Chicken
Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe (Copycat Rolled Dumplings)
A cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe is not the fluffy drop-dumpling kind. Cracker Barrel dumplings are flat, rolled and dense, closer to a thick noodle than a biscuit, and the broth is deliberately thick and cloudy. Trying to make them light misses the point entirely.
The secret most copycats get wrong is that the flour on the dumplings is meant to thicken the broth. You roll the dough, cut it into strips, and drop them in without shaking off the excess flour, which dissolves and turns the broth into that signature gravy-like consistency.
Below you will find the ingredient table, a dumpling guide, the method, tips, variations, serving ideas, troubleshooting, storage notes and six common questions.
Table of Contents
Key Takeaways for This Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
- These are flat rolled dumplings, not fluffy drop ones.
- The excess flour thickens the broth on purpose.
- Roll the dough thin and cut it into strips.
- The broth is meant to be thick and cloudy.
- Do not stir too much, or the dumplings break up.
- This cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe serves six.
Why These Dumplings Are Flat
Cracker Barrel makes what Southerners call slick or rolled dumplings: a simple flour dough rolled thin, cut into squares or strips, and simmered until dense and tender. There is no baking powder and no rise, so they stay flat.
That density is the whole character of the dish. The dumplings are chewy and satisfying, and the broth around them is thick, almost like a gravy, because the flour on the dumplings dissolves into it as they cook.
So a good cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe leans into the flour rather than washing it off. It is the opposite instinct from a fluffy drop dumpling.
The Recipe at a Glance
Here is what a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe looks like before you start.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Prep time | 25 minutes |
| Rest the dough | 20 minutes |
| Simmer the dumplings | 20 minutes |
| Dumpling type | flat, rolled, slick |
| Broth | thick and cloudy |
| Yield | 6 servings |
Ingredients
A cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe uses a very plain dumpling dough.
| Ingredient | Amount | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 2 pounds | For meat and broth. |
| Chicken broth | 8 cups | The base. |
| Flour | 2 cups | For the rolled dumplings. |
| Butter | 3 tablespoons | Worked into the dough. |
| Milk or buttermilk | ¾ cup | Binds the dough. |
| Baking soda | ¼ teaspoon | A little tenderness, not lift. |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | In the dough. |
| Black pepper | to taste | Plenty, in the broth. |
| Butter for the broth | 2 tablespoons | Richness. |
Roll It Thin and Rest It
Roll the dough about an eighth of an inch thick and cut it into one-inch squares or strips. Rolling thin gives the tender, slightly chewy texture; too thick and they are stodgy.
Let the cut dumplings rest for twenty minutes before cooking. Resting relaxes the gluten so they hold their shape rather than dissolving.
Keep the Flour On
Unlike most dumplings, you do not shake the excess flour off these. That flour is what thickens the broth into the signature gravy-like consistency as the dumplings simmer.
Drop them in floury and let the broth do the rest.
How to Make It Step by Step
A cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe is about the rolled dough and the thick broth.
- Simmer the chicken in the broth 30 minutes, then shred it and return it.
- Mix the flour, salt, baking soda, butter and milk into a stiff dough.
- Roll it out an eighth of an inch thick on a floured surface.
- Cut into 1 inch squares or strips.
- Rest the cut dumplings 20 minutes.
- Bring the broth to a gentle simmer and add the butter.
- Drop the dumplings in, floury, a few at a time.
- Simmer 20 minutes, stirring gently now and then, until thick.
Stir Gently, Not Often
These dumplings are sturdier than drop dumplings, so an occasional gentle stir keeps them from sticking to the bottom. But too much stirring still breaks them up and clouds the broth further than you want.
A slow stir every few minutes is enough.
Chicken Food Safety
Cook the chicken to a safe internal 165°F, following the USDA guidance on chicken and food safety.
The dumplings simmer long enough to cook through; taste one for tenderness before serving.
These are the timings a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe depends on.
Dumpling Guide
The rolled dumpling is what defines a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe.
| Factor | Right way | What goes wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Thickness | ⅛ inch | Too thick is stodgy. |
| Leavening | None | Baking powder makes them puff, wrong style. |
| Flour | Left on | Washed off, thin broth. |
| Resting | 20 minutes | Skipping it dissolves them. |
| Heat | Gentle simmer | Boiling breaks them. |
| Stirring | Occasional, gentle | Too much clouds the broth. |
How It Differs From Drop Dumplings
Drop dumplings are light and fluffy and sit on top of a clear broth. These are flat, dense and chewy, and they thicken the broth into a gravy.
They are two different dishes that share a name, so make the one you actually want.
