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Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings is the cozy, soul warming dinner that tastes just like a Sunday visit to the country store, with pillowy flat dumplings swimming in a thick, creamy broth. I made a big pot of these on a chilly weeknight when Maddie and Lizzie were begging for the soft noodle soup, and the whole thing vanished before I could sneak seconds. If you love easy comfort food, add our Marry Me Chicken recipe with mashed potatoes to the rotation too.
These homemade chicken and dumplings come together in one pot with simple pantry staples, and I will walk you through every step so they turn out tender and never gummy.
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 40 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 1 hour
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 396kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, creamy, and comforting (classic Southern)
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our Monterey Chicken
Quick Answer
Simmer boneless chicken breasts in chicken stock with a whole onion and celery until cooked, then remove the chicken and discard the vegetables. Stir flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk into a dough, roll it thin, and cut it into 1 inch squares. Drop the dumplings into the simmering stock and cook about 20 minutes until the broth thickens, then stir in the shredded chicken and serve warm.
Jump to:
- Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings FAQs
- Other Recommended Comfort Food Recipes
- Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Buttermilk makes tender dumplings. The acidity in buttermilk reacts with the baking powder so the dumplings stay soft and pillowy instead of tough.
- Simmering the chicken builds the broth. Poaching the chicken right in the stock with onion and celery seasons the broth from the inside out, so every dumpling soaks up flavor.
- Rolling the dough thin matters. Thin dumplings cook evenly and absorb the broth, giving you that signature Cracker Barrel texture.
- The flour does double duty. The extra flour dusted on the dumplings melts into the stock and thickens it into a rich, creamy gravy with no cornstarch needed.
- One pot, start to finish. Cooking the chicken, the broth, and the dumplings in the same pot keeps cleanup easy and the flavor concentrated.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It tastes just like the Cracker Barrel original, for a fraction of the price and right from your own kitchen.
- Everything happens in one pot with eight simple ingredients you probably already have on hand.
- It is pure comfort food that feeds a crowd, perfect alongside our Grandma’s crispy fried chicken for a Southern spread.
Key Ingredients
Just a handful of simple ingredients come together for this copycat. Here is what each one does:
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts poach right in the stock and shred into tender pieces. Thighs work too for a richer flavor.
- Chicken stock: Low sodium stock is the base of the broth so you control the salt, and it does double duty cooking the chicken and the dumplings.
- Flour: All purpose flour forms the dumplings and, dusted on heavily, thickens the broth into a creamy gravy.
- Buttermilk: Adds tang and reacts with the baking powder for soft, tender dumplings.
- Onion and celery: Simmered whole with the chicken to flavor the broth, then discarded before the dumplings go in.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This recipe is a comforting classic, but it is easy to make it your own.
- Use rotisserie chicken: Skip the poaching step and stir in shredded rotisserie chicken, using boxed stock for the broth.
- Add vegetables: Stir in frozen peas, carrots, or corn during the last few minutes for a chicken pot pie feel.
- Make it creamier: Add a splash of heavy cream or a spoonful of cream of chicken soup at the end.
- Herb it up: Fresh thyme, parsley, or a bay leaf in the broth adds extra depth.
- Make it a Southern spread: Serve alongside our best Louisiana fried chicken and cornbread.
How to Make Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
- Add the chicken stock, whole peeled onion, and celery stalks to a large pot, then nestle in the chicken breasts. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set it aside, then discard the onion and celery.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk until a shaggy dough forms. Add a splash more buttermilk if it is dry, or a little more flour if it is wet.
- Dust the dough heavily with flour and roll it out thinly on a clean, floured work surface.
- Slice the rolled dough into 1 inch squares with a knife or a pizza cutter.
- Drop the dumplings into the simmering stock a few at a time, stirring gently and frequently so they do not stick together.
- Simmer for another 20 minutes until the broth thickens, then shred the reserved chicken and stir it back in.
