Go Back
instant pot chicken and dumplings

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

The ultimate creamy, comforting one-pot dinner! This easy pressure cooker chicken and dumplings recipe uses a clever biscuit dough shortcut to get dinner on the table in under 45 minutes.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American
Calories: 460
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 medium yellow onion finely diced
  • 3 large carrots peeled and diced
  • 2 stalks celery diced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts (left whole)
  • 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1 16-ounce can refrigerated buttermilk biscuits (not flaky layers)
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Equipment

  • 6-Quart or 8-Quart Instant Pot
  • Cutting board and sharp chef knife
  • Wooden spoon or heat-safe silicone spatula
  • Two forks for shredding the chicken

Method
 

  1. Saute the Veggies: Turn your Instant Pot to the Saute function. Add the butter and let it melt. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 additional minute until fragrant.
  2. Deglaze the Pot: Pour in the chicken broth. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly, removing any browned bits to prevent a burn warning.
  3. Pressure Cook the Chicken: Add the whole chicken breasts to the broth. Sprinkle the poultry seasoning, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper directly over the chicken. Secure the lid, make sure the valve is set to Sealing, and cook on Manual / High Pressure for 10 minutes.
  4. Quick Release: When the cooking time is complete, carefully perform a Quick Pressure Release by turning the valve to Venting. Once the pin drops, carefully remove the lid.
  5. Shred the Chicken: Use tongs to remove the cooked chicken breasts to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the meat into bite-sized pieces, then return the shredded chicken to the pot.
  6. Simmer the Dumplings: Turn the Instant Pot back to the Saute function. Open the can of refrigerated biscuits and cut each raw biscuit into 4 equal quarters. Drop the dough pieces into the simmering broth, stirring gently so they do not stick together.
  7. Add Cream and Peas: Let the dumplings simmer in the broth for about 5 to 7 minutes until they are puffed up and cooked all the way through. Stir in the heavy cream and frozen peas during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
  8. Serve: Turn the Instant Pot off. Let the soup sit for 5 minutes to slightly thicken before ladling it into warm bowls.

Notes

Choosing the Biscuits: It is very important to buy standard, original buttermilk biscuits. Avoid the "flaky layers" style of biscuits, as they will completely dissolve into the broth and turn your soup into mush instead of holding their shape as proper dumplings.
Thickening the Broth: The starch from the biscuit dough naturally thickens the broth as it simmers. However, if you prefer an ultra-thick, gravy-like consistency, you can stir in a slurry made of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of cold water right before adding the heavy cream.
Chicken Thighs: You can easily swap the chicken breasts for boneless, skinless chicken thighs. They are incredibly forgiving under pressure and provide a slightly richer flavor to the overall dish.