This chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate quick and easy comfort food, with a taste every bit as delicious as the Cracker Barrel version!
The weather has been a touch cooler this week, and I've been craving some real comfort food -- specifically this homemade chicken and dumplings recipe. It's a near perfect clone of my favorite dish at Cracker Barrel with one exception...
The Case for Rotisserie Chicken
If you've ever had Cracker Barrel chicken and dumplings, you know that they use poached chicken and pour the dumplings over the top. I wanted to go a somewhat quicker route, so I picked up a rotisserie chicken at the grocery store.
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!
Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
The dumpling dough is very simple to make, requiring only 5 ingredients: flour, milk, butter, baking powder and salt. Stir these together until they form a ball.
Once the dough mixed, turn it out on a floured surface and knead it a few times. Then roll it out thin (slightly less than ¼-inch) and slice it up with a pizza cutter. No need to be precise!
If you're working efficiently and aren't distracted by kids (as I often am, lol), this step takes only about 10 minutes. During this time, you can start heating the chicken broth on the stovetop.
Drop the dumplings one by one into the boiling chicken broth, and then cook them for about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the shredded rotisserie chicken, and it's done. Easy-peasy!
Recipe Card
Easy Homemade Chicken and Dumplings
This chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate quick and easy comfort food, with a taste every bit as delicious as the Cracker Barrel version!
Ingredients
- 1 rotisserie chicken, shredded
- 8 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups flour, plus additional for rolling
- ¾ cups milk
- 3 tablespoons butter
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- coarse ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Remove the skin from the rotisserie chicken and shred the meat, discarding the bones.
- 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, about 2"x2" is good.
- Remove the uncooked dumplings to a plate, adding additional flour in between each layer to prevent sticking.
- Bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the dumplings one at a time to the boiling broth, stirring constantly. Add any extra flour left on the plate directly to the broth 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 chicken and heat through. Finish with freshly cracked 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 Chicken Salad
- Best Chicken Salad Recipe
Did you make this recipe?
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Mickey
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
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
Thanks so much for the recipe! I've used it twice(using chicken I already had) and both times it turned out amazing!
Hanna
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
Can you use skim milk or would that change it?
Rita
Used this receipe & son & grandchildren loved it.
Lisa0118
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
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
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
Fantastic tip, Christi! Carrots and celery would be lovely in it too.
Christi
I forgot to say thanks for sharing this great recipe!! :)
Jennifer
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
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
I don't get pop ups so may be it is in your computer somehow
Haddy
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
So glad to hear that, Haddy! Garlic does sound like a great addition.