This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe has become one of my favorite instant pot chicken recipe, it is so easy and delicious to make, it will become a dinner staple. You have to love an easy recipe that includes pressure cooking and an easy chicken dish. I have to admit, I was really late on the Instant Pot train and have never been into the pressure cooking phenomenon. Sure, I saw all these delicious pressure cooker recipes pop up on my Pinterest and Facebook feed, but I really did not believe it would be as great as everyone claimed. And then I broke down and bought an Instant Pot, and now I am hooked because it creates some of the best recipes I have ever tried. One of my favorite instant pot chicken recipes is this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe.
If you enjoyed this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe, check out these other instant pot recipes: Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese, Crockpot Chicken and Yellow Rice recipe.
Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings Recipe
Ingredients
2 cups chicken broth or chicken stock
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 lb skinless chicken breasts (cubed or shredded chicken)
1 can refrigerated biscuit dough
1 cup carrots (chopped)
1 cup frozen peas
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp basil
1 TBS minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
poultry seasoning (optional)
fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
Using a roll pin, flatten each of the canned biscuits to about 1/6″ thickness on a cutting board, and then use a knife to cut into strips. Turn the instant pot to saute function and add olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Add chicken and the dry ingredients of oregano, onion powder, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned bits on all sides and you reach tender chicken pieces, stirring frequently, and shut the sauté setting off.
Add chicken broth, water, carrots, and peas to the cooked chicken and mix well. Stir in the biscuit pieces, using a wooden spoon to stir constantly so the biscuit dumplings do not stick together or stick to the bottom of the inner pot. Place the instant pot lid in the sealed position, close the pressure knob, and set to high pressure with a cook time of 5 minutes. It may take 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, and then you will see the countdown of time from 5 minutes on. Once the cooking cycle is complete, press the cancel button to turn off the unit and quickly release steam or pressure. Some prefer to use the natural release (natural pressure release), but this will add to the cooking time and may affect the consistency of the fluffy dumplings and bite-size pieces of chicken.
Store leftover easy instant pot chicken and dumplings in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
Amanda Taylor
An easy and delicious Chicken and Dumplings Instant Pot Recipe.
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 5 minutes mins
Total Time 35 minutes mins
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breastcubed
- 1 tuberefrigerated biscuits
- 1 cup carrots chopped
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1 TBS minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
Using a roll pin, flatten each of the canned biscuits to about 1/6" thickness on a cutting board, and then use a knife to cut into strips. Turn the instant pot to saute function and add olive oil to the bottom of the pot. Add chicken and the dry ingredients of oregano, onion powder, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook until browned bits on all sides and you reach tender chicken pieces, stirring frequently, and shut the sauté setting off.
Add chicken broth, water, carrots, and peas to the cooked chicken and mix well. Stir in the biscuit pieces, using a wooden spoon to stir constantly so the biscuit dumplings do not stick together or stick to the bottom of the inner pot. Place the instant pot lid in the sealed position, close the pressure knob, and set to high pressure with a cook time of 5 minutes. It may take 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure, and then you will see the countdown of time from 5 minutes on. Once the cooking cycle is complete, press the cancel button to turn off the unit and quickly release steam or pressure. Some prefer to use the natural release (natural pressure release), but this will add to the cooking time and may affect the consistency of the fluffy dumplings and bite-size pieces of chicken.
FAQs
This dinner staple cooks up perfectly every time in the Instant Pot. You can aim for firm but juicy chicken for cubing, or let it cook a little bit longer for tender shredded chicken.
Why are my chicken and dumplings not fluffy? ›
Baking powder is the leavening agent of choice for fluffy dumplings. It is important that the right ratio of baking powder to flour be measured. Too little and the dumpling will not rise adequately; if there's too much baking powder, then the dumplings will rise and fall.
How do you tell if dumplings are done in chicken and dumplings? ›
Cut a dumpling in half to check the center.
