Instant pot chicken and dumplings with frozen dumplings

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Craving an easy, comforting meal? Look no further than Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings! Chock full of tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and colorful veggies, you will love this easy comfort food dinner!

Table of Contents

• Easiest-Ever Chicken and Dumplings, Made in the Instant Pot!
• What You’ll Need
• How to Make It
• Tips for Success
• What Goes with Chicken and Dumplings as a Side?
• Storing and Reheating Leftovers
• Can You Freeze Extras?
• Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
• More Instant Pot Dinner Ideas

Easiest-Ever Chicken and Dumplings, Made in the Instant Pot!

Comfort food at its best, chicken and dumplings is a kid-friendly, stick-to-your-ribs classic that’s still on the lighter side, thanks to juicy white meat chicken. It’s awesome made the old-fashioned way, but did you know you can pull it together much faster using your Instant Pot? Talk about a perfect weeknight dinner!

In under half an hour, you can be ladling up bowlfuls of creamy chicken soup, brimming with satisfying biscuit dumplings, chicken, peas, and carrots. A little hit of Cajun seasoning makes the perfect finishing touch.

Looking for a stovetop version? Try this version that also uses canned biscuits Easy Chicken and Dumplings. You may also really enjoy this super popular recipe for Homemade Chicken and Dumplings with homemade dumplings from scratch. I also have an easy recipe for Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings.

What You’ll Need

Let’s take a look at the full list of ingredients. It’s a simple recipe that’s flexible, full of wholesome reall food! Here’s the scoop:

• Butter: For sauteing. 
• Onion: Roughly chop one medium onion. 
• Salt and Pepper: I like to use kosher salt, but any salt is fine. 
• Garlic: Fresh minced garlic is fine, or you can use garlic from a jar. Powdered garlic works, too!
• Celery and Carrots: Roughly chopped celery and carrots add texture, flavor, and color.
• Cajun Seasoning: You can vary the amount depending on your taste – between ½ and 1 teaspoon.
• Broth: I like Better than Bouillon – it has great flavor, more than most standard boxed broths. Any broth you like is fine, though! 
• Chicken Breast: Cut some boneless, skinless chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.
• Frozen Peas: These are definitely optional, but I love the burst of sweetness and color they add! 
• Biscuits: A can of biscuits is an easy, quick way to make these dumplings! Cut each uncooked biscuit into 8 small pieces of dough.
• Whipping Cream: To make the chicken and dumplings creamy. Half and half also works well. 
• Parsley: For garnish, optional.

How to Make It

To make Instant Pot chicken and dumplings, all you have to do is quickly saute the veggies, and then pressure cook the chicken and broth. From there, drop the dumplings into the simmering soup, and voila! Dinner is done!

1. Saute the Vegetables. Set your 6 (or 8) quart Instant Pot to SAUTE. Once it’s hot, melt the butter, and then saute the chopped onions with the kosher salt. Stir occasionally until the onions are translucent, which should take about 7 minutes. Then add the garlic and saute for another minute. Finally, add the chopped celery and carrots to the pot. Sprinkle everything with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Let this cook for another 2 minutes.
2. Pressure Cook the Chicken and Broth. Turn off the Instant Pot, and add the chicken pieces and the chicken broth on top of the vegetables. Stir everything to combine, and then lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place. Make sure the valve is set to “sealed,” and pressure cook on HIGH for 3 minutes.
3. Release the Pressure and Cook the Dumplings. Once the cooking time is up, do a “Quick Release” of the pressure, making sure not to burn yourself on the hot steam. Once all of the pressure is released and the safety indicator is down, unlock the lid of the Instant Pot. Press CANCEL, and then select SAUTE again. Add the peas (if using), followed by the biscuit pieces, one at a time. When all the pieces are in the pot, gently push them into the simmering soup and stir for about 5 minutes to fully cook them through. Press CANCEL again.
4. Add Cream and Serve. Finally, add the heavy cream to the chicken and dumplings, and give one last stir. Serve immediately, garnished with freshly chopped parsley.

Is Chicken and Dumplings Supposed to Be Thick or Soupy?

It really depends on your taste, but in general, chicken and dumplings is a thick and creamy dish, with a soup base similar to gravy. It should be thick enough to coat the dumplings, but not so thick that it’s a pudding consistency.

How Do You Thicken Chicken and Dumplings?

If you cook the chicken and dumplings only to find that the final product is too thin, there are lots of ways to thicken it! Probably the easiest way is to mix up a slurry of cornstarch (or arrowroot powder, if you don’t want to use corn) and some cold water – a tablespoon or so of each is a good start. Use a fork to blend well until there are no lumps, and then stir the mixture into the hot chicken and dumplings. Set the Instant Pot to SAUTE, and simmer until thickened.

Tips for Success

Not only is this a super-simple recipe, it’s also easy to customize to your needs. Here are just a few tips for making this Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe work for you. Happy cooking!

• Double Up: Instant Pot chicken and dumplings can easily be doubled, if you’re using an 8-quart Instant Pot. Make this for a large crowd, or save some for another meal. 
• More Veggies: Other vegetables such as corn, green beans, or mushrooms can be added, if desired.
• Biscuit Advice: It’s super important to add the biscuit pieces a few at a time, to prevent them from sticking and forming one large ball of dough in the simmering liquid. Let each one cook briefly before adding the next. 
• Seasoning Tips: Another seasoning such as herbs de provence or poultry seasoning can be substituted for the Cajun seasoning, if you prefer. Use what you love!

What Goes with Chicken and Dumplings as a Side?

Instant Pot chicken and dumplings is really a one-pot meal, but you can stretch it (and add some extra contrast and flavor) by serving it with a hearty side or two. Here are just a few easy side dish options:

• Green Beans: Even picky eaters can enjoy basic green beans – and so much the more if you make them with some bacon! Try this recipe for The Best Sauteed Green Beans with Bacon. So easy and so yummy!
• Salad: A fresh green salad lightens up this hearty dish. Greek Salad with greens, tomatoes, red onion, and a scrumptious vinaigrette would be a perfect choice!
• Cornbread: Any kind of cornbread is great, but these Jalapeno Sweet Corn Muffins are a cut above! You’ll love the spicy sweetness of these classic corn muffins with savory Instant Pot chicken and dumplings.

Storing and Reheating Leftovers

Another great thing about this recipe is that it makes really delicious leftovers! As fantastic as it is freshly-made, it might be even better the next day – so definitely make extra if you can. 

• To store, just place the chicken and dumplings in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• To reheat, place the desired portion in a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until cooked through. You can also microwave it.

Can You Freeze Extras?

Definitely! To freeze this recipe, just cool it down and then pack it into freezer bags or freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Instant Pot chicken and dumplings will keep for 3-4 months in the freezer.

Yield: 6 Servings

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Craving an easy, comforting meal? Look no further than Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings! Chock full of tender chicken, fluffy dumplings, and colorful veggies, you will love this easy comfort food dinner!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, roughly chopped
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 stalks celery, roughly chopped
• 3 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• ½ to 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning (depending on personal taste)
• A pinch of black pepper
• 2 ½ cups chicken broth
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into pieces
• ½ cup frozen peas (optional)
• 1 can (10.5 ounces) buttermilk biscuits, each biscuit cut into 8ths
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream (or half and half)
• Parsley, for garnish

Instructions

1. Using a 6 or 8-quart Instant Pot, set the device to SAUTE. Add butter, chopped onions, and kosher salt. Stir occasionally. Cook until onions are translucent, approximately 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another minute.
2. Next, add celery and carrots. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and black pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes. Then, turn off the Instant Pot. Add the chicken pieces and the chicken broth. Stir until combined. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot in place, and set the valve to “sealed.”
3. Then, cook on HIGH MANUAL PRESSURE for 3 minutes. Once done cooking, perform a quick release. Open the Instant Pot, turn the device to SAUTE again, and let the chicken and dumplings come to a simmer.
4. Next, add peas (if desired). Then, add each biscuit section to the liquid individually. Once all of the pieces have been added, push them gently into the simmering liquid and stir for about 5 minutes, or until the biscuits are cooked through. Finally, add the heavy cream and give one last stir.
5. Serve immediately and garnish with parsley.

Notes

Storage:

• Fridge: Place the chicken and dumplings in an airtight container, and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
• Reheat: Place the desired portion in a saucepan over low heat and stir occasionally until cooked through. You can also microwave it.
• Freezer: Pack cooled soup into freezer bags or freezer containers. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating. Instant Pot chicken and dumplings will keep for 3-4 months in the freezer.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Categories

More Instant Pot Dinner Ideas

• Instant Pot Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo
• Turkey and Gravy in the Instant Pot
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Charro Beans
• Instant Pot Beef Tips
• Instant Pot Vegetable Soup

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