Cracker Barrel Chicken and Dumplings with buttermilk is a velvet-textured, old-fashioned comfort dish prized for its tangy, tender dough and rich poultry gravy. Ideally the buttermilk should be chilled before mixing into the flour to ensure the dumplings remain light and hold their signature flat shape during boiling.
Jump to RecipeCracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings With Buttermilk Recipe Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth:
- 1.5 lbs (680g) cooked chicken, shredded
- 6 cups (1.5L) high-quality chicken stock
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Salt to taste
For the Buttermilk Dumplings:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
- ¾ cup (180ml) cold buttermilk
- Extra flour for dusting
How To Make Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings With Buttermilk Recipe
- Prepare the Dough: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Use a pastry cutter or your fingers to work the cold butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs.
- Mix and Knead: Pour the cold buttermilk into the center. Stir with a fork until a shaggy dough forms. Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead gently 4 or 5 times just until it comes together—do not overwork it.
- Roll and Cut: Roll the dough out to a $1/8$-inch thickness. Use a pizza cutter or sharp knife to cut the dough into $1 times 2$-inch rectangles. Let the cut dumplings rest on the floured surface for 15 minutes to “set” their shape.
- Boil the Base: In a large pot or Dutch oven, bring the chicken stock, butter, onion powder, and pepper to a rolling boil.
- Cook the Dumplings: Drop the flour-dusted dumplings into the boiling broth one at a time. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover partially, and simmer for 15–20 minutes. The flour on the outside of the dumplings will naturally thicken the broth into a gravy.
- Finish and Serve: Stir in the shredded cooked chicken. Simmer for another 5 minutes until the chicken is hot. Taste for seasoning and serve in warm bowls.
Recipe Tips
- Cold is Crucial: Much like making biscuits, the secret to a tender dumpling is keeping the fat and buttermilk cold. This creates tiny pockets of steam that make the flat dumplings soft rather than rubbery.
- The Resting Period: Allowing the cut dough to rest on the counter before boiling helps the gluten relax. This prevents the dumplings from shrinking or becoming tough when they hit the hot liquid.
- Flour Power: Don’t shake off the excess flour from the dumplings before dropping them in. That extra flour is the primary thickening agent for the “Cracker Barrel” style gravy.
- No Peeking: Try to keep the lid on as much as possible while the dumplings simmer. The trapped steam is what cooks the top of the dough and ensures an even, fluffy texture.
What To Serve With Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings
Chicken and dumpling sides are wholesome accompaniments commonly found on farmhouse tables throughout the Deep South. Ideally the collard greens should be braised slowly with smoked ham hocks to provide a salty, earthy balance to the creamy buttermilk dumplings.
- Slow-simmered collard greens or mustard greens
- Sweet potato casserole with a pecan topping
- A crisp garden salad with a simple vinaigrette to cut through the richness
- Fried green tomatoes for a tangy, crunchy side
How To Store Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings
- Refrigerate: Store leftovers in a sealed container for up to 3 days. The buttermilk dumplings are quite sturdy and hold their shape well, though they will continue to soak up the broth.
- Reheat: Reheat on the stove over low heat. If the mixture has become too thick (almost like a paste), stir in a half cup of milk or chicken broth to loosen it up.
- Freeze: This recipe does not freeze well. The buttermilk dough tends to become mealy and fall apart once thawed and reheated.
Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings Nutrition Facts
- Calories: ~440 kcal (per serving)
- Carbohydrates: 46g
- Protein: 34g
- Fat: 14g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 4g
Nutrition information is estimated based on 6 servings.
FAQs
This usually happens if the broth was at a rolling boil for the entire cooking time. Once the dumplings are in, you must reduce the heat to a simmer. High-intensity boiling can physically break the tender dough apart.
You can use whole milk, but you will lose that signature Southern tang. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix ¾ cup of milk with ¾ tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes before using.
For the most authentic “Cracker Barrel” experience, roll them very thin—about the thickness of a coin. They will swell slightly in the pot, so starting thin prevents them from becoming overwhelming.
Cracker Barrel Chicken And Dumplings With Buttermilk Recipe
Course: DinnerCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy6
servings25
minutes30
minutes440
kcalAn authentic scratch-made copycat recipe featuring tangy buttermilk dumplings and a rich, creamy chicken gravy.
Ingredients
1.5 lbs shredded chicken
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups flour
¾ cup buttermilk
3 tbsp cold butter (for dough)
2 tbsp butter (for broth)
Baking powder, baking soda, seasonings
Directions
- Whisk dry dumpling ingredients and cut in cold butter.
- Stir in buttermilk to form a dough; roll thin and cut into rectangles.
- Rest the dough pieces for 15 minutes.
- Boil stock, butter, and spices in a large pot.
- Drop dumplings in and simmer covered for 15-20 minutes.
- Fold in shredded chicken and heat through before serving.
Notes
- Use a pizza cutter for the fastest and neatest dumpling strips.
- Heavy cream can be added at the end for an even more decadent sauce.
- Always taste for salt at the very end, as the broth reduces and concentrates in flavor.
