Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe - Pinch of Yum
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Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

33 reviews / 4.8 average

This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is the most comforting, delicious bowl of goodness. Chicken, veggies, pre-made biscuits, seasoning, and all of it made creamy by the humble potato. YUM!

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Hello! Let’s put a chopped-up trio of celery, carrots, and onions, potatoes, chicken, spices, and pre-made – yes, I said it – pre-made biscuits in the Instant Pot and call it dinner.

The bakery in my hometown was famous for their chicken and dumpling soup, so I’ve eaten a lot of chicken and dumplings in my life. Growing up, it was essential to know when chicken and dumpling day was, and it was a need-to-get-there-early type situation so that you didn’t miss out.

Chicken and dumplings, in this very weeknight SOS-friendly version, is something between a stew and a soup – it’s just a bowl of humble, comforting, creamy goodness. In this case, loaded with potatoes, peas, chicken, biscuit-like dumplings, and nice and creamy without cream (although, you can always add some if you want). The potatoes and biscuits share some of their starchiness to make the whole thing super cozy and rich without needing any additional dairy.

What You’ll Need To Make Chicken and Dumplings

Here’s our short ingredient list:

  • mirepoix (a mix of chopped carrots, celery, and onion that you can buy frozen or in the produce section to save time)
  • chicken thighs
  • potatoes
  • pre-made biscuits
  • peas
  • chicken broth
  • poultry seasoning
Close-up of Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings in the Instant Pot

I wonder if when we pull the little biscuit-dumpling-bits apart, and shred the chicken and stir in some bright green peas, and stand over the steamy pot just bathing in all the savory goodness, life will just feel a little bit better. (It will.)

I wonder if our family members, including toddlers, will be obsessed with it. (Mine did.)

I wonder if this would taste even better in sweats and a hoodie. (It does.)

Are you down for this?

I hope someday real soon you find yourself stirring up a pot of this rich, satisfying, comforting, super delicious chicken and dumpling goodness, whether it’s a rainy, snowy, dreary, or just very tired night. ♡ Let’s let this one take care of you.

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings in a bowl with a spoon

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the consistency of this? Is it soupy?

It can kind of be what you want it to be! Using 3 cups of broth will make for a thicker stew-like consistency, while 4 will give you a slightly soupier consistency. Totally your preference! Either way, it’s going to be a bowl-and-spoon type recipe.

Does this keep well as leftovers?

Yes! Some thickening is normal (as with any soup / stew) and you may have to thin it back out with a little more water.

I have a little bit more time. Can I make my own biscuits for this recipe?

Whoa! You. are. AMAZING! If you want to have a go at making your own biscuits, these ones are perfect.

Can you make this recipe in the slow cooker?

The texture of the biscuits in the Instant Pot version (as written) is really pleasantly chewy. However, we tried this in the slow cooker with everything cooked on high for 3 hours and found the texture of the biscuits to be unpleasantly mushy. Short answer: the slow cooker version was NOT a test kitchen favorite for us.

Prefer To Watch Instead Of Read?

Source notes: I got on the chicken and dumplings train after we made this Instant Pot recipe from Simply Happy Foodie during the testing for our best-of-the-internet Instant Pot recipe reviews post. Sandy’s recipe is awesome. I made this version of the recipe, as written here, almost weekly during my maternity leave while trying to be dairy-free and manage two kids two-and-under and just generally keep my life afloat. It was a lifesaver.

Print
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A bowl of chicken and dumplings with veggies in it.

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings


  • Author: Lindsay
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 6 servings 1x

Description

This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is the most comforting, delicious bowl of goodness. Chicken, veggies, pre-made biscuits, seasoning, and all of it made creamy by the humble potato. YUM!


Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 23 cups mirepoix (diced trio of celery, carrot, and onion – you can often buy this pre-chopped)
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 large Russet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 lb. chicken thighs
  • 1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 34 cups chicken broth
  • 12 ounces of refrigerated biscuits (about 6 biscuits), cut into small bite-sized pieces
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • optional: fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs for cooking, and fresh parsley for serving

Instructions

  1. Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot except the peas. Throw some fresh herbs in there if you have them – sage, thyme, etc. If not, don’t sweat! This is shortcut cooking. Just turn on the Instant Pot and cook on high pressure for 7-10 minutes.
  2. After about 10 minutes of resting, use the “quick release” to let out the steam. Gently break apart any pieces of biscuits that got stuck together with two forks.
  3. Pull out the chicken and shred it or chop it up. Add it back in with the peas. Taste, season, and serve!

