Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are 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 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 fluffier dumplings. My husband likes the flattened biscuits (he thinks they are more like noodles, and less doughy tasting).
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. I wish she had lived to see me use my Instant Pot. <3 Love you Mom.
Instant Pot Taco Soup
Instant Pot Easy Tomato Soup
Instant Pot Mulligatawny Soup
Instant Pot Chili
Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Gnocchi Soup
Instant Pot Posole – Pork Stew
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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are the classic comfort food many of us grew up with. You can make this delicious one-pot wonder in your electric pressure cooker.
- 2 tsp Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp 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 cloves Garlic, pressed or minced (about 1 Tbsp)
- 1 tsp Salt (more to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Pepper
- 1/4 tsp Poultry Seasoning
- 1/2 tsp Sage, dried
- 4 sprigs Fresh Thyme, 2 tsp leaves (or 1/2 tsp dried)
- 1 4" sprig Fresh Rosemary, 2 tsp leaves, stripped off and minced (or 1 tsp dried & crushed)
- 4 cups Chicken Broth, low sodium
- 1 large Potato, chopped
- 1 1/2 lbs Chicken Thighs, and/or Breasts, cut in slightly larger than bite sized pieces
- 1 cup Frozen Peas (or mixed vegetables)
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 6 jumbo Canned Buttermilk Refrigerator Biscuits (16 oz pkg contains 8)
- 1 1/2 cups Flour
- 3/4 tsp Salt
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 3 Tbsp Shortening (such as Crisco)
- 3/4 cup Whole Milk (or buttermilk)
- 1/4 cup Chives, finely chopped (fresh or dried) - Optional
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 cud them and not roll them flat.
Put all ingredients except milk in a bowl and use a pastry cutter or a fork to mix well and incorporate the shortening into the dry ingredients.
Stir the milk (and chives, if using) in and combine, until just moistened. Set aside.
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.
Add the carrot, celery, and garlic. Cook for a few minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to get up any brown bits (deglaze).
Add the salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, sage, thyme, and rosemary. Cook for a few seconds to let the spices become fragrant.
Add the chicken broth. Put a glass lid on the pot and let the contents warm up to barely a simmer.
Add the potato and chicken and stir.
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.
Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and put the glass lid on to let it sit and heat through for 3-5 minutes.
Taste and adjust salt, if needed.
Serve.
Resources to Make Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe
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This recipe is truly amazing! Easy to make once prep is done. Spices and flavors work so great together. Instant Pot makes it fairly quick to make. I have made twice and will be making this recipe forever!
Hi Paige! I’m so glad you liked this recipe! Did you make fluffy or flat dumplings? Thank you for your review!
I really liked this! Great flavor. Made the flat canned biscuit dumplings, and they were good. I want to try the homemade fluffy dumplings next time.
That’s great, April! The fluffy dumplings are my favorite! Thank you for your review!
Wonderful receipe. My husband LOVED it. Will definitely make this again!!!
That’s wonderful, Nancy! Thank you so much for letting me know!
Hi Sandy, I probably looked right over it several times, but what size instant pot is this for? I can’t seem to find it in the information for some reason. Thanks for your help!
6 qt or 8 qt
Made this today! Came out great!
Awesome! Thanks so much for your review, Tina!
Have been trying Chicken and Dumplings recipes in search of a good one. Have found several that were good, but this one is great–by far my fave! I made the homemade fluffy dumplings which are really tasty. Sauce is delicious, and chicken is moist and flavorful. No more trying for me–this is my go to recipe!!!
Hi Donna! I’m glad to know that your search is over! I’m a fluffy dumpling girl, too! Thank you for your review!
Oh. My. Word. This recipe is FANTASTIC! I have a family of picky eaters and everyone, I mean EVERYONE loved it! Also, my first ever recipe using my new instant pot, and I am so very happy how it turned out! So flavorful and easy! This will be one of my new “go-to” recipes! Thank you!
Hi Penny! This is such a great review! Thank you! It warms my heart when someone likes one of my recipes so much! AND IT WAS YOUR FIRST IN THE IP?!!! Amazing! You are ahead of the game! Thank you for your review, and CONGRATS!!
I came across this because chicken and dumplings is one of my children’s favorite meals and I wanted to try my new instant pot to make it. Very, very good! I used fresh herbs and doubled the recipe (except dumplings but I should have doubled those) for a large instant pot. So good! This one is a keeper.
Hi Christina, I’m so happy that you and your children like this recipe! I also like using fresh herbs, nothing can compare! I appreciate you leaving a review, thank you.
This is by far the best chicken and dumplings I have ever had! I hadn’t planned on dinner guests when I was making this but we ended up having the neighbor and her grandson join us. ALL 3 kids and all 3 adults agreed that is was amazing. The fresh thyme was key. The neighbor even went home with the recipe. I will definitely be making this again! Thanks!
HI Ashlee! I’m so thrilled that you all liked this recipe so much! Thank you for sharing, and for your review!
How many servings for chicken and dumplings
About 6, or 8 smaller servings.
Love this recipe!! Worked well in my Instant Pot. Does anyone have any nutrition info for it?
This looks delicious! Have you ever made it as a freezer meal? If so how did you modify it? Thanks!
Hi Rebecca, no I haven’t made this into a freezer meal. My guys gobble it up too fast!
Made this for the second time yesterday. I was missing a few things the first time I made it and I used canned biscuits for the dumplings. This time I followed the recipe completely and made the dumplings. OMG It was great before. Last night it was fantastic. My only regret was that I didn’t use all the dough because I was afraid it wouldn’t fit. now I think they would have. lol
Can’t wait to try some more of your recipes. 🙂
Awesome, Kim! I love the homemade dumplings, too! I’m so happy you liked this recipe! Thank you for the nice review!
I normally follow a Paleo diet but I was craving something warm and filling on a chilly autumn night…so I attempted this recipe using Pamela’s gluten free biscuit and scone mix and omitted the heavy cream and instead used a bit of arrowroot which thickened the gravy perfectly. O.M.G….SOOOOOOO good! My 8 year old had seconds and requested leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Hubby and 3 year old gobbled this up and commented multiple times on how good it was. This recipe will now be a part of our normal chilly weather rotation 🙂 Thank you Sandy!!!!!
Megan, I’m so happy the family liked it! Great adaptations for your diet! Thank you for your review.
Truly is easy and tasty
Made this tonight and it was absolutely scrumptious!! Got the thumbs up from my hubby & kids and they asked it we can have it again tomorrow ?. I only did minor changes, I doubled the recipe, did not use the heavy cream and used canned biscuits that were semi flattened and cut into squares, then dipped in flour so they wouldn’t stick. Thanks for a delicious IP chicken and dumplings recipe!
Hi Deana, thank you for your nice review! I’m happy to hear that the whole family liked this recipe!
After a lifetime of eating and making chicken and dumplings, I figured I would try this recipe out with the new Instant Pot. I am glad that I did. It was an absolute hit in the house and will be the go to recipe from now on. Thank you for sharing!!
That’s great, James! I’m so happy you all like this recipe! Thank you for your review!
Can’t wait to try this recipe tonight. I have all the ingredients on hand with the exception of shortening. Is there a substitute you’d recommend?
You can try some very cold butter cut into small chunks.
I used coconut oil and it came out nicely.
Freeze butter and then grate it. Works like a charm!
It’s in the pot now and it’s so easy to make. I haven’t had homemade dumplings in years. Looking forward to supper tonight. It smells amazing!!
That’s great! Please let me know how you like it!
I LOVE this recipe. I made it tonight and it was a success in my household. So delicious and easy to make. I will definitely make it again!
That’s great, Erina! Thank you for your review!
Delicious! Perfect for the cold weather we’ve been having. The whole family loved it…of course, I needed to double the recipe. I sautéed the thighs in a separate, larger pan, and then transferred it to my InstantPot. I rolled out and sliced the biscuits…great idea!
Great, Donna! Thanks for letting me know!
FYI for those doubling the receipe. It will not fit in a 6-quart IP. Found out the hard way…
I went looking for IP chicken & dumplings recipes while in the grocery store. I saw this one required herbs/spices i’d have to buy, as compared to the other recipes online. I saw sage on the list & knew I had to try it.
So glad I did! This is the best meal I have made in my IP to date. (Like so many others, I got it on Black Friday last year.) I even messed it up a bit, had to repopen the pot & take it back to pressure. Still came out delicious!! Thanks so much! I’ll be trying your other recipes! ?
Hi Barb! I really like sage with poultry, so I add it to several of my recipes. I’m happy that you liked this one! Thanks for your review!
