Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings

This instant pot chicken and dumplings recipe is the ultimate comfort food, and it comes together so much faster than the traditional stovetop version.

Everything cooks in one pot. The chicken gets tender and shreddable in just 10 minutes under pressure, and the dumