Dive into the ultimate comfort food experience with our incredibly easy Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe. This dish is designed for those busy weeknights when you crave the soul-warming goodness of a classic meal without spending hours in the kitchen. Thanks to the magic of your Instant Pot and a clever shortcut – canned biscuits for the dumplings – you can have a hearty, flavorful dinner on the table in under an hour.
Embrace Southern Comfort, Simplified: Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Chicken and dumplings is a timeless Southern classic, beloved for its rich, creamy broth, tender chicken, and soft, pillowy dumplings. It’s the kind of meal that instantly brings warmth and nostalgia, making it a staple on family dinner tables for generations. Traditionally, preparing this dish from scratch involves a lengthy process: slow-simmering chicken to create a flavorful stock, meticulously preparing dough for the dumplings, and carefully building a robust base. While the results are undoubtedly delicious, the time commitment often makes it a weekend-only affair.
But what if you could enjoy this wholesome, comforting meal even on your busiest weekdays? Enter the Instant Pot, a revolutionary kitchen appliance that transforms complex recipes into simple, one-pot wonders. With our Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe, those hours of preparation are condensed into a fraction of the time, delivering the same incredible depth of flavor and comforting texture you expect.
The Secret to Speed: Canned Biscuits for Effortless Dumplings
The biggest time-saving hack in this recipe is undoubtedly the use of canned biscuits. We know, some traditionalists might raise an eyebrow, but trust us – this shortcut is a game-changer! Not only does it significantly reduce your prep time, eliminating the need to mix, knead, and roll dough, but it also simplifies cleanup. The canned biscuits cook up beautifully in the Instant Pot, becoming wonderfully fluffy and soaking up all the rich flavors of the broth, creating that perfect dumpling texture. It’s a smart choice for maintaining the integrity of the dish while making it accessible for any night of the week.
Whether you’re battling a cold winter’s chill or simply seeking a hearty, satisfying meal after a long day, this Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe is sure to become a family favorite. It’s a testament to how modern kitchen tools can help us recreate cherished classics with unparalleled ease. And if you’re a fan of comforting chicken dishes, don’t miss our easy chicken and dumpling casserole recipe too for another delightful twist!
Crafting Your Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings: A Step-by-Step Guide
Creating this delicious, homestyle meal in your Instant Pot is surprisingly straightforward. The beauty of pressure cooking is how it infuses flavors and tenderizes ingredients quickly, giving you a deeply satisfying dish with minimal effort. Here’s how you’ll bring this comforting classic to life, from gathering your ingredients to savoring the final spoonful.
Gather Your Essential Ingredients for Success
Before you begin, ensure you have all your ingredients ready. This streamlines the cooking process and makes for a more enjoyable experience. For this recipe, you will need: boneless chicken breasts (cut into 1-inch cubes for quick cooking), a can of your favorite refrigerated biscuits, olive oil and butter for sautéing, fresh minced garlic, a small diced onion, chopped celery and carrots for an aromatic base, a bag of frozen peas for a touch of freshness, rich heavy cream, a small can of cream of chicken soup for extra creaminess and flavor, robust chicken broth, and poultry seasoning to tie all the savory notes together. Having everything prepped makes the cooking flow effortlessly.
Preparing Your Dumplings and Aromatics
Start by preparing your shortcut dumplings: simply use a sharp knife to cut each canned biscuit into quarters. This size is ideal for cooking evenly and ensuring each bite of chicken and dumplings has a perfect ratio of tender chicken to fluffy biscuit. Set these biscuit pieces aside; they’ll be added towards the end of the cooking process to maintain their light texture.
Next, set your Instant Pot to the ‘Sauté’ function. This allows you to build a rich flavor base right in the pot, eliminating the need for extra pans. Once the pot indicates it’s hot (it will usually say “Hot” or “On”), add the butter and olive oil. Allow them to sizzle gently, which helps to properly infuse the flavors of the aromatics.
Add the diced garlic and onion to the pot. Cook them for about 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions become translucent and fragrant. This step is crucial for developing the foundational flavors of your dish. Be careful not to burn the garlic; a gentle sauté is all that’s needed to unlock its aroma.
Now, it’s time to build the hearty base of your chicken and dumplings. Add the cubed boneless chicken, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup, rich heavy cream, diced celery, and chopped carrots to the pot. Stir all these ingredients thoroughly to ensure everything is well combined and the cream of chicken soup is fully incorporated into the liquid. This mixture will become the savory, creamy gravy that coats your chicken and dumplings.
Pressure Cooking for Tender Perfection
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, making sure the sealing ring is properly in place and the venting knob is turned to the “Sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. This short cooking time is sufficient for boneless chicken to become incredibly tender and for the vegetables to soften beautifully. Once the cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Natural pressure release helps to prevent the chicken from drying out and ensures a more tender result. After 15 minutes, carefully quick-release any remaining pressure by turning the venting knob to the “Venting” position. Once the float valve drops, it’s safe to open the lid.
After opening the lid, stir in the frozen peas. The residual heat of the stew will gently cook them, keeping them bright green and slightly firm, adding a lovely pop of color and freshness to the dish.
Adding the Dumplings and Final Touches
Now for the star of the show: the dumplings! Carefully place the quartered biscuits on top of the chicken and gravy mixture. Try to arrange them in a single layer, ensuring they are not fully submerged, as this allows them to steam and puff up beautifully.
Once the biscuits are arranged, set the Instant Pot back to the ‘Sauté’ function. Close the lid, but remember to turn the venting knob to the “Sealing” position (even though we’re using Sauté, closing the lid and sealing creates a steaming environment). Cook for 5 minutes. This steaming period is perfect for the biscuits to rise, become wonderfully tender, and absorb the delicious flavors of the stew. After 5 minutes, turn off the Instant Pot and allow the pressure to release naturally for another 15 minutes. This gentle release ensures the dumplings are cooked through and fluffy. Finally, release any remaining pressure manually.
Your easy, comforting Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings are now ready! Give it a gentle stir to mix the fluffy dumplings into the creamy chicken stew. Serve hot and enjoy the homemade taste with minimal effort.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
- Don’t Overcrowd: While the Instant Pot is great for one-pot meals, avoid overfilling it, especially when adding the biscuits. Give the dumplings space to expand.
- Seasoning is Key: Taste your broth after the first pressure cooking cycle and adjust seasonings as needed. You might want a pinch more salt, pepper, or poultry seasoning.
- Deglazing for Flavor: If you sautéed the chicken before adding liquids (though this recipe incorporates it with liquids), always deglaze the pot with a splash of broth to remove any stuck-on bits, preventing a “Burn” warning.
- Serve Immediately: While leftovers are delicious, chicken and dumplings are best enjoyed fresh when the biscuits are at their fluffiest.
- Garnish: A sprinkle of fresh parsley or chives adds a lovely touch of color and extra flavor.
Variations to Customize Your Comfort Food
This recipe is highly adaptable. Feel free to make it your own with these suggestions:
- Vegetable Boost: Add other quick-cooking vegetables like corn, green beans, or sliced mushrooms along with the peas.
- Herbacious Twist: Experiment with fresh herbs like thyme, rosemary, or bay leaves for a more sophisticated flavor profile.
- Creaminess Factor: For an even richer stew, you can stir in a tablespoon of cream cheese or a splash of milk after pressure release.
- Spice It Up: A pinch of red pepper flakes can add a subtle kick if you enjoy a bit of heat.
- Chicken Thighs: While boneless chicken breasts are convenient, boneless, skinless chicken thighs can also be used for an even more succulent and flavorful result.
More Easy Instant Pot Dinner Recipes:
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Copycat Panda Express Instant Pot Chicken Fried Rice
- Instant Pot Cheeseburger Casserole
- Crack chicken in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Shrimp Scampi
Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Author: Jaclyn
35 minutes
17 minutes
52 minutes
4
servings
Ingredients
-
1
can of biscuits -
1-2 pounds
boneless chicken breasts,
cut into 1” cubes -
2 tablespoons
olive oil -
2 tablespoons
butter -
2 tablespoons
diced garlic -
1
small onion,
diced -
1 cup
heavy cream -
1
small can cream of chicken soup -
2 cups
chicken broth -
1 tablespoon
poultry seasoning -
1 cup
celery,
diced -
1 cup
carrots,
diced -
1
small bag of frozen peas
Instructions
-
Cut each biscuit into quarters and set aside.
-
Set Instant Pot to sauté function. Add butter and olive oil and allow to sizzle. Add garlic and onion; cook 1-2 minutes, or until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally.
-
Add chicken and chicken broth to pot. Stir in cream of chicken soup and heavy cream. Add celery and carrots. Stir well to mix everything together.
-
Set Instant Pot to high pressure for 10 minutes. Make sure venting is turned off and close lid. Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Release remainder of pressure by venting Instant Pot.
-
Add peas and stir. Add quartered biscuits to top of mixture.
-
Set pot to Sauté again, close lid and turn off venting. Cook for 5 minutes and Allow pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. Release remainder of pressure by venting Instant Pot.
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