Just made this for the second time. First time with all dried herbs, this time with fresh. Both were wonderful. I used flattened, canned biscuits and really enjoyed. Will eventually try the homemade when I have more time! Thanks for the recipe!
Can you make this with frozen chicken breast?
Yes!
This was SO yummy. Sort of a “gourmet” chicken & dumplings. My whole family finished their bowls and my boys can be picky. I even made the homemade dumplings. Thank you so much for sharing this. Being from the south (and not the most confident cook) I’m feeling accomplished & inspired!! God bless you!
Thank you, Kim! I’m flattered! I’m very happy that your family enjoyed this recipe, and that you enjoyed making it!
So good! The cream makes it decadently delicious. I used bisquick dumplings, they were yum!
Nice! Thank you!
Made this and it is wonderful. I used the canned biscuits just for the sake of time and mess (7 kids, a grandma and husband approved!)
Can you make this with already cooked chicken? Would you just add chicken with the cream and heat?
I think so. Just add the chicken after pressure cooking and let it sit a few minutes to heat up the chicken.
The best instapot recipe i have tried so far!
Thank you so much, Erin! I’m glad you liked it!
Great recipe! So flavorful and delicious, it was better than any other chicken and dumplings I had in the past. My Insta Pot is a mini so I reduced the ingredients by about 1/4. It was perfect! Finishing it off with a little cream at the end is totally necessary, as it adds just a bit of flavor to the already delicious gravy. (Watch the salt if using a biscuit mix.)
That’s great, Rena! Thank you!
I have everything to make this tonight except the heavy cream 🙁 can I use whole milk??
Yes you can.
This was the first meal I made in my instant pot and it came out amazing!! It was so easy and flavorful!
Awesome!
Very good recipe, I was concerned with mixing the fluffy dumplings ahead of time, so I mixed them last. I use ghee as my shortening. Fat free 1/2 & 1/2 for the cream. No other substitutions! Everyone asked for seconds!
I got a Crock Pot Express for Christmas and have been experimenting with recipes. THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE! I made homemade dumplings because I prefer fluffier dumplings. It’s so easy and delicious. Follow the recipe and you won’t be disappointed.
That’s great, Tracy! Thank you!
Delicious! My instant pot is new to me and this recipe was a success! 3 kids and 2 adults ate it up! I already had some cooked chicken and stirred it in after the pressure released and it tasted great. Thanks for the recipe!
Is the quantity of this recipe more than a duo-mini can handle? And what about substituting frozen dumplings? I am very new to this instant pot thing.
Hi Sherry, I’m not entirely sure if this will fit in the 3 qt. You can try reducing the recipe by 1/3 and see if that fits. I think it will. Frozen dumplings should work fine!
I wanted to comment that I used the duo mini and it did–just barely– fit in my pot. I don’t like onions, so I took the chunks out before I added the dumplings, and it worked perfectly.
This is the best tasting Chicken and Dumplings recipe EVER! I have made it twice. One time without the veggies because that is the way my 94 year old mother prefers it. Either way, it is fabulous. The seasoning are a perfect blend!
Hi Dianna, thank you so much for your nice review! I’m so happy to know that you liked this recipe!
Yes! My husband said, “You can definitely make this again.” I wasn’t sure there would be much flavor, but wow, was there ever! I made it with homemade drop dumplings, which were really good. A keeper, for sure!
Yay! I’m happy to know you and your hubby enjoyed this recipe! I’m also happy you tried the homemade dumplings! Those are my favorite!
Is this recipe for 6 qt? I have an 8 qt can I add more to the recipe? We love extras.
Yes, this is for the 6 qt. You can definitely make more in the 8 qt!
I successfully made a batch and a half in a 6 qt. Doubling the recipe wouldn’t fit. There was enough for my family of 4 for dinner and leftovers for tomorrow.
Made this. I liked rolled dumplings instead of dropped to I made the dough a bit stiffer and rolled it out. Very, very good recipe.
That’s great! Thank you, Ron!
I have a 3 at IP… would I have to do anything different?? Cann I do o half if we everything as only me. Thanks
Just cut the recipe in half, but keep the cook time the same.
I successfully made a batch and a half in a 6 qt. Doubling the recipe wouldn’t fit. There was enough for my family of 4 for dinner and leftovers for tomorrow.
This recipe was excellent!!! I always use Tyler Florence’s recipe for Chicken and dumplings which is delicious, but takes significantly more time and effort. This was just as good and took a fraction of the time! I will definitely be making it again! I
Okay this is the first time my recipe has been compared to TF! I’m very flattered! I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Julie. Thank you for your review!
