Being from the south, I’m always on the hunt for delicious homemade comfort food. I can tell you with certainty that this Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings is one meal that you’ll make over and over again.
Luckily, this is no longer the case and your family can enjoy this super easy and delicious Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings made with canned biscuits, peas, and carrots is the perfect hearty meal and comfort food. You can have dinner on the table in twenty minutes or less!
Your family will love it, you will love it, and the fact that you get to make it in your Instant Pot is just icing on the cake. With just one simple machine, your cook time is shortened beyond belief. Forget about having to be a professional straight out of culinary lab school, this recipe will help you see cooking can be easy, fun, and delicious.
What used to take your hours in the kitchen will only take you mere minutes! If that isn’t a huge selling point to this Instant Pot Chicken & Dumpling recipe, I don’t know what is!
For your next family meal, chicken and dumplings need to be on your radar. It’s the perfect dish to feed your family and be confident that it’s going to turn out perfectly.
Related: 10 Best Instant Pots – Which Pressure-Cooker Is Right For Me?
How to Cook Chicken and Dumplings
Life has been crazy and a little comfort food is all I need. You guys, I grew up on Chicken & Dumplings but this is even better. Your family is going to ask you to make it over and over. Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Keep reading to find out just how to make these amazing chicken and dumplings!
Chicken and Dumplings Instant Pot ingredients:
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1-1/2 lbs chicken breast, cubed
- 1 tube (16oz) refrigerated biscuits
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
How to make Chicken and Dumplings with Canned Biscuits?
The first you will want to do is flatten out each biscuit to about 1/8″ thickness. I use a rolling pin but you can use the bottom of a cup. Whatever works! Use a knife to cut into 1/2″ strips.
What type of canned biscuits are best when making Dumplings In the Instant Pot?
The refrigerated buttermilk biscuits personally for me work best. I have not tried my recipe using crescent rolls. Southern Homestyle Biscuits also work really well and I would suggest avoiding the biscuits that are flaky. Any brand of canned biscuits should work but I prefer Pillsbury’s.
What seasonings go well with chicken and dumplings?
I used 1 teaspoon olive oil, oregano, onion powder, basil, garlic, salt, and pepper. You can eliminate some of these seasonings, or cut the amount to 1/2 teaspoon. It is a personal preference.
How long should you sauté the chicken in the Instant Pot?
Turn instant pot to sauté the chicken (with the lid off) until lightly golden brown on all sides, stirring frequently. Make sure not to overcook your chicken. When finished, shut off the instant pot by pressing cancel.
Can you add vegetables to chicken & dumplings?
I always love using vegetables in my chicken & dumplings. I will add my chicken broth, water, carrots, and peas to an instant pot and mix well. I have even used celery! Whatever vegetable you choose. At this point, you will want to drop in the small sliced or bite size biscuits. Then seal the lid of the instant pot and close the pressure knob.
How Long Do You Cook Chicken & Dumplings In The Instant Pot?
I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family!
If there happens to be any leftovers (which there probably won’t be), they taste great the next day as well!
Don’t forget to print this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe to save for later!
Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings
Ingredients
- 2 cups chicken broth
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1-1/2 lbs chicken breast cubed
- 1 tube 16oz refrigerated biscuits
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup frozen peas
- 2 teaspoons oregano
- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1-2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Flatten each biscuit to about 1/8" thickness. Use a knife to cut into 1/2" strips.
- Place 1 teaspoon olive oil, chicken, oregano, onion powder, basil, garlic, salt and pepper into the instant pot and mix to coat.
- Turn instant pot to sautee and cook chicken (with the lid off) until brown on all sides, stirring frequently.
- When finished, shut off instant pot by pressing cancel.
- Add 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 cup of water, carrots and peas to instant pot and mix well.
- Stir in biscuits.
- Seal lid of instant pot and close the pressure knob.
- Set instant pot to manual for 5 minutes.
- It may take 5-10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure and then you will see the count down of time from 5 minutes.
- Once cooking cycle is finished, press cancel to turn off the unit and quick release steam/pressure.
- Spoon chicken and dumplings into bowls and serve.
Video
Notes
FAQ:
Should I add a can of Cream of Chicken?
I get a lot of questions about whether or not to add a can of Cream of Chicken. I have tried this recipe both ways. I would maybe just adjust your chicken broth amount slightly if you do plan to add a can of Cream of Chicken soup.
Also, some of you have suggested cutting your biscuits in half after you cut them into small strips. This seems to work very well!
Is Chicken and Dumplings Supposed to be Thick or Soupy?
Chicken and dumplings is a soup, so there should be some broth when it is finished cooking. This broth should be thick and hearty, however. So if your broth is too thin, you may want to add some flour or butter to help thicken it up.
What Goes Best with Chicken and Dumplings?
If your family likes to enjoy sides with their chicken and dumplings, not to worry, as there are many delicious items that go well with this meal. For something a little healthier, steam some broccoli, bake some asparagus, or roast some green beans. You could also make a nice garbanzo bean salad in advance and pull it out of the fridge when you are ready to serve the chicken and dumplings. Since this meal is so heavy on its own, don’t shy away from a simple fresh tossed salad, or maybe even a chilled portion of crispy Cole slaw on the side. No matter what side you pick to go with your chicken and dumplings, it will surely be a match made in heaven!
What is Chicken and Dumplings Called?
Chicken and dumplings is a recipe that has been around for centuries. It originated in the 1800’s, back when food was scarcer and items were often put in soups to make them go further. Additionally, chickens used to be kept solely for their eggs, which means the only chickens consumed for meat were those that were old and not egg producing. And because this meat wasn’t as tender, it made sense to make it into a soup.
This still may leave you wondering why it is called chicken and dumplings when there are no actual dumplings involved. This is because of the balls of dough that are added. These balls of dough are based off of the European pastry known as a dumpling that involved rolling meat into dough as early as the 1700’s. But during the poorer times in America, it is stipulated that balls of dough are added to soup to help make it more filling but without the meat that is so expensive.
Is Chicken and Dumplings Considered a Soup?
When you see the words chicken and dumplings, you might be tricked into thinking you are making some sort of fried pastry, but the truth is, chicken and dumplings is a type of delicious and hearty soup that will stick to your bones on a chilly day.
Why Does Chicken Get Rubbery in Instant Pot?
Chicken gets rubbery in an instant pot when it is under cooked. Generally, if you are concerned about how long to cook a chicken dish like chicken and dumplings in the instant pot, you should NOT use the pre-programmed poultry button and instead cook the chicken a little at a time, checking on it as you go.
Can You Overcook Dumplings in Chicken and dumplings?
Yes, you can overcook chicken and dumplings in an instant pot. Besides just overcooking the chicken, you also need to be careful not to overcook the dumplings. If you cook your dumplings too long, they will fall apart and eventually disintegrate until there is almost nothing left of them.
How Long Does Chicken Take to Cook in an Instant Pot?
The length of time it takes to cook chicken widely depends on how thickly it is cut. Thin pieces of chicken may only take five minutes, while full chicken breasts may take up to 15 minutes to be fully cooked.
How Do You Make Chicken and Dumplings Thicker?
If your chicken and dumplings come out with a broth that is too thin, it is easy to thicken the broth using flour briefly sauteed in oil. But if this sounds like too much work, you can also simply add cornstarch to your chicken and dumplings.
Heavy cream, or sour cream is another popular way to thicken soup, but it also adds flavor that you may not want mixing with your chicken and dumplings. But for those that like creamy soups, mixing in some heavy cream is the way to go. Just be sure you don’t boil the soup after you add the cream—as this will cause it to curdle.
How Long is the Chicken Setting on Instant Pot?
The pre-programmed button on an instant pot will automatically cook the chicken on high for a period of 15 minutes. It is best not to use this button when cooking chicken and dumplings.
Do You Add Water to an Instant Pot When Cooking Chicken?
When cooking any sort of chicken recipe in your instant pot, you will always want to add either water or chicken broth to keep the chicken moist as it cooks.
Is Cooking in an Instant Pot Healthy?
Cooking chicken in an instant pot is actually theorized to be healthier for you than the traditional long-term cooking method for chicken. This is because more vitamins and minerals are preserved in the food than when you leave your ingredients cooking all day long.
Is Chicken Cooked in Pressure Cooker Healthy?
