This simple rotisserie chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate quick and easy comfort food, with a taste every bit as delicious as the Cracker Barrel version!
Easy Weeknight Comfort Food
The weather has been a touch cooler this week, and I've been craving some real comfort food — specifically this delicious homemade chicken and dumplings recipe. It's a near perfect clone of my favorite dish at Cracker Barrel, with one exception...
If you've ever had Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings, you know that they use poached chicken and pour the dumplings and gravy over the top. Poaching chicken isn't terribly difficult, but it's still an extra step that dirties another dish.
To speed things up, I opted to pick up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store!
The Case for Rotisserie Chicken
Rotisserie chickens are one of my favorite shortcuts for getting a delicious dinner on the table fast. Shredded up and stirred into the chicken dumplings, it gives this chicken and dumplings recipe all the same great flavor I love, but it's waayyy faster. And it's typically more economical, too!
PRO TIP: Check out these useful tips for how to cut a rotisserie chicken and the easiest way to shred chicken!
How To Make Chicken Dumpling Dough
While many recipes use biscuit dough for chicken and dumplings, I far prefer the taste and texture of homemade dumplings... Luckily this chicken dumplings dough is very simple to make and uses just 5 pantry staples: flour, milk, butter, baking powder and salt.
Simply measure the ingredients out into a large mixing bowl and then stir them together until they form a ball. Once the dough mixed, turn it out onto a floured surface and knead it a few times.
Then roll it out to slightly less than ¼-inch thin and slice it into roughly 2-inch squares with a pizza cutter. No need to be super precise! Layer the dough squares on a plate with additional flour to prevent them from sticking together.
What To Serve With Chicken And Dumplings
If you're working efficiently and aren't distracted by kids (as I too often am LOL), making the dumpling dough only takes about 10 minutes. During this time, you can start heating the chicken stock on the stovetop.
Drop the dumplings one by one into the boiling chicken stock, and then cook them for about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken and heat through until warm.
Season the chicken and dumplings with freshly ground black pepper, and it's ready to serve. Easy-peasy! A hearty main dish like this pairs best with a lighter side dish. These sauteed green beans or some classic homemade applesauce would be great options.
Printable Recipe ↓
Easy Chicken And Dumplings With Rotisserie Chicken
Ingredients
- 1 fully-cooked rotisserie chicken
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups all-purpose flour plus additional for rolling
- ¾ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- kosher salt to taste
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the rotisserie chicken and shred the meat, discarding the bones and excess fat. (See: How to shred a rotisserie chicken for step-by-step instructions.)
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt until well combined. Cut in the butter with a fork or pastry cutter, and then stir in the milk until the dough forms a ball. You may need to add an extra tablespoon or so of milk if the dough is too dry.
- Roll the dough out on a heavily floured work surface, slightly less than ¼-inch thick works well. If you're having trouble rolling the dough, let it rest for a minute and then continue.
- Using a pizza cutter, cut the dough into small squares. There's no need to be too precise, roughly 2"x2" is good size.
- Remove the uncooked dumplings to a plate, adding additional flour in between each layer to prevent sticking.
- Bring the chicken stock to a boil. Add the dumplings one at a time to the boiling stock, stirring constantly. Add any extra flour left on the plate directly to the stock to help thicken it up. Turn the burner down to medium and cook the dumplings for about 15-20 minutes, until cooked through.
- Add in the shredded rotisserie chicken and heat through. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.
More Rotisserie Chicken Recipes
If you're looking for a few more tasty recipes using shredded rotisserie chicken, check these out:
- Copycat Wendy's Apple Pecan Salad
- Best Chicken Salad Recipe
- 4-Ingredient Mini Chicken Pot Pies
- Cheesy Chicken And Rice Casserole
Did you make this recipe?
I'd love to see how your rotisserie chicken and dumplings turns out... Tag me @Unsophisticook on Instagram or use the hashtag #Unsophisticook so I can check it out. Enjoy!
Mary Welden says
Excellent!! I made this for breakfast today. I know, odd breakfast but I was craving chicken & dumplings. I followed the recipe exactly except I added a can of drained sliced carrots. I broke the carrots up once in the pot though so it was just small pieces throughout. This is definitely a keeper recipe and I’ll start keeping a rotisserie chicken in my freezer for when I need this comfort food in my life.
Mary in NW Ohio
Tara Kuczykowski says
LOL, I'd have no problem eating this for breakfast either! Love the suggestion for adding carrots - I definitely will give it a try.
Mickey says
Thanks for the recipe. I've made them before but not often enough to not need a recipe. I had some boiled chicken and broth left over from making noodles at Thanksgiving. These were so good!
Tara Kuczykowski says
Yay, so happy you loved them, Mickey!! It's the perfect way to use up leftover chicken. I've even used rotisserie chicken when I'm short on time.
Jacquelyn says
Thanks so much for the recipe! I've used it twice(using chicken I already had) and both times it turned out amazing!
Hanna says
Made this today. I didn't put any chicken in it (I hate chicken in dumplings) and shortened down the recipe to where it's only one serving, just for me. It takes me five minutes, and I love it.
Karen says
Can you use skim milk or would that change it?
Rita says
Used this receipe & son & grandchildren loved it.
Lisa0118 says
I learned how to make chicken and dumplings from my grandmother. I would never use anything but a boiled chicken. Any seasoned chicken is going to ruin the flavor of real chicken and dumplings.
Leah @ Whitefoot Blog says
I love chicken and dumplings! I just made homemade chicken stock and immediately thought, "Now what do I want to do with this?" Problem solved :)
Christi says
Don't discard the bones. Put them in the 8 c.of water and make your own stock! I also intend to add carrots and celery during the last 5 minutes to make this a one dish meal!!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Fantastic tip, Christi! Carrots and celery would be lovely in it too.
Christi says
I forgot to say thanks for sharing this great recipe!! :)
Jennifer says
Lol. I got a lemon pepper chicken at Walmart yesterday! I'm making this tomorrow!
Tara. Why am I getting pop-ups all the time on unsophisticook? There so bad It took me 3 minutes to see this recipe after I clicked on it n your email. Every time I x out one another pops up?? Like 5-6 every time I come to this site. I love your websites but it's a pain in the butt! They are ABC related. Like modern family etc.
Thank you, Jennifer - I'm not being bitchey just letting you know! :)
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
Yikes! Thanks for letting me know, Jennifer — I will definitely look into that. I haven't experienced them, but I don't see what the average user sees since I'm on the site so often.
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Chris says
I don't get pop ups so may be it is in your computer somehow
Haddy says
Added a lil garlic and substituted shortening for the butter due to the southerner in me but OMG soo good and soo easy! Thanks for this recipe and my happy belly!
Tara @ Unsophisticook says
So glad to hear that, Haddy! Garlic does sound like a great addition.