Wow! This might be the best. Not just the best Instant Pot or Chicken and Dumpling recipe. But the best recipe, period. The first chicken and dumpling recipe I tried in the Instant pot was just so so. This was perfect. The only thing I changed was I used frozen peas and carrots instead of fresh carrots. That worked great. I will definitely be making this again. Oh, and I used the homemade version of the dumplings.
Dana! I am so flattered! I’m really happy that you enjoyed my recipe! Thank you for your kind review!
I’m dairy free. Is there any chance coconut cream would work? I’m afraid it would alter the taste too much.
I think coconut cream would alter the taste, as you said. How about unsweetened almond milk?
I made this last night for the first time and oh holy amazing. Hubby was even drawn out of the basement by the glorious smells. It was delicious. I used bone in thighs but removed the skin (like my grandma used to make). Definitely on the recipe keeper list.
That’s great, Tammy! Thank you!
We just made this tonight with only a couple very minor adjustments (due to me not wanting to go to the store so we went with what we had.) I used half and half for the heavy cream since we always have half and half. I made homemade dumplings because I love them and they are easy enough to make homemade.
The whole family here loved this and we will definitely be making it again 🙂 I tried to leave a 5 star rating but it wouldn’t let me click on the stars.
This is definitely a keeper! It was easy and very tasty for supper, and leftovers worked well for lunch too.
Thank you!
This turned out great! Thank you for sharing. This one is a keeper!!
What am I missing here…? I don’t see how the chicken is cooked and introduced.
Hi John, the ingredients are listed in order of appearance. In my recipe the chicken is one of the last ingredients added, and is done so in step 5.
This may sound like a dump question. There are only two of of us so I always have leftovers. How do you store the chicken and dumplings without leaving them in the instant pot liner. If I dump them into another container the dumplings will no longer be on the top. Any sggestion besides picking the dumplings off the top?
I was going to suggest removing the dumplings, putting the rest in a container, then set the dumplings on top before putting the lid back on.
I made this tonight and used butter instead of shortening. I also didn’t put celery and carrots cause my youngest doesn’t eat veggies (besides beans). The flavor was awesome and my whole family loved it! The dumplings came out brown instead of light color though? Is that cause I used butter? It also took like 7 min to vent and wondered if that “browned” the dumplings? I’m just getting used to using my Instapot! Thanks
I’m not sure if the butter browned them. There is a chemical reaction called the Maillard reaction, and that may be what browned them.
Wow! This has to be the 3rd or 4th time I’ve made your recipe and each time it gets devoured! My 7 year old calls the fluffy biscuits, “clouds” and he will pull up a step stool and start fishing them out of the pot eating them shortly after dinner is done. My 10 year old is his “look out” as long as his little brother fishes out a few for him too!
I have never had chicken and dumplings as a child (Chinese dumplings with chicken in it… Not quite the same at all), but my husband did. He said this was so much better than what he grew up eating (Irish household).
We did not add peas (not a fave here) and didn’t even need to use the heavy cream at the end. The spices really makes this dish AH-MAY-ZING!!! We always double the amount of chicken thighs ❤️ we thank you!!!
Hi Lena! That is so cute that your boys love the homemade dumplings! Home cooked food like this will be a part of their memories when they grow up. So precious! Thank you for your review, it made me smile!
Hi! Just made this and the flavor is delicious. However, I halved the recipe since I have the mini pot and the canned dumplings came out very strange. Maybe over cooked? They are very gelatinous and sort of harder in the middle and falling apart on the outside. I haven’t had chicken and dumplings in forever but don’t recall the dumplings having this texture. What do you think caused this to happen?
Hi Jill, that’s weird! Possibly rolling them out too flat/compressed. Or if you didn’t roll them out, maybe they were too close together? Did you use the Southern style and not the flaky style?
Hi I’m a new subscriber to the newsletter! I have a question, how important is it to add the celery? We are not fans of celery and never have it in the house! Is it truly necessary to the taste of this recipe? Any substitute ideas? Eagerly anticipating cooking this in my IP!
Hi Rayso, just omit the celery. It will be delicious!
Loved the recipe! It came out really tasty. But my dumplings sort of “disappeared”. There are a few left intact but the others either separated or disappeared altogether. Any ideas for me?
