This year, I decided to finally invest in an Instant Pot. I had been hearing so many good things about them, and I thought it was about time I gave one a try. I’m so glad I did because it has quickly become one of my favorite kitchen appliances. I’ve used it to make all kinds of dishes, from stews and soups to chicken and even desserts.
One of the best things I’ve made in my Instant Pot so far is chicken and dumplings. This dish is usually time-consuming to make, but with the Instant Pot it’s a breeze. And it tastes just as good as the traditional version! If you’re looking for a delicious and comforting meal that can be made in a fraction of the time, then you have to try this Instant Pot chicken and dumplings recipe.
This simple (it takes only 30 minutes!) and substantial recipe for chicken and dumplings is usually a hit with the family. which makes it a fantastic alternative for a weeknight meal!
The ideal comfort food is this chicken and dumplings from the Instant Pot! When you need a really quick family dinner, recipes like my Instant Pot Sausage Tortellini Soup and Instant Pot Beef Barbacoa are ideal. One of my pressure cooker recipes that you must have in your recipe collection is this one.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS RECIPE
A large bowl of creamy chicken and dumplings is one of the most calming foods there is. When the delicate fluffiness of the dumplings is coupled with the thick, creamy soup base that tastes like a chicken pot pie in soup form, Anyone would want seconds after eating that, for sure!
You can make chicken and dumplings on the stove, but I like to use my pressure cooker instead. It can take about the same length of time, but once that lid is shut, I can leave. I’ll have more time to cook other meals for the family, decompress from my day at work, assist my children with their homework, or just relax on the couch for a while.
This traditional dish, which I changed a bit to make it work in a pressure cooker, is one I think you’ll really enjoy. Your house will smell amazing and your mouth will water from how cozy and delicious it is!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
- Construct the dumplings. In a mixing dish, combine the flour and chilled butter. Cut the butter in. Stir in the buttermilk until dough forms. Place aside.
- Cook the vegetables.
- Cook the vegetables in the Instant Pot’s “saute” mode. Spices should be added after cooking for a couple more minutes.
- Clarify the pot.
- Pour in half the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom.
- Include chicken.
- Chicken breasts, potatoes, and remaining chicken broth should be added.
- Insert dumplings.
- In 1 Tbsp scoops, drop the dumpling dough.
- pressure cook.
- For 8 minutes of pressure cooking, secure the cover.
- Put in peas.
- Add the peas and stir gently. Allow resting for two to three minutes.
ADDITIONAL COOKING TIPS
Using fresh chicken: For this dish, I opted to use frozen chicken breasts because I know many of us occasionally forget to thaw the chicken. Nothing is worse than having just frozen chicken when you get home from a long day at work. Thankfully, cooking frozen chicken in the Instant Pot is safe. Reduce the pressure cooking time by 1 to 2 minutes if you are using a fresh, thawed chicken.
Making the biscuits or dumplings can seem a little intimidating if you’ve never made biscuits before. It’s far simpler than you might imagine, I assure you! If you don’t have a pastry cutter, you can use two forks instead. I normally use a pastry cutter.
- Ensure that the butter is VERY COLD. While I chop my vegetables, I put them in the freezer.
- Make sure to chop the butter into SMALL pieces. Each Tbsp of butter is divided into four pieces using a knife.
- I prefer to employ a downward/twisting motion when using a pastry cutter to incorporate the butter into the flour mixture. Use two forks in a criss-cross motion, as if you were making an “x,” if you’re using two forks.
After you’ve chopped the butter in, there will be a few little chunks, but that’s good! Those butter bits wrapped in flour should be around the size of a pea.
VARIATIONS OF THIS RECIPE
- Store-Bought Dumplings: You can make your dumplings from scratch if you have some biscuit mix lying around.
- Flavored Dumplings: Try adding some garlic powder and dried parsley to the mixture for an added flavor boost. I’d use approximately a teaspoon of each.
- You could also add some finely shredded cheddar cheese to the dough to make cheddar dumplings.
- If you don’t have any fresh herbs, don’t worry—you can still make this with dried herbs! Just keep in mind that dried herbs have a higher potency than fresh ones, so you should use less of them. Use roughly 1/2 tsp of each dried rosemary and sage.
MAKING CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS AHEAD OF TIME
I believe that making the soup and dumplings just before serving improves their texture. There is hardly any time to wait because this supper is ready in around 30 minutes.
To cut down on prep time, you can easily measure out the dry ingredients and chop the vegetables in advance.
STORAGE
If you have any leftovers, they should stay fresh in the fridge for 3–4 days.
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT FOR THIS RECIPE
- The simplest method for obtaining uniformly sized dumplings is to use a cookie scoop.
- Pastry cutter—this has been a useful tool for me throughout the years!

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Ingredients
SOUP
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 small yellow onion diced
- 1 cup carrots finely chopped
- 1 cup celery finely chopped
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tsp fresh rosemary chopped
- 1-2 tsp fresh sage chopped
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 – 1 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 1/4 tsp poultry seasoning
- 3 cups chicken broth reduced sodium is preferred
- 1 1/2 cups baby red or gold potatoes chopped about 5-6 potatoes
- 1 lb. frozen chicken breasts
- 1 cup frozen peas
DUMPLINGS
- 1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
- 2 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 3 Tbsp cold butter cubed
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
Instructions
MAKE THE DUMPLINGS
- In a medium mixing bowl, add the flour.
- To the flour, add the cold, diced butter.
- Cut the butter into the flour using a pastry cutter (or two forks).
- Add the butter milk when pea-sized chunks start to appear, then stir with a spatula until a loose dough comes together.
- Place aside.
MAKE SOUP
- In the Instant Pot, add the butter and choose “Saute”. After the butter has melted, add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for two to three minutes, stirring regularly.
- Cook for an additional 2 to 3 minutes before adding the garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, poultry seasoning, sage, and rosemary.
- Use a wooden spoon to scrape off any browned bits at the bottom of the pot before adding the first half of the chicken broth. Browned chunks on the bottom may cause the Instant Pot to issue a BURN warning.
- Gently whisk in the remaining chicken broth, potatoes, and chicken.
- By placing 1 Tbsp of the dough at a time into the pot, add the dumplings. For this, a spoon works just as well as the little cookie scoop that I prefer to use.
- Shut off “Saute.” Make sure the valve is set to “sealing” and that the Instant Pot lid is tightly closed. Choose “Manual” or “Pressure Cook,” then move the +/- button until 9 minutes is displayed.
- After cooking is complete, allow the pressure to naturally relax for around 5 minutes. To release any leftover pressure, carefully turn the valve to the “venting” position. Remove the cover once all of the steam has evaporated and the pin has fallen.
- Gently mix in the frozen peas after adding. Allow to settle for two to three minutes under a lid without tightening it.
- Serving hot, please.