Better Than Cracker Barrel Chicken N Dumplings Food

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS LIKE CRACKER BARREL'S

Steps:

• Place chicken in a Dutch oven. Add water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil.
• Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour or until tender (should almost fall off bone).
• Remove the chicken from the broth and cool. Bone the chicken and cut meat into bite-sized pieces.
• Bring the broth to a boil and add pepper.
• Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut in the shortening. Add the buttermilk, stirring with a fork until moistened.
• Knead the dough 4 to 5 times (never done), and pat to 1/2-inch pieces and drop into boiling broth (I do not pat it out, just pinch off pieces). Reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in the chicken and serve. I make it in the pressure cooker, much quicker and easier.
• I pressure it for only 30 minutes.
• It can also be done in the crockpot with 3-4 cups water but someone has that book so at this time I cannot give cooking times.
• Good Luck! Hope you enjoy.

CHICKEN 'N' DUMPLINGS -- CRACKER BARREL STYLE

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
• Add the chicken, 1 teaspoon of salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parsley to the pot.
• Reduce the heat to simmer and cook the chicken, uncovered, for 2 hours.
• The liquid will reduce by about one third.
• When the chicken has cooked, remove it from the pot and set it aside.
• Strain the stock to remove all the vegetables and floating scum.
• You want only the stock and the chicken, so toss everything else out.
• Pour 1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) of the stock back into the pot (keep the leftover stock, if any, for another recipe - it can be frozen).
• Add coarsely ground pepper, the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the tablespoon of lemon juice, then reheat the stock over medium heat while preparing the Dumplings.
• For the Dumplings, combine the flour, baking powder, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and milk in a medium bowl.
• Stir well until smooth, then let the dough rest for 5 to 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough out onto a floured surface to about a 1/2-inch thickness.
• Cut the dough into 1/2-inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock.
• Use all of the dough.
• The Dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy.
• Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick. Stir often.
• While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have become cool enough to handle.
• Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin.
• Cut the chicken neatly into bite-size pieces and drop them into the pot.
• Discard the skin and bones.
• Continue to simmer the chicken and dumplings for another 5 to 10 minutes, but don't stir too vigorously or the chicken will shred and fall apart.
• You want big chunks of chicken in the end.
• When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot.
• Serve with your choice of steamed vegetables, if desired.

OLD FASHIONED CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• In a large pot place chicken pieces and add the chicken stock, onion, celery and 2 teaspoons of the salt. Put heat on medium low and simmer, partially covered, 15 to 20 minutes or until chicken is tender.
• To Prepare Dumplings: In a large mixing bowl beat together the egg and milk. Add 1 cup flour, remaining salt and baking powder and mix all together. Cut the butter into the flour mixture until the mixture is crumbly. Add 1 tablespoon of the parsley and mix. In 6 large spoonfuls, drop dumpling mixture onto the top of the simmering chicken. Cover the pot and let all simmer for 10 minutes more.
• To Make Gravy: Remove chicken and dumplings to a large serving bowl. Cover and set aside, keeping warm. Strain the stock left in the pot, pressing out any 'veggie liquid'. Return stock to pot. Combine water with remaining flour, then stir into the strained stock. Bring all to a boil, stirring constantly, to thicken. Return chicken and dumplings to pot, combing all gently. Serve with remaining parsley.

CRACKER BARREL CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Boil 3 quarts water in a large pot.
• Add chicken, 1 t salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parsley and simmer for 2 hours.
• The liquid will reduce by 1/3.
• When chicken is cooked, remove it and set aside.
• Strain stock and throw away everything but the stock.
• Put 6 cups of the stock back into the pot. (Leftover stock can be frozen.)
• Add the pepper, 1/2 t salt and lemon juice and reheat while you mix dumplings.
• For dumplings, mix flour, baking powder, 1-1/4 t salt and milk in a medium bowl.
• Stir until smooth, then let dough rest for 5-10 minutes.
• Roll dough onto a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness. (Handle the dough as little as possible for good dumplings).
• Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares (I use a pizza cutter) and drop each square into the simmering stock.
• Use all of the dough.
• The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially dissolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy.
• Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick.
• Stir often.
• While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have cooled.
• Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin.
• Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and drop them into the pot.
• Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, but stir carefully so you don't break the chicken up.
• When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot.
• (Very good over mashed potatoes.).