rising or all purpose how do I know what to use
     
  2. can someone convert this to a pressure cooker or instant pot recipe?
     
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Reviews

  1. I only used this recipe for the dumplings (my preference is always for the rolled dumpling like my great-grandmother used to make)...and they turned out just right. I didn't have milk on hand, but did have buttermilk, but they still taste great!
     
  2. Great recipe. Thanks for sharing. I have made this a few times now and I am still not getting the salt and pepper mixtures exactly right - but it is getting there. I also like the broth thicker than it was getting on it's own (even after letting it cook) - so I added a little corn startch/water mixture to help it a little.
     
  3. This recipe was excellent! It requires alot of time and patience, but well worth it. Once I really floured the surface and batter, it was a whole lot easier to work with.
     
  4. I've been making this recipe for several years. I sometimes cook the broth and chicken then freeze for later in the week/month. They freeze well - all you have to do is "melt" the broth and make the dumplings. In a pinch canned chicken stock works well too, just cook the chicken pieces in the stock while you make your dumplings. 5 stars at our house!
     
  5. Was very good. I needed to add a little bit of cornstarch for thickening, but after talking to my sister she said I needed to cook the dumplings on a lower heat and longer. I did double my dumpling recipe! Yummy!
     
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Tweaks

  1. This went over really well with my family. I followed the directions exactly, except that I did add a little chicken bouillon instead of salt. <br/>I agree with Chef #600333. Using enough flour to make the dumplings makes it easier. Since the batter was so "loose", I put a huge spoonful of it on a well floured surface, covered it generously with more flour, pressed it out with my hands and cut it with a large butcher's knife. I gently lifted the dumplings up, let the excess flour fall through my fingers and tossed them into the boiling broth.<br/>Thanks for a great recipe!
     

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