Best Tips
Six habits that make a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe taste like the original.
- Roll them thin. An eighth of an inch.
- No baking powder. These are meant to be flat.
- Keep the flour on. It thickens the broth.
- Rest the dough. It holds its shape.
- Simmer gently. Boiling breaks them.
- Pepper the broth well. It is a savoury, peppery dish.
Easy Variations to Try
The rolled style takes small changes.
- Old fashioned. The old fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe uses the same rolled style with homemade stock.
- Fluffy instead. The grandma’s chicken and dumplings recipe makes drop dumplings.
- Creamy. The creamy chicken and dumplings recipe adds cream.
- Bisquick shortcut. The bisquick chicken and dumplings recipe.
- Buttermilk dough. Use buttermilk for a tangier dumpling.
- Extra peppery. Double the black pepper for the classic taste.
What to Serve With It
A cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe is hearty, and it is often served with sides at a Southern table.
- Green beans.
- Buttered corn.
- Coleslaw.
- Fried okra.
- Cornbread.
- A simple salad.
Serving It the Cracker Barrel Way
At the restaurant this is a side dish as much as a main, served in a small bowl alongside meat and vegetables. It is thick enough to eat with a fork.
Ladle it thick, with plenty of black pepper on top.
Once the base works, a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe takes variations easily.
Troubleshooting Guide
Nearly every problem with a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe is the dough or the broth.
| Problem | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Dumplings dissolved | Dough not rested, or boiled | Rest it 20 minutes; simmer gently. |
| Thin broth | Flour washed off | Leave the flour on the dumplings. |
| Stodgy dumplings | Rolled too thick | Roll to an eighth of an inch. |
| Puffy dumplings | Baking powder added | Leave it out; these are flat. |
| Gluey broth | Too much stirring | Stir gently and rarely. |
| Bland | Not enough pepper | Season the broth generously. |
If the Dumplings Dissolved
Dumplings that melt into the broth were not rested, or the pot was boiling. Resting relaxes the gluten so they hold, and a gentle simmer keeps them intact.
The broth still tastes good; it is just thicker than intended.
If the Broth Is Too Thin
Thin broth usually means the flour was shaked off the dumplings. For this style you leave it on so it thickens the pot.
You can whisk a spoon of flour into a little cold broth and stir it in to thicken a thin batch.
How to Store and Reheat
This thick dish keeps well and reheats easily.
The problems below come up most often with a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe.
Refrigerator Storage
Cover and refrigerate at 40°F or below for up to three days, following the USDA guidance on leftovers and food safety.
It thickens further in the fridge, so reheat gently with a good splash of broth to loosen it.
Freezer and Make-Ahead Notes
This version freezes better than fluffy dumplings, since the flat ones hold their texture. Freeze for up to three months.
Thaw in the fridge and reheat with extra broth, as it will have thickened.
Making the Dumplings Ahead
You can roll and cut the dumplings ahead and keep them floured on a tray in the fridge for a few hours.
Drop them into the simmering broth when you are ready.
For another take, try our Instant Pot chicken and dumplings.
Frequently Asked Questions
These come up most often about a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe.
Stored well, a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe keeps for a few days.
Are Cracker Barrel dumplings flat or fluffy?
Flat. They are rolled thin and cut into strips, with no baking powder, so they stay dense and slick rather than puffing up.
Why is the broth so thick?
The flour left on the dumplings dissolves into the broth as they cook, thickening it into the signature gravy-like consistency. That is intentional.
Do I use baking powder?
No. These are flat, rolled dumplings. Baking powder would make them puff up, which is the wrong style for this dish.
These are the questions readers ask most about a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe.
Why did my dumplings dissolve?
The dough was not rested, or the broth boiled. Resting relaxes the gluten and a gentle simmer keeps the dumplings whole.
How thin should I roll them?
About an eighth of an inch. Thin gives the tender, slightly chewy bite; too thick is stodgy.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, better than fluffy dumplings. The flat ones hold their texture. Reheat with extra broth, as it thickens in storage.
More Chicken and Dumplings Recipes to Try
If this cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe worked for you, these are worth cooking next:
- old fashioned chicken and dumplings recipe
- grandma’s chicken and dumplings recipe
- bisquick chicken and dumplings recipe
- creamy chicken and dumplings recipe
- chicken and dumplings recipe with biscuits
The keep-the-flour-on rule behind this cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe is what makes the broth thick.
Final Thoughts on This Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
Roll the dumplings thin, leave the flour on, rest the dough, and simmer gently.
Those moves give a cracker barrel chicken and dumplings recipe the flat, dense dumplings and thick, peppery broth of the original.
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