Pressuring cooking in fact is one of the best and healthiest ways to cook chicken, because it is easy to get the chicken to appropriate temperature without making it dry or cooking out all of the B vitamins that can be found in chicken.
Are you looking for more Instant Pot Soup Recipes? Try these:
- Instant Pot Beef Stew -Perfect for Cold Days
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup
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Joy Hoff says
Good to meet a fellow Georgia girl. I have been in Midwest (currently ND) for a long time. But still consider Georgia my home. I am anxious to try your C&D recipe. My mom made this when I was growing up. Only no canned biscuits in site. I am sure yours will be good, but no one compares to moms. I am sure your children would say the same. Thanks for sharing.
Winona Rogers says
Hi Joy! Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I am a Georgia native. I would love to visit North Dakota sometime. Have a great week 🙂
Charles Ingram says
Just made this. I would suggest that you stick with Southern Homestyle Biscuits and avoid the flaky kind. Pillsbury’s Grands worked well for me, although I would have liked them better cooked a little longer, and I prefer Dill over Rosemary for this dish and I always up the garlic. There is nothing wrong with this recipe. It’s great. My suggestions are just personal taste. Thank you, Winona. I would have never tried this in my Fagor Versa Multi-Cooker (pretty much the same as a Hot Pot) without your recipe as a kickstart to converting one of my favorite dishes from my childhood that Grandma used to make.
Winona Rogers says
Thank you Charles for sharing your experience and tips. Make sure to cut the dumplings in small trips and flatten them out. Yes this dish reminds me of my childhood memories with my grandmother.
Melissa says
I love you this recipe and have made it a couple of times for friends and family and they’ve been wondering if it’s possible to make this recipe in a normal stove top? Thank you!
Winona Rogers says
Hi Melissa! Glad you love the recipe! It’s a big hit with our family too. Before my Instant Pot, I have made it on the stovetop but it takes a lot longer, obviously, and you will need to make sure you constantly stir so the biscuits do not stick together.
Kelly says
You mention that it can use a can of cream of chicken. Do I add that when I add in everything else before pressure cooking it?
Winona Rogers says
Hi Kelly, you can stir in the cream after you open the pot at the end. Some like to add it with the two cups of chicken broth during cooking time.
Susan says
I’ve done it both ways and it didn’t seem to matter. Also, I use TWO cans–makes it nice and thick.
michele says
I do not have a manual button and was planning on using the flaky biscuits should I get another kind?
Winona Rogers says
Hi Michele, I would not suggest using flaky biscuits. Your Instant Pot may say “Pressure Cook.” My IP has a manual button. Let me know if you were able to try the recipe. Hope you enjoy it!
Linda says
Can u leave this on keep warm till ready to eat…then release steam?
Winona Rogers says
Hi Linda, I haven’t tried that yet but I think you could leave it on warm. It might thicken more, but if the top was sealed probably not too much. Let me know what you think.
Debbie says
The recipe looks amazing. I was wondering about how many servings one might get from this recipe?
Winona Rogers says
Hi Debbie, it should serve 4 – 6 but if your family loves them as much as mine then closer to 4. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know how it turned out.
Anita Reilly says
When do you add the cream as you mentioned on Facebook? Thank you.
Winona Rogers says
Hi Anita, you stir in the cream after you open the pot at the end. Thanks for stopping by. Let me know how it turned out.
Johnny says
How much cream?
Tabitha says
I’m wondering the same thing….????
Winona Rogers says
Hi Tabitha, add 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 cup of water
Jess says
I’m new to using Instant Pot so I’m starting with easier recipes and this one was great! Super easy and really tasty. My husband’s picky and he really liked it. Perfect easy dinner I can make and still get things done around the house and even better it’s a good way to get my kiddos to eat some veggies. Thank you!
Winona Rogers says
Hi Johnny, add 2 cups of chicken broth, and 1 cup of water
Shannon Chin says
How much cream?
Winona Rogers says
I did not use any cream for this recipe.
Melissa says
There is no mention of cream in this recipe, mine is just soup now….now what I was expecting
Winona Rogers says
Adding cream is an option, but this recipe does not call for cream. It is a personal preference. Thank you for stopping by.
