Cracker Barrel is known for its delicious, homestyle Southern cuisine, and their Homemade Chicken & Dumplings is a classic comfort food dish. While I can’t provide you with the exact recipe used by Cracker Barrel, I can give you a general idea of how to make a similar dish at home. Here’s a basic recipe for homemade chicken and dumplings:

Ingredients:

For the Chicken Stew:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 quarts of chicken broth
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, sliced
• 2 celery stalks, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup heavy cream

For the Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup milk
• Instructions:
• In a large pot, combine the chicken breasts, chicken broth, chopped onion, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 25-30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked.
• Remove the cooked chicken from the pot and shred it using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the pot.
• In a separate pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to create a roux, cooking for a couple of minutes until it’s lightly browned.
• Gradually whisk in the heavy cream, making sure to remove any lumps. Cook and stir until the mixture thickens.
• Add the cream mixture to the chicken and vegetable stew, stirring well. Allow the mixture to simmer while you prepare the dumplings.
• For the dumplings, mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Stir in the milk until a soft dough forms.
• Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering stew. Cover the pot and let the dumplings cook for about 15-20 minutes until they are cooked through and no longer doughy in the center. Keep the lid on during this time.
• Serve your homemade chicken and dumplings hot, and enjoy!
• This recipe should give you a taste similar to Cracker Barrel’s Homemade Chicken & Dumplings. You can adjust the seasonings and ingredients to your preference.