Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings is a comfort food classic! Tender chicken swims in a savory broth, topped with pillowy dumplings that are light and filling. You can make this restaurant favorite right in your own kitchen, and I promise it’s way easier than you think.
This copycat recipe brings all that down-home goodness to your table. The dumplings are as tender and satisfying as the ones at Cracker Barrel – minus the drive and the wait for a table.
I love how this recipe combines shortcuts with homemade touches. You won’t need fancy equipment or hard-to-find ingredients, just simple pantry staples and about an hour of mostly hands-off cooking time.
If you’ve always thought making chicken and dumplings from scratch would be too complicated, let me put your mind at ease. The dumplings are practically foolproof and require just a few ingredients.
This dish is pure comfort food, perfect for Sunday family dinners or when you need to feed a crowd. It reheats beautifully, too, so leftovers are good the next day.
I’ll walk you through the simple steps to making this classic recipe and include all my best tips and tricks. This hearty, full-flavored Southern comfort food dish is a must-try.
Looking for more copycat recipes Cracker Barrel recipes? Try Cracker Barrel meatloaf, Cracker Barrel Coca Cola cake, or Cracker Barrel cinnamon roll pie.
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🥘Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Chicken Stock: I recommend using low-sodium chicken stock so you can control the salt level.
- Chicken: Boneless skinless chicken breasts work great here.
- Chicken bouillon cube
- Whole Onion: I leave this whole because it’s just for flavoring the broth.
- Celery
- Carrots
- Milk: I use whole milk to make the soup creamy, but you can substitute heavy cream or evaporated milk if you want it even richer.
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, add one tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.
🥣How to Make Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings
- Combine your chicken stock, bouillon cube, whole onion, diced carrots, celery, and chicken breasts in a large pot. Bring everything to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and let it cook for 20 minutes. This will give you perfectly tender chicken and let all those flavors meld together.
- Remove the chicken and set it aside to cool slightly. Remove and discard that whole onion—it’s done its job flavoring the broth!
- Make the dumplings. While the chicken cools, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Pour in the buttermilk and stir until you have a soft dough.
- Dust your work surface generously with flour. Roll the dough out thin and cut it into squares. Don’t worry if they’re not perfect – homemade dumplings should look rustic!
- Add your dumplings to the simmering broth, stirring gently so they don’t stick together. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. During this time, the soup will start to thicken up.
- Shred your cooled chicken and add it back to the pot. Pour in the milk, give everything a good stir, and you’re ready to serve.
🍴Serving Ideas
I love that this Cracker Barrel copycat chicken and dumplings is practically a meal all by itself! When I serve this to my family, I like to keep the sides simple since the soup is already loaded with chicken, vegetables, and, of course, those amazing dumplings.
Here are some of my favorite ways to serve it:
- Pair it with a crusty piece of bread or cornbread for soaking up every last drop of that creamy broth.
- Add a simple side salad with a light vinaigrette dressing.
- Top with a sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives for a pop of color.
💭How to Store
Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dumplings will continue to absorb liquid as they sit, so you might need to add a splash of milk when reheating.
While you can freeze this soup, the dumplings tend to get a bit mushy when thawed. So I don’t recommend it.
⭐Tips & Tricks for Perfect Chicken and Dumplings
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Add more milk gradually for thinner soup until you reach your desired consistency.
- For creamier results, substitute heavy cream or evaporated milk for regular milk.
- If it’s too thick after refrigeration, add a splash of warm milk while reheating.
- Don’t overwork the dumpling dough. Mix until just combined.
- Use plenty of flour when rolling the dough out to prevent sticking.
- The dumplings are done when they are tender but not mushy. They’ll float to the top when they’re nearly done, but make sure to cook them for the full 20 minutes to ensure they’re cooked through.
- If you don’t want to make dumplings from scratch, use refrigerator biscuits cut into quarters.
- 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.
⭐Did You Make This? Leave a Star Rating!
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 cups chicken stock low-sodium
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 3 carrots diced
- 1 onion peeled but left whole
- 1 pound chicken breasts boneless skinless
- 2 cups milk
For the dumplings
- 3 cups flour more for dusting
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
Instructions
- Add your stock, bouillon, chicken breast, onion, carrots, and celery to a large pot over medium-high heat.8 cups chicken stock, 1 cube chicken bouillon, 3 carrots, 1 onion, 1 pound chicken breasts, 2 stalks celery
- 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.3 cups flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 ⅓ cup buttermilk
- 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.2 cups milk
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.
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
This recipe is nothing like the Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe. I worked there for 15 years and used to cook this. This is far more complicated than theirs with way more ingredients.