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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is a comforting, delicious homestyle meal that you can make in about an hour. I think you will enjoy this pressure cooker chicken and dumplings recipe. I have included instructions for both biscuit and homemade dumplings!
Originally published on 1/25/18
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Growing up at my house, one of the best things we ate was our mom’s Chicken and Dumplings. She made hers in a cast iron dutch oven. And sometimes I do, too.
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are so much faster to make, and taste so good! This recipe makes a fantastic one-pot meal.
This is a recipe that has been in my family forever. I did bump up the flavors a little though. I’m sure that most cultures have a version of this that someone’s mom, nana, or even a dad or grandpa made for them.
Meals like this bring back warm and happy memories of spending time with those we care about, even when they are not right here with us. Food can do that.
Start with getting all of your ingredients gathered together and prepared. Or as the French say. “Mise en place” (everything in place).
Decide which style of dumplings you want to use, and prepare them, too. I was asked which are my favorite. I like the homemade fluffy dumplings. My husband likes the flattened biscuits (he thinks they are more like noodles).
Whichever style you choose will be easy to make, and will taste great!
Now that I’m a Nana I will hopefully be remembered for my pressure cooker chicken and dumplings recipe, among other things!
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is a pretty quick meal, considering how delicious and hearty it comes out. Much faster than my mom’s. Thanks to my Instant Pot. Love you Mom!
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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons Olive Oil
- 1 Tablespoon Butter
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 1 cup Carrots, chopped (about 2 or 3 carrots)
- 1 cup Celery, chopped (2 stalks)
- 3 large Garlic Cloves, pressed or minced (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 teaspoon Salt (more to taste)
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ teaspoon Poultry Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon Sage, dried
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme, 2 tsp leaves (or ½ tsp dried)
- 1 4" sprig Fresh Rosemary, 2 tsp leaves, minced (or 1 tsp dried & crushed)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 large Potato, chopped
- 1 ½ lbs Chicken Thighs, and/or Breasts, cubed
To Finish
- 1 cup Frozen Peas (or mixed vegetables)
- ½ cup Heavy Cream
Quick Dumplings
- 6 jumbo Canned Buttermilk Refrigerator Biscuits* (16 oz pkg contains 8)
Homemade Dumplings
- 1 ½ cups Flour
- ¾ tsp Salt
- 2 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 3 Tablespoons Shortening (such as Crisco®) or Cold Butter
- ¾ cup Whole Milk (or buttermilk)
- ¼ cup Chives, finely chopped (fresh or dried) - Optional
Instructions
Choose the Type of Dumplings You Want to Make, and Prepare Them
Prepare Canned Dumplings
- For the canned biscuits, roll each one flat and cut into 6 equal slices. Do this to all 6 and set aside in a bowl. You can also just cut them and not roll them flat.6 jumbo Canned Buttermilk Refrigerator Biscuits*
Prepare Homemade Dumplings
- Put all ingredients except milk and chives in a bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to mix well and incorporate the shortening into the dry ingredients.1 ½ cups Flour, ¾ tsp Salt, 2 teaspoons Baking Powder, 3 Tablespoons Shortening
- Stir the milk (and chives, if using) in and combine, until just moistened. Set aside.¾ cup Whole Milk, ¼ cup Chives,
Prepare the Chicken and Sauce
- Turn the pressure cooker on to the Sauté setting. When the pot is hot, add the olive oil and the butter. Then add the onion and bay leaf. Stir.2 teaspoons Olive Oil, 1 Tablespoon Butter, 1 small Onion,, 1 Bay Leaf
- Add the carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to get up any brown bits (deglaze).1 cup Carrots,, 1 cup Celery,, 3 large Garlic Cloves,
- Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for a few seconds to let the herbs & spices become fragrant.1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Black Pepper, ¼ teaspoon Poultry Seasoning, ½ teaspoon Sage,, 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme,, 1 4" sprig Fresh Rosemary,
- Add the chicken broth. Put a glass lid on the pot and let the contents warm up to barely a simmer.4 cups Chicken Broth,
- Add the potato and chicken and stir.1 large Potato,, 1 ½ lbs Chicken Thighs, and/or Breasts,
- Add the dumplings.Homemade: Drop heaping teaspoonfulls into the broth (not too large as they need to cook through, and they expand).Biscuits: Add the sliced biscuits into the broth and gently stir to distribute them.
- Cancel the Sauté function.
- Place the lid on the pot and lock in place. Turn the steam release knob to the sealing position.
- Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button (or dial) and then the + or - button (or dial) to select 7 minutes.
- When the cooking cycle has finished, do a Controlled Quick Release of the steam/pressure. Start by using a wooden spoon or other long handled utensil to turn the steam release knob towards Venting, and start letting the steam out gradually.Do this several times, and back off if any of the sauce starts to spew out with the steam. Then open it all the way when you feel certain only steam will be coming out. It will take a couple of minutes to fully vent.
- When the pin in the lid drops down, open the lid carefully, and stir in the frozen peas or mixed vegetables. You may need to push the dumplings aside if you made the fluffy kind.1 cup Frozen Peas
- Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and put the glass lid on to let it sit and heat through for 3-5 minutes.½ cup Heavy Cream
- Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
- Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Resources to Make Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
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I used the refrigerated biscuits and sliced and stirred them in gently as per the instructions but they didn’t cook through and I ended up with a bunch of strips of hot wet dough rather than fluffy dumplings. Is there anything I can do differently next time? Would they be better if I didn’t stir them in? Everything else about this recipe was delicious perfection!
The biscuits will be more doughy. Did you roll them flat or just cut them? I prefer the homemade dumplings for a fluffier result, and when I’m in the mood for a more noodle-like texture, I use the biscuits. If this happens again, you might try turning on the sauté setting (LOW), and letting them cook a little longer this way. Be mindful of the bottom of the pot scorching, so gentle stirring to scrape the bottom of the pot may be needed occasionally.