- Stir everything together until the broth is thick and creamy, then taste, season with salt and pepper, and serve warm.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overmix the dough. Stir just until it comes together; overmixing makes the dumplings tough.
- Roll it thin. Thin dumplings cook evenly and soak up more broth for that authentic texture.
- Use a pizza cutter. It slices the dough into squares fast and clean, no fancy tools needed.
- Stir to prevent sticking. Gently stir right after adding the dumplings so they do not clump into one big blob.
- Let the broth thicken. The flour on the dumplings needs a few minutes of simmering to turn the broth creamy, so do not rush it.
- Season at the end. Taste the broth before serving and adjust with salt and black pepper.
- Make ahead friendly. The broth thickens as it sits, so add a splash of stock when reheating.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These chicken and dumplings are a meal on their own, but they shine as part of a Southern comfort spread. Spoon them into bowls and serve with a basket of warm biscuits or a wedge of cornbread to soak up every drop of that creamy broth.
Round out the plate with classic sides. We love them next to Grandma’s crispy fried chicken, a platter of Monterey chicken for a chicken lover’s feast, or a simple green vegetable and a crisp salad to balance the rich broth.
For a true country store dinner, finish with something sweet. A slice of strawberry angel food cake or key lime eclair cake is the perfect cozy ending.
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings FAQs
They are made with boneless chicken breasts, chicken stock, onion, celery, flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk. The flat dumplings are a simple buttermilk dough rolled thin and cut into squares, then simmered in the seasoned broth until thick and creamy.
Gummy dumplings usually come from rolling the dough too thick or overmixing it. Roll the dough thin, cut it into small squares, and stir gently so they cook through evenly without turning doughy.
Yes. Skip the poaching step, use store bought chicken stock for the broth, and stir in about 2 cups of shredded rotisserie chicken at the end. It is a great shortcut for a busy weeknight.
The flour dusted on the dumplings thickens the broth as they simmer. For an even thicker, creamier broth, let it simmer a few extra minutes or dust in a little more flour.
Yes. They keep in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container. The broth thickens as it sits, so stir in a splash of chicken stock or water when reheating gently on the stove.
You can, though the dumplings soften a bit on thawing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge, and reheat gently with a little extra stock.
Craving more cozy dinners? Try our Best Beef Tips and Noodles recipe next.
For more shredded chicken comfort food, try our creamy white chicken chili loaded with white beans and corn.
Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 1 onion peeled but left whole
- 2 stalks of celery
- 3 cups flour more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Add the stock, chicken breast, onion, and celery in a large pot over medium-high heat.6 cups low sodium chicken stock, 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, 1 onion, 2 stalks of celery
- Bring up to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 20 minutes.
- Remove the chicken and set aside. Discard the onion and celery.
- In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and buttermilk.3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
- Combine 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 on a clean work surface.
- Slice the dough into 1-inch squares.
- Add the dumplings to the simmering stock, stirring gently and frequently to prevent sticking.
- Let the dumplings cook for another 20 minutes to let the stock thicken.
- Meanwhile, shred the chicken.
- Once the sauce is nice and thick, add the chicken to the dumplings, stir, and serve.
Notes
- Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix until you have a shaggy dough to keep those dumplings fluffy and tender.
- Roll It Thin: Use a rolling pin on a well-floured surface to roll out the dumpling dough thinly. Thin dumplings cook better and absorb more flavor.
- Cutting Dumplings: A pizza cutter is your best friend here. It makes slicing the dumplings into squares quick and easy—like cutting pizza but with fewer toppings!
- Prevent Sticking: Gently stir the dumplings after adding them to the pot to prevent them from sticking together and forming one giant dumpling blob (unless that’s your thing).
- Season to Taste: Before adding the dumplings, taste the broth and adjust with a pinch of salt and black pepper if needed.
- Let It Simmer: Allow the dumplings to simmer until the broth becomes a thick, creamy broth that coats the back of a spoon.
Nutrition
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