This Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe combines tender chicken, savory broth, and homemade rolled flat dumplings. Unlike fluffy drop dumplings, these thin dumplings simmer directly in the broth for the old-fashioned Southern texture served at the restaurant.
Why You'll Love This Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
This Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe makes it easy to recreate the restaurant favorite at home. Tender chicken and rolled dumplings simmer in a savory broth for the classic flat-dumpling style, rather than fluffy drop biscuits.
It's an old-fashioned Southern dinner made with practical pantry ingredients and straightforward steps.
- Easy to make. The pastry dough is simple to mix, roll, and cut, making this a manageable meal even for newer cooks.
- Affordable. This Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe uses basic chicken, broth, and pantry staples without requiring expensive ingredients.
- Hearty and satisfying. Tender chicken, rich broth, and soft rolled dumplings make this a substantial family dinner that works especially well during cooler weather.
Ingredients Overview
Tender chicken and carrots simmer in a savory broth, while Bisquick baking mix makes the rolled flat dumplings quick and easy. This Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe recreates the restaurant-style favorite at home, complete with soft, tender dumplings instead of fluffy drop biscuits.
You can also serve the cooked carrots alongside the chicken and dumplings rather than discarding them.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions for this recipe are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How To Make Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Simmer the chicken and vegetables until tender, then remove and shred the chicken before returning it to the broth. Mix and roll out the biscuit pastry, cut it into strips, and add the dumplings to the simmering broth. Cook until the flat dumplings are tender and cooked through.
Use the step-by-step visual guide below to follow the preparation, shredding, and dumpling stages.
Step 1: Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper, and water to a 6-quart stockpot or Dutch oven.
Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a low simmer, and cook for 25 minutes; then remove and shred the chicken, and lift out the vegetables with a slotted spoon to serve on the side or discard.
Step 2: Mix the baking mix with the milk, or make biscuit dough from scratch.
💡 Pro Tip
Store bought baking mix is a time saver, but you can easily mix up your own homemade biscuit dough instead. See our Buttermilk Biscuits for an easy recipe.
Step 3: Roll out dough thinly on a work surface sprinkled with some flour.
Step 4: Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 1" wide x 2" long strips.
Step 5: Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes while you bring the broth back to a boil. Drop the strips of dough in the boiling broth and cook until the dumplings float to the top.
Step 6: Return the shredded chicken to the dutch oven with the cooked dumplings. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low, continuing to simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the broth has thickened.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe with a variety of sides like slow cooker collards, potatoes and green beans, or cornbread muffins. You can also top it with your favorite toppings, such as sour cream, chives, or some red chile pepper flakes.
Substitutions and Variations
Use these simple changes to adjust the chicken, seasonings, or richness of the broth.
- Use Chicken Thighs: Substitute boneless, skinless chicken thighs for the chicken breasts.
- Season the Dumplings: Add garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, or dried parsley to the Bisquick mixture.
- Make the Broth Creamier: Stir in a small amount of heavy cream after the chicken has been returned to the pot.
- Use Cooked Chicken: Add shredded rotisserie or leftover chicken to the prepared broth for a quicker version.
Tips for Success
Use these tips for tender chicken, flavorful broth, and soft rolled biscuit dumplings.
- Do Not Overmix: Stir the dumpling dough only until the ingredients are combined so the dumplings stay tender.
- Keep the Broth Simmering: The broth should be gently bubbling before the dumpling dough is added.
- Leave Room Between Dumplings: Drop the dough across the surface of the broth so the dumplings have space to expand.
- Check the Centers: Break open one dumpling before serving to make sure the inside is fully cooked and no longer doughy.
Storage Options
Store leftover chicken and dumplings promptly after the meal, keeping in mind that the dumplings will continue to absorb broth as they sit.
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheat Gently: Warm the chicken and dumplings over low heat on the stovetop, adding a splash of broth or water if needed.
- Freeze Without the Dumplings: For the best texture, freeze the chicken and broth for up to 3 months, then prepare fresh Bisquick dumplings after thawing and reheating.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Store-bought chicken broth works well, although homemade chicken broth will give the dish a richer flavor.
The flat dumplings are done when they are tender and cooked through with no raw dough in the center. They may float toward the top as they finish cooking.
Cracker Barrel-style chicken and dumplings use thin, rolled flat dumplings made from biscuit pastry. Other versions use spoonfuls of soft biscuit dough dropped into the simmering broth, which cook into fluffy, biscuit-like dumplings.
Yes. You can use homemade biscuit dough as long as it can be rolled thin and cut into flat dumplings before adding it to the simmering broth.
Yes. Roll each canned biscuit thin and cut it into strips, or pull it into small flat pieces before adding it to the simmering broth. The texture will be slightly different from homemade biscuit pastry, but it works as a convenient shortcut.
Flat dumplings can become tough if the dough is overmixed, rolled too thick, or cooked too long. Mix the dough only until combined and roll it fairly thin before cutting.
Yes, but the dumplings will continue to absorb broth as they sit. Add a little extra chicken broth when reheating if the dish becomes too thick.
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Get The Recipe!
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Equipment
- 6 qt Stainless Steel Dutch Oven
- 6 qt Enameled Dutch Oven
Ingredients
- 2 large Chicken breasts boneless, skinless
- 2 large Carrots cut into 3" lengths
- 2 large Celery stalks cut into 3" lengths
- 1 large Onion quartered
- 1 teaspoon Salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon Black pepper or to taste
- 8 cup Water
- 2¼ cup Biscuit baking mix Bisquick or homemade
- ⅔ cup Milk
- parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Add the chicken, carrots, celery, onion, salt, pepper, and water to a stockpot or Dutch oven (about 6 quarts). Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, cover and reduce to a low simmer for 25 minutes.2 large Chicken breasts, 2 large Carrots, 2 large Celery stalks, 1 large Onion, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black pepper, 8 cup Water
- Remove the chicken from the pot and shred using two forks. Set aside.
- Separate the vegetables from the broth with slotted spoon and save to serve as a side dish, or discard.
- Mix the baking mix with the milk, or make from scratch.2¼ cup Biscuit baking mix, ⅔ cup Milk
- Roll out dough thinly on a work floured work surface.
- Using a pizza cutter or knife, cut the dough into 1" wide x 2" long strips.
- Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes while you bring the broth back to a boil.
- Drop the strips of dough in the boiling broth and cook until they float to the top.
- Return the shredded chicken to the pot with the cooked dumplings. Cover the pot, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the broth has thickened. Garnish with parsley and serve.parsley
Notes
- To make the dumplings even more tender, let the dough rest for 10 minutes before cutting them and adding them to the pot.
- If the dumplings are sticking to the bottom of the pot, add a little more chicken broth.
- You can also make the dumplings ahead of time and freeze them. Roll them out, cut them, and freeze on a baking sheet. When you're ready to cook dinner, thaw the dumplings and add them to the boiling broth.
- You don't have to use shredded chicken, cubes or chunks are great also.
Nutrition
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