Which dumplings did you make? It sounds like maybe you did the canned biscuit option? Cut the pieces larger/thicker, and that should take care of the dissolving. If you did the homemade fluffy version, also make them a bit larger, and be gentle when stirring.
My favorite instant pot meal by far. Comes out fantastic every time. Canned biscuits come out wonderfully and are a real timesaver. Even my most discriminating critic of a 9 year old loves this. Thank you!
Haven’t had chicken and dumplings since my childhood. Made it tonight for dinner and it was a big hit! Everyone loved it. Made it in 6 quart but next time will make more in 8 quart. I searched so many recipes and this one just looked perfect – and it is. Thanks for posting it.
Talk about comfort food!! This recipe was delicious! I followed the recipe for the base but baked my homemade biscuits instead as we prefer those over dumplings. I used two large bone in chicken breasts because that’s what I had on hand. It
took the same amount of cooking time and then I shredded the chicken and added it back in at the end. Also, at the end I added a mixture of corn starch and water to thicken it up a little. Soooo good!!
I give this a 5 star rating, but the stars wouldn’t let me click them. This was delicious. I only tweaked it a little because of allergies. I left out the rosemary – don’t like it- and didn’t have sage so I used more poultry seasoning. Instead of mixed veggies, I used just corn. Hubby of 65 years said this was a keeper.
This was AMAZING and now will be in my rotation of meals. my parents loved it as well and put in an order for there freezer. I’m hoping it freezes and reheats well.
This is the best chicken and dumpling recipe I ever had. My family who is not a big fan loved this recipe. Will make again. The recipe is very easy and the directions are easy to follow.
Delicious and savory with the herbs. I used bonecutter in chicken thighs and increased the cooking time to 10 minutes. I cut the rosemary amount to 1/2 tsp. dried and the sat to 1/2 tsp. since I wasn’t using low-sodium broth. I finished it with 1/4 cup half and half and 1/4 cup low fat milk.
I know I am going to be getting an Instant Pot for Christmas and I think this will probably be one of the first recipes I make. My partner and I are both big fans of chicken — especially thighs and drumsticks, so this will work perfectly. I also like the choice of packaged biscuits for the dumplings or homemade.
I tried to give this recipe five stars because of good this sound and I think it is going to be but it would not let me.
I got my Instant Pot for Christmas as I had expected and will probably make this as one of my first recipes. However, on rereading the recipe it occurred to me that when you say “stir in the frozen peas or mixed vegetables. Stir in the heavy cream (if using) and put the glass lid on to let it sit and heat through.” You don’t say anything about how LONG to let it sit and heat through. That, at least to me, is a very important part of information for the recipe.
Bob, sorry about that. 3-5 minutes is all.
Thanks, Sandy. That is what I needed to know. I admit, considering they are frozen vegetables, I thought 3 – 5 minutes will be enough time for them to heat them through — but you are the expert.
I appreciate your reply and I will let you know how it turns out for me when I make it.
Rob
Great recipe for sure, been in the restaurant business for years. Would love to share recipes.
I made a whole chicken from frozen in my instant pot first. This produced half of the chicken broth I needed, some seasoning and, of course, the chicken. This is an excellent recipe. I’ll be making it again! Thank you for sharing.
Is the chicken you add raw or cooked?
Raw
I Third or fourth time making this delicious meal. My wife is and her dad love it, so it has become a regular for my IP.
Want to make this tonight. A little confused about how it will work to stir in ingredients at the end when you have the dumplings on top??
If you make the fluffy kind, you will just want to push them aside. Or you could remove them to a plate and add them back after. I just stir them as I like the sauce all over them!
Came out PERFECT!!! Really was no issue to mix them once I made it. Easy peasy. One of our favorites now!!!!
Made this last night was really good. My husband was very happy with this meal ty so much for a great recipe sure made me look good LOL
Absolutely amazing!!! Husband and I both loved it. Can you advise on how to make the broth/juice a little thicker please? I was thinking of using a little corn starch and water… BTW, this was my first dish to cook in my new IP. It was so easy and fun! Looking forward to trying many others you have posted. Thanks so much for sharing.
That’s great! I’m honored that this recipe was your first one in the IP!
I tried making the homemade fluffy dumplings and it didn’t come out right.
The flavor was great but the dumplings came out mushy and a little raw. I don’t know what I did wrong. How many dumplings should I have gotten out of the dough?
They must have been too large. Try making them the size of a small plum.