This Chicken & Dumplings Recipe Tastes Like You're Sitting at Cracker Barrel by Ann Marie G. Halstead

I’m a New Yorker, but I’ve lived in the American South for nine years (I live in Richmond, Va., which some “true Southerners” don’t believe is really the South, but this New York girl definitely think it’s the South!). I have had fun learning the differences between northerners and southerners – some subtle and some not so subtle – during my time in my new home. One big difference is culinary. There are certain things that I had just never eaten before moving to Virginia. Other foods are simply made differently.

One great example of southern comfort food is chicken and dumplings. Some cooks use their own chicken and dumpling recipes, but I’ve also noticed that people seem to love the chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel, so much so that there are various copycat recipes shared around.

Here is a copycat Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings recipe that was shared with me. It’s the definition of homemade southern comfort food, perfect for the colder months. 

Cuisine: American Southern
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 ribs celery, cut in half
• 1/2 medium onion, unsliced (keep it as a “chunk” of onion)
• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, each breast cut in half (or see my time-saving tip below)
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
• chopped carrots (optional)

Recipe Notes

• Cracker Barrel doesn't use carrots, so those are optional, but we love including them for color and a little nutrition. Read about the health benefits of carrots.

• To save time, use a rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts.
•  
• To reduce the sodium in this recipe, use low-sodium chicken broth.

Here’s how to make it:

1. Add chicken broth, celery, carrots (if using), onion and chicken breasts to a Dutch oven or stockpot. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken breasts are cooked through, about 15 minutes.  (If using rotisserie chicken instead of chicken breasts, add dumplings but not chicken in with the other ingredients here.)
2. While the chicken cooks, prepare the dumplings. In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add milk and stir just until combined into a shaggy-like dough. Flour a surface and turn the dough out. Roll to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter to cut the dough into strips (or squares if you prefer) about 1 to 2 inches in size.
3. Once the chicken is cooked through, transfer it to a cutting board. Remove and discard the onion chunk and celery pieces.
4. Add the dough strips to the simmering broth and simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow the dumplings to cook and the broth to thicken to a gravy-like consistency.
5. While the dumplings simmer, shred or chop the chicken (I prefer shredding) and return to the pot. (If using rotisserie chicken, about 5 minutes before the dumplings are done, remove the celery and onion pieces and add in the shredded chicken.) Add salt and pepper, to taste.
   

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