This easy Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is packed with flavor. It’s perfect to make on a busy night because it comes together quickly, with most of the time, being hands-off time. I’ve included a shortcut for the dumplings that makes things even easier.
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I had no intention of posting three Instant Pot/Electric Pressure Cooker meals in a row. But somehow that’s how things turned out.
It’s probably the necessity around here for quick and easy meals. Are you feeling it too?
We love this chicken and dumpling recipe.
It’s super easy with most of the time being hands off time. Love those kinds of recipes, don’t you?
And the flavor. Wow. It’s definitely not lacking in that department.
Here’s how to make it
Start by browning the chicken using the sauté function in a little oil. You may want to brown it in two batches so the pot is less crowded.
Don’t worry about cooking the chicken completely in this step. Just brown it on the outside and move on.
Next you’ll add the carrots, some spices and chicken bouillon (I use this homemade chicken bouillon substitute).
Then pour in the water and give everything a good stir.
Now let’s talk about the dumplings…
I’ve actually got a couple of options for the dumplings, my friends.
The first option is to make amazing homemade dumplings, similar to the ones I posted on the chicken pot pie soup with dumplings recipe. Just five ingredients and they come together quick.
Just dump everything in a bowl and mix it together gently with a rubber spatula. The main thing to remember about dumplings is that like any biscuit or muffin dough, you don’t want to over mix them.
I use my #60 cookie scoop to scoop them (aff. link). But you can just scoop them with a spoon if you want. Remember to keep them small and fairly uniform so they cook evenly. They don’t have to look beautiful. If they are looking like blobs of dough, that’s exactly what they are supposed to look like.
I like to roll them in a little flour (shaking off the excess) before plopping them on top of the soup, making sure they don’t overlap.
I’m a huge proponent for making meals from scratch and I do that most of the time. But I also understand that sometimes a shortcut can mean the difference between making a dish and not making it. So in the spirit of giving you options, I’m sharing another quick and easy way to do the dumplings that my friend Marlou I. (the one who actually shared the recipe with me) told me about.
Instead of making the dumplings by hand, you can use a can of refrigerated Pillsbury Southern Homestyle Grands biscuits. Just cut them into fourths, coat them with a little flour, shake them off really good and stick them in the pot. It’s super easy and it works great!
Finishing it off
After cooking this dish, you’ll want to make sure you let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
When you open the pot, don’t be alarmed if it looks a little blobby and ugly. That’s what it’s supposed to look like.
Just go ahead and add the frozen peas and heavy whipping cream,
Give everything a stir, being careful not to break apart the dumplings.
And that’s it, my friends. It’s ready to serve. Yummy yum.
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
This easy Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe is packed with flavor. It's perfect to make on a busy night because it comes together quickly, with most of the time, being hands-off time. I've included a shortcut for the dumplings that makes things even easier.
Ingredients
For Chicken Soup:
- 2 ½ to 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons neutral flavored oil avocado, canola, etc
- 4 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon see note
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups diced carrots about 3 to 4 large carrots
For Dumplings (see note for a premade dumpling option):
- 1 ½ cups (7.5 ounces) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 4 teaspoons neutral flavored oil
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour for powdering dumplings
For serving:
- 2 cups frozen peas
- ½ cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
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Pat chicken dry with paper towels and cut into 1-inch cubes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
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Select sauté function on Instant Pot and press until red light indicates "more" setting (which is the browning setting). Add 1 tablespoon of oil to pressure cooker insert and heat until simmering. Add ½ the diced chicken to pot and sauté until chicken is brown on outside (it will not be cooked through in this step). Remove chicken and set aside. Then add remaining chicken and sauté until brown.
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Hit cancel. Then add all of the browned chicken, the carrots, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, basil, chicken bouillon, and ground pepper to the pot. Add water and stir well.
For Dumplings (see note for a premade dumpling option):
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk and oil. Stir just until combined, being careful not to overmix.
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Add ¼ cup of flour to a small bowl and drop teaspoon-sized amounts of dumpling dough (I use a #60 small cookie scoop) into bowl. Roll each dumpling into flour and place them on the surface of the soup, being careful not to submerge them. Keep the dumplings fairly small and even in size. Cover the entire surface, trying not to overlap them.
For Cooking and Serving:
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Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and select “manual” or “pressure cook” set to HIGH Pressure and dial up or down to 8 minutes.
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When time is up, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure.
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Add the frozen peas and cream to the pot and stir thoroughly, being careful not to break apart the dumplings. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes
1. For this recipe I use this homemade chicken bouillon substitute in place of the chicken bouillon.
2. For a really easy option for the dumplings, you can use a can of refrigerated Pillsbury Southern Homestyle Grands biscuits, cut into quarters and coated with flour.
Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, adapted from a recipe shared with me by my friend Marlou I.
All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat
Disclaimer: post contains affiliate links for items on Amazon.
