Better than Cracker Barrel® Chicken 'n Dumplings

Name: Better than Cracker Barrel® Chicken 'n Dumplings
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 40 min
Total time: 1 h 70 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 1 whole chicken; 1 pinch salt; water to cover; 1 lemon, halved; 2 stalks celery, sliced; 1 small onion, chopped; 2 carrots, sliced, or more to taste; 2 cups all-purpose flour; salt and ground black pepper to taste

Rating: 4.16 stars

37 Ratings
32 Reviews
10 Photos

My Grandma grew up on a farm and this was her recipe - no shortcuts but still pretty easy. For best results you must use a whole chicken and flour. You can also use some chicken stock for added flavor. The trick is the lemon which makes the chicken tender and adds flavor to the soup. Leftovers won't last very long with this.

By jadedgurl

Gallery

Recipe Summary

prep:

30 mins

cook:

1 hr 40 mins

total:

2 hrs 10 mins

Servings:

Yield:

6 servings

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Original recipe yields 6 servings

The ingredient list now reflects the servings specified

1 whole chicken
1 pinch salt
water to cover
1 lemon, halved
2 stalks celery, sliced
1 small onion, chopped
2 carrots, sliced, or more to taste
2 cups all-purpose flour
salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions

Step 1

Place chicken and 1 pinch salt in a large pot; cover with water. Bring to a boil, skimming any scum off the surface with a slotted spoon. Add lemon, celery, onion, and carrots. Simmer broth over medium heat until chicken starts to fall off the bone, about 1 hour.

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Step 2

Discard lemon. Remove chicken from the pot; let cool.
Step 3

Place flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Ladle in 2 to 3 scoops of hot broth. Mix in flour with a spoon until dough comes together into a ball.
Step 4

Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead carefully until smooth. Roll out into a large rectangle; cut into small rectangular dumplings.
Step 5

Drop dumplings one at a time into the simmering broth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes.
Step 6

Bone chicken and chop into pieces. Add to the pot; cook until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Cook's Notes:

Substitute a handful of baby carrots for the carrots if desired.

This is a great base for chicken soup too - just use noodles instead of making dumplings. Cook the noodles right in the soup for added flavor and add some peas!

Nutrition Facts

Per Serving:

384 calories; protein 25.7g; carbohydrates 35.3g; fat 15.2g; cholesterol 61.5mg; sodium 128.1mg. Full Nutrition

Reviews (32)

Most helpful positive review

jadedgurl

01/01/2019

I am the author of this recipe and I want to add a couple notes. Generally I make 2-3 batches of dumplings for each whole chicken. If you like more dumplings than chicken, boneless is probably the way to go. If you use a whole chicken get a roasting chicken, not a fryer. More fat, more flavor. Don't scimp on the flour. This dough can get sticky and flouring your surface will prevent it from sticking to your counter. Also the more flour, the thicker your soup will be. If you choose to add frozen veggies it is important that you add them BEFORE the dumplings and that you bring the broth back to a boil. The dumplings must be dropped one at a time in boiling liquid. I hope you enjoy! Read More

Helpful

(43)

Most helpful critical review

Christopher Kruce

01/27/2020

I would like to know why there is a lemon added to this stock?? My stock is sour and I can t bare the taste. Read More

37 Ratings

5 star values: 21
4 star values: 8
3 star values: 3
2 star values: 3
1 star values: 2

Reviews: Most Helpful

Most Helpful Most Positive Least Positive Newest

jadedgurl

01/01/2019

Helpful

(43)

Amber Zagelow

11/24/2016

Love love love this recipe! This is where my heart is! With so many people trying to recreate the wheel, this was a comfort recipe and a comfort food. Love this technique, I love using the broth to make the dumplings! If you think your dumplings will be plain Jane, you're so wrong. The seasonings of the broth transfer right over to the dumplings. I used left over chicken breasts and drum sticks. Deboned them then threw it all (bones and all) in the pot to boil and make a broth. Pulled out the bones with tongs before adding dumplings. Whole family ate it and loved it. Thank you so much! This is definitely a keeper. I feel recipes like this are hard to come by, felt like it came with a little peice of history. (For me. I realize this maybe old hat for some.) Couldn't be happier. Next time I will take a picture. Read More

Helpful

(23)

Laura Capps

07/21/2017

I made this for my mom on her 69th birthday. I added fresh peas and sliced carrots. She said that it was just like her grandma used to make for her birthday when she was a child. Read More

Helpful

(14)

Holly Arnold Williams

04/09/2018

Perfect comfort food and my kids said it was just like Cracker Barrel but better! I d never made dumplings and they were easy and came out perfectly using this recipe. Even my mom (who is an incredible cook that makes everything from scratch) asked for the recipe. Classic and delicious! Read More

Helpful

(4)

pipeftg

02/22/2018

Made it just as the recipe called for was verry good will be making again Read More

Helpful

(2)

Eileen Cramer Ferrarie

07/11/2018

Have made this a few times... absolutely delicious. It is better than Cracker Barrel. I however did not add the lemon and added some frozen peas. Read More

Helpful

(2)

Nancy

12/05/2017

Loved the dumplings this way! I did use boneless chicken breasts and cooked them in the crockpot with broth and the lemon then I continued the dinner on the stove and added more broth and veggies. Yum! Read More

Helpful

(2)

Barbara Lynn

01/23/2019

This recipe is very similar to the one my grandma taught me. The broth makes it the best. Season your broth because that is what your dumplings will taste like. My recipe uses an egg in the dumplings but that is the only difference. Read More

Helpful

(1)

Sheila Schnee

01/22/2019

This recipe is the way I make my chicken and dumplings it's no fail and delicious. The only thing I'd add is to be sure to let the dumpling dough rest for about 20 min or so the dumplings will roll so much easier. Read More

Helpful

(1)

Christopher Kruce

01/27/2020

I would like to know why there is a lemon added to this stock?? My stock is sour and I can t bare the taste. Read More

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All Reviews for Better than Cracker Barrel® Chicken 'n Dumplings

- of Reviews

Better than Cracker Barrel® Chicken 'n Dumplings

Servings Per Recipe: 6
Calories: 384

% Daily Value *

protein: 51 %

carbohydrates: 11 %

dietary fiber: 10 %

sugars:

fat: 23 %

saturated fat: 20 %

cholesterol: 21 %

vitamin a iu: 3 %

niacin equivalents: 92 %

vitamin b6: 16 %

vitamin c: 26 %

folate: 22 %

calcium: 4 %

iron: 18 %

magnesium: 11 %

potassium: 8 %

sodium: 5 %

thiamin: 42 %

calories from fat:

*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

**Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.

(-)Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.

Reviews for: Photos of Better than Cracker Barrel® Chicken 'n Dumplings

1 of 32

All Reviews

jadedgurl

01/01/2019

Helpful

(43)

Amber Zagelow

11/24/2016

Helpful

(23)

Laura Capps

07/21/2017

I made this for my mom on her 69th birthday. I added fresh peas and sliced carrots. She said that it was just like her grandma used to make for her birthday when she was a child.

Helpful

(14)

Holly Arnold Williams