If you really want to be sure, remove a dumpling from the pot (go for a large one) and cut it in half. It should look cooked though, with the texture of a dinner roll. If the center looks a little raw, let the dumplings steam for another couple minutes.
What can I add to my chicken and dumplings to make it thicker? ›
How can I thicken stove top chicken and dumplings? You can thicken this dish by adding more flour, or even cornstarch. Create a slurry with either of these ingredients and milk or water, then stir into your broth base until you get your desired consistency.
Can you overcook chicken in a Instapot? ›
Because chicken breast is so lean, just a couple of extra minutes of cook time turns them from juicy to overcooked and dry.
Do you cover meat with liquid in pressure cooker? ›
There's lots of water in the meat too, so even 1 cup added water will result in a fair amount of liquid after cooking. No you do not have to cover it.
What is the secret to perfect dumplings? ›
Overworking the mixture, thus having heavy dumplings is a common mistake people make. Dumplings need very gentle handling, so mix only until the ingredients are just combined, and if your recipe involves rolling them out with extra flour, avoid using too much.
Do you cook dumplings with lid on or lid off? ›
Once your water is boiling, let your dumplings cook in the steam for about ten minutes. Don't remove the lid as letting the steam escape will disrupt the cooking process and result in undercooked dumplings, so keep that lid on!
How long do you need to boil dumplings? ›
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook dumplings in batches of about eight until they are cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the dumplings to a serving platter. Serve warm with the dipping sauce.
Do you leave the lid off when cooking dumplings? ›
If you keep the lid on, the dumplings will end up entirely steamed, so they'll be softer and slightly wetter. If you leave the lid off, they'll crisp up more on top, and be slightly drier. I like to do a bit of both, so I'll usually leave the lid on for the first 10 minutes or so, then take it off for another 10.
Cover and bring to a vigorous boil. Add roughly one cup of cold water and return to boil while covered. Repeat this step again. The dumplings will be completely cooked and ready when they float on the surface of the boiling water.
Are dumplings supposed to float in chicken and dumplings? ›
The dumplings will float to the top of the broth, even though at first they may plop under the broth. It's okay if they cook on top of the chicken pieces. If you removed the chicken, they'd still float to the top, though.
Can I use water instead of chicken broth for chicken and dumplings? ›
If you don't have broth on hand and want a little more flavor than just plain water, try subbing in 1 cup of water plus 1 tablespoon of butter for every cup of chicken broth in your recipe. The butter will help create a richer flavor than just water alone.
How do you make chicken and dumplings not bland? ›
Add about a teaspoon of salt and a big pinch of pepper or handful of peppercorns. Feel free to add several stalks/leaves of fresh herbs (no need to chop), like parsley, thyme, oregano, or sage. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat so water maintains a gentle simmer.
Why do my dumplings in chicken and dumplings fall apart? ›
⭐️ The most important tip: Keep the pot at a gentle simmer when cooking the dumplings. An aggressive simmer or boiling will break them apart. Keep the heat low and keep your pot covered so that they steam.
Does pressure cooking chicken longer make it softer? ›
Cooking any meat on high heat (or high pressure) for an extended period will both: denature more the proteins / collagen making the meat more tender; "squeeze" more water out of the meat, making it drier / chalkier in texture.
Is it better to pressure cook or slow cook chicken? ›
Ultimately, slow cooking allowed our chicken to be perfectly seasoned without compromising the meat texture, a luxury pressure cooking can't afford.
Does pressure cooked chicken make it tender? ›
By placing cooking liquid in the bottom of the pressure cooker and placing the chicken in the steamer basket above the liquid, you are guaranteed tender, moist chicken every time.
Does pressure cooking chicken make it more tender? ›
All Cuts of Meat Can Become More Tender in a Pressure Cooker
But there's more to tender meat than simply choosing a particular cut. As you'll know, starting with great ingredients is a must, but how you treat them in the cooking process is also of paramount importance.
