Homemade Cracker Barrel-Style Chicken and Dumplings
A warm hug in a bowl, this homemade chicken and dumplings recipe is comforting and deeply satisfying, perfect for chilly evenings.
Ingredients
For the soup
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 ribs celery, broken into large pieces
- ½ medium onion, kept intact as a large piece
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, halved
For the dumplings
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup milk
- 2 tbsp milk (additional)
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Preparation
- In a large pot or Dutch oven, combine the chicken broth, celery, onion, and chicken breasts.
- Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer, partially covered, for about 15 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
- While the chicken is cooking, prepare the dumpling dough by whisking together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until mixed well.
- Gently stir in the milk until the dough comes together into a shaggy ball.
Cooking
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and roll it out to about ¼-inch thick, then cut the dough into strips or squares (approximately 1–2 inches wide).
- Once the chicken is cooked, remove it from the broth and set aside on a cutting board, discarding the celery and onion.
- Carefully drop the dough strips into the simmering broth, stirring gently so they don’t stick together.
- Let the dumplings simmer for about 20–30 minutes until they rise and puff.
- Shred or chop the cooked chicken into bite-sized pieces and return to the pot once the dumplings are finished.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste, then serve warm.
Notes
For best results, avoid overworking the dumpling dough to keep them fluffy. You can add seasonal vegetables like carrots or peas for extra flavor and nutrition.