Copycat Cracker Barrel Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

Chicken and Broth:

* 3 quarts water
* 3-4 lbs cut up chickens
* 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
* 1 small sliced onion
* 2 stalks celery, chopped
* 1 clove garlic, peeled and quartered
* 1 bay leaf
* 4-6 whole fresh parsley leaves
* 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Dumplings:

* 2 cups flour
* 1 tablespoon baking powder
* 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/8 cups milk

Directions:

1. Boil 3 qts water in a large pot.

2. Add chicken, 1 t salt, onion, celery, garlic, bay leaf and parsley and simmer for 2 hours.

3. The liquid will reduce by 1/3.

4. When chicken is cooked, remove it and set aside.

5. Strain stock and throw away everything but the stock.

6. Put 6 cups of the stock back into the pot.

7. Add the pepper, 1/2 t salt and lemon juice and reheat while you mix dumplings.

8. For dumplings, mix flour, baking powder, 1-1/4 t salt and milk in a medium bowl.

9. Stir until smooth, then let dough rest for 5-10 minutes.

10. Roll dough onto a floured surface to about 1/2 inch thickness.

11. Cut the dough into 1/2 inch squares and drop each square into the simmering stock.

12. The dumplings will first swell and then slowly shrink as they partially disolve to thicken the stock into a white gravy.

13. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes until thick. Stir often.

14. While the stock is thickening, the chicken will have cooled.

15. Tear all the meat from the bones and remove the skin.

16. Cut chicken into bite sized pieces and drop them into the pot.

17. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, but stir carefully so you don't break the chicken up.

18. When the gravy has reached the desired consistency, ladle four portions onto plates and serve hot.

Makes: 4 servings