Equipment

Notes

Stovetop Instructions: Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add in the mirepoix and sauté for a few minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and potato. Add in the chicken thighs, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. Give everything a good stir. Add in the chicken broth. Bring to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook on low for 15 minutes. Then, add in the biscuit pieces. Add additional broth or water to the pot if the mixture seems extra thick. Cover the pot, and simmer for another 15 minutes. Pull out chicken to shred or chop. Add it back in with the peas.

  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Dinner
  • Method: Instant Pot
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: instant pot chicken and dumplings, chicken and dumplings, chicken recipe

More Instant Pot Favorites

One More Thing!

This recipe is part of our creamy and delicious dairy-free recipes. Check it out!

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114 Comments

  1. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Anyone make this using homemade biscuit dough? I don’t like to use the refrigerated dough in a can.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Theresa, I’ve made this twice now with homemade dumplings. Turned out so good!

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        I’m glad you sent that link as biscuits in Australia are cookies, it would have made for a very strange meal. These look more like scones, could you use scones instead?

        1. Pinch of Yum Logo

          Hi Claire! It looks like scones in Australia are similar to biscuits in the US, so yes, I think they would work in this recipe!

        2. Pinch of Yum Logo

          This looks so tasty! But I don’t have an instant pot. Do you have instructions on how to make this with a slow cooker? That would be awesome!

          1. Pinch of Yum Logo

            We’re currently testing a slow cooker version of the recipe! For the time being, we’re suggesting 3-4 hours cook time for the chicken, veggies, and broth. Then, add the biscuit pieces for another 1-2 hours (or overlap with the chicken cook time). Finish with the peas. If you give it a try, we’d love to hear back!

  2. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Is there a freezer meal version for this? I live by POY freezer instant pot meals!!!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      We haven’t developed this recipe into a freezer meal, but we will look into testing it! Thanks, Licia!

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        Hi! I’m so excited to make this! Do we bake the frozen biscuits beforehand or just put them in the instant pot frozen?

        1. Pinch of Yum Logo

          Hi Sisi! We used uncooked refrigerated biscuit dough for this recipe. No need to bake beforehand. Enjoy!

      2. Pinch of Yum Logo

        Hello! Is there any update on the freezer version of this (so that it could go straight from the freezer to instant pot)? 🙂 Could you combine all ingredients (except peas and chicken stock) in a freezer bag, then just add the chicken stock to the instant pot before cooking and adjust the cooking time? Thank you!

        1. Pinch of Yum Logo

          For sure! Adding the chicken stock in right before cooking will work well and also make freezing the ingredients a lot easier!

  3. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Hi Lindsey

    Looks like you used skinless boneless chicken thighs. Is that correct?

    Does it matter if I use bone in skin on?

    Thank you
    Shannon

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Hi Shannon! Yes, we used boneless skinless chicken thighs. You can definitely use bone-in skin on chicken!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      We’re testing this recipe in the slow cooker soon! I’ll reply back to this comment when we add the instructions to the post. Thanks for the question!

    2. Pinch of Yum Logo

      I just want to second the idea of adapting it for the slow cooker. I know there are plenty of slow cooker chicken and dumpling recipes out there, but this one looks to die for! I’m literally going to the grocery store right now to buy the ingredients to try to make it, even though I don’t have an instant pot because I can’t get that deliciousness out of my head.

      1. Pinch of Yum Logo

        I am curious how the crockpot worked out. I don’t have an Instant Pot and I have biscuits in the fridge begging to be used.

        1. Pinch of Yum Logo

          Can FROZEN bone in chicken quarters be used in this and if so, how long to cook chicken prior to adding mirepoix and other ingredients? Do I cook to get chicken thawed first? HELP! Last minute dinner!

          1. Pinch of Yum Logo

            Hi Stacy! We haven’t tested the recipe with frozen bone-in chicken, but we think it’d work out okay. It’d probably help to thaw the chicken first, then cook according to the recipe. If the chicken isn’t shreddable when the cook time is up, I’d add a few more minutes!

    3. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Hi Jaimee! Check out the post for information on our slow cooker testing of this recipe!

  4. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Lindsay and Pinch of Yum team- I’ve made all of your SOS recipes so far, and this chicken and dumplings will happen this week. My sweet ten year old daughter, wise beyond her years often, said, “WOW, these cooks really understand what other people need right now., because these are all DELICIOUS and easy too?!”…and then I read her one of your posts and told her who you dedicate these recipes to, which is EVERYONE handling all the things right now, moms and dads, at home, at work, lonely quarantiners…all of us, all of the time. We are so thankful for you.