Jessica says
Maybe this is a dumb question . . . you’re using raw chicken right? This is going to be my first recipe in my pot and I still can’t believe it cooks meat that fast!
Winona Rogers says
Hi Jessica, yes you are correct. You will need to cook the chicken in the Instant Pot before adding the broth, water, carrots, peas and biscuits. Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy this recipe.
Jessica says
I appreciate your help! One last question, can I fit double this recipe in an 8 qt pot?
Crystal Waters says
Thanks Jean Taylor, for voicing a concern that came up for us as well. It’s completely normal to have these questions and it’s great that you felt comfortable sharing. We ended up adding too many peas and honestly, weren’t satisfied with the choppping job on the carrots. Usually, I think a dish could use more peas but that just didn’t translate to this recipe. Long story short, will this work in 8 quart instant pot? My children just LOVE this recipe and I want to make sure I can cook for all 8 of them at the same time. My husband never understands the effort that goes into this but he’s always happy to enjoy the result!
Susan says
I make it in an 8 qt all the time. Yes, I basically double the recipe, but you have to adjust the spices. It’s kind of trial and error to your taste.
John Anges says
You have to remember that the Instant Pot (IP) gets hot very quickly — long before it comes to pressure. My IP normally takes between 15-20 minutes (on average) before the pin pops up and the cooking timer starts. It shows “On” during this time it is building up pressure. However, the stuff in the pot is actually cooking during this time too.
Then it cooks during the actual pressure cooking time that you set it for.
If you do Natural Pressure Release (NPR), which I always do at least 10-15 minutes with meat or poultry (so that it can rest and reabsorb any lost moisture). The pot is still hot and the stuff in the pot is cooking during that time too. Leaving it on NPR is the only thing I would do differently for this recipe.
So even though you set the timer for 5 minutes, it would probably be cooking more like 35 minutes before you open the lid.
In fact, the biggest danger for cooking really lean meats in the IP is over-cooking them. That can leave them tough and dry. So 5 minutes of pressure cook time is perfect for something super lean like chicken breast.
Susan says
I make it in an 8 qt all the time. Yes, I basically double the recipe, but you have to adjust the spices. It’s kind of trial and error to your taste.
Susan says
I agree completely. Since I brown the chicken first, I only pressure cook 3 minutes and then do a natural release. That’s plenty of total cooking time.
Jean Taylor says
I made this for supper tonight and they are delicious. I didn’t add the veggies tho, as ‘some’ aren’t into those..lol It took 20 mins in all from start of me cutting, to depressurizing it, and ONE pan to clean up. It’s a keeper for sure.
April Was in CA now MA says
Made this for dinner tonight and it was really good! My biscuits kind of clumped together, but it was easy to use the edge of my spatula to cut them into smaller pieces. Tasty and quick, I’ll be making this again and again. I stirred in a little half and half right before serving.
Winona Rogers says
Hi April, thank you for stopping by and letting me know how it turned out! I am glad you enjoyed it. Have a blessed day!
Amy says
You told an earlier poster to add cream after cooking was done and just before serving, but the recipe doesn’t mention cream at all. About how much cream are you adding? Thank you for your time.
Winona Rogers says
I’m sorry for the confusion. This particular recipe does not call for cream, however, you could try adding cream of chicken or adding heavy whipping cream.
alisa hannifan says
Hi! This looks so good! I was wondering if the timing would change if I use pre-cooked frozen chicken strips.
Thanks!
Winona Rogers says
Hi Alisa, I have not tried it yet with pre-cooked frozen chicken strips. You will probably need to adjust the timing.
John Anges says
As you cook any type of raw meat in the Instant Pot (IP), a certain amount of fat will render off into the broth it is cooking in. That adds so much flavor to the broth. Even a really lean meat like chicken breast will render off some fat. Pressure cooking is really efficient for making this happen.
I would be hesitant to use pre-cooked chicken, since it’s not going to render off that fat and flavor the broth. It could leave the broth a little “blander” at the end.
Maybe for a quick meal on the stovetop, but I just wouldn’t use pre-cooked meat for a pressure cook recipe.
Teresa Williams says
Is this recipe able to be doubled?
Winona Rogers says
Depends on the size of your Instant Pot. This 6 QT IP makes 4-6 servings.