Description
Cracker Barrel Homemade Chicken & Dumplings immerse home cooks in Southern comfort cuisine. Rich, hearty broth embraces tender chicken and pillowy dumplings that connect you with cherished family traditions.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 whole chicken (4 lbs or 1.8 kg) or 4-6 chicken thighs
- 8 cups (2 L) water
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 celery stalks (roughly chopped)
- 1 medium onion (quartered)
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 3 tbsps (45 g) unsalted butter (cold and cubed)
- ¾ cup (180 mL) milk
- 4 tbsps (60 g) unsalted butter
- ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (120 mL) heavy cream (optional)
- Salt and pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Broth Foundation: Combine chicken, herbs, and vegetables in a spacious pot, covering with water to create a rich, aromatic liquid base.
- Chicken Preparation: Simmer the mixture on low heat until chicken becomes supremely tender, approximately 1-1.5 hours. Remove chicken, discard skin and bones, then meticulously shred meat into delicate pieces.
- Broth Refinement: Strain the concentrated broth, returning liquid to the original pot for subsequent steps.
- Dumpling Creation: Blend flour, leavening agent, and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Integrate cold butter using fingertips until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Introduce milk, gently combining to form a soft, cohesive dough.
- Dumpling Technique: Dust work surface with flour, roll dough to uniform thickness, and slice into precise strips. Bring reserved broth to a gentle simmer, carefully adding dumpling strips and cooking until they become light and fluffy.
- Sauce Elevation: Craft a golden roux by melting butter and whisking in flour. Gradually incorporate roux into broth, stirring continuously to develop a silky, luxurious texture. Optional: enrich with a splash of cream.
- Final Assembly: Reintroduce shredded chicken to the pot, warming thoroughly and seasoning to taste. Transfer to serving bowls, optionally garnishing with fresh herbs for a vibrant presentation.
Notes
- Optimize Chicken Tenderness: Slow-cook chicken at low temperature to ensure meat falls apart easily and absorbs maximum flavor from herbs and vegetables.
- Perfect Dumpling Texture: Use cold butter and minimal handling to create light, fluffy dumplings that won’t become tough or dense when cooking.
- Prevent Dumpling Sticking: Stir gently and consistently while adding dumplings to broth, ensuring they don’t clump or adhere to pot’s bottom.
- Achieve Creamy Consistency: Whisk roux gradually into broth, stirring continuously to prevent lumps and create smooth, rich sauce without separation.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hours 30 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 7
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 700 mg
- Fat: 20 g
- Saturated Fat: 10 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 18 g
- Cholesterol: 60 mg