    Unfortunately, I also read a rather ugly comment posted under the last SOS post that gave me a lot of pause. I’ve thought about that negativity being put out into the world too often since then so I wanted to make sure that I said that I always “read” your voice as GENUINE and HONEST and the world simply needs more of that. Thanks for everything!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Thanks so much for your kind words, Kari! So glad you’ve been enjoying the SOS recipes!

  5. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Is there a way to make this without an instant pot? Haven’t quite jumped on the bandwagon yet! Thanks!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      We’re currently testing a slow cooker version of the recipe! For the time being, we’re suggesting 3-4 hours cook time for the chicken, veggies, and broth. Then, add the biscuit pieces for another 1-2 hours (or overlap with the chicken cook time). Finish with the peas. If you give it a try, we’d love to hear back!

  6. Pinch of Yum Logo

    What is in poultry seasoning? I’m in Australia and not too sure what equivalent to look for.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Thanks Alyse! Yes, we think the Instant Pot is super easy to use. We probably use it every week here at POY!

  7. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Amazing recipe! Made it this morning in such minimal time cause we have a house full of sickness. We are vegan so I substituted soy curls for the chicken and we worked perfectly. My husband says it’s the best soup I’ve ever made. Thank you!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      We’re currently testing a slow cooker version of the recipe! For the time being, we’re suggesting 3-4 hours cook time for the chicken, veggies, and broth. Then, add the biscuit pieces for another 1-2 hours (or overlap with the chicken cook time). Finish with the peas. If you give it a try, we’d love to hear back!

  8. Pinch of Yum Logo

    So good! I made it with chickpeas and no-chicken chicken bullion for the broth and it was great. Super easy.

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Love that you made this a vegetarian meal, Kasey! Thanks so much for the comment!

  9. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This was absolutely delicious and so easy. I loved the shortcut of using the biscuits for the dumplings, would never have thought you put those in the IP but they were just the right texture without the work of making homemade dough!

  10. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Sorry, dumb question – can I use chicken breast instead? If so, should I cut them or leave them whole? Thanks in advance!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      Hi Rhi! Not a dumb question! You can definitely use chicken breast. Cutting them into pieces will help them cook faster/more evenly. You may need to add additional minutes to the cook time so the chicken breasts become shreddable. Enjoy!

  11. Pinch of Yum Logo

    This was SO SO GOOD! And super easy! The consistency was perfect. I had three bowls myself 😳😋

  12. Pinch of Yum Logo

    I made the instapot chicken with dumplings. I have my daughter the instapot for Christmas, and decided to try this recipe. I have made many recipes from pinch of yum, and have been delighted up until this one. I’m an experienced cook and I have a great chicken pot pie recipe from The Diner cookbook, but this one was so quick and easy I just had to try it. It tasted like something from a can, it was perhaps better than a Campbells chicken and biscuit soup, but only marginally so. I have plenty of very quick and yet delicious recipes, but alas this was not it. I am trying the one that is made without an instapot next (also on Pinch of Yum, and I will see how that goes. I did make the biscuits that they supplied the recipe for, and they were quite tasty, so a shout out for that recipe. If you’re a chicken pot pie lover, skip this one

  13. Pinch of Yum Logo

    We made this last night for our family of 5. Loved the 2x feature that allows you to double the recipe. We used home made chicken stock in place of the broth and seasoned the meat with poultry seasoning and lawry’s season salt before adding. It turned out so delicious. Everyone loved it. Will be making this again.

  14. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Delicious and easy to make, I highly recommend it. Also handy that it can all be prepared in advance and then cooked when you get home on a weekday.

  15. Pinch of Yum Logo

    Oh my goodness! I made this tonight for dinner and this was so good and flavorful. The best chicken and dumplings recipe I have found so far. I used fresh vegetables for the mirepoix instead of frozen.
    I didn’t use poultry seasoning, I used Mrs. Dash chicken grilling blend and used 16 oz butter biscuits for more dumplings. Then used 4 cups of chicken broth. I cooked it for 9 minutes and the 10ish minutes pressure release. The chicken came out incredibly tender. I didn’t need to take it out to cut it, it fell apart when I stirred the dumplings around! 10/10

  16. Pinch of Yum Logo

    We have been experimenting with some challenging recipes this year as a quarantine project, but this week we decided to go back to the basics with this dish. We agreed that this was the best thing we have made all year, better than all of the complicated recipes we have tried. You can’t go wrong with comfort food. Highly recommend this recipe – so delicious, and so easy!!

    1. Pinch of Yum Logo

      What a delicious weeknight dinner! Tastes like it took hours to make and loved by the whole family (4 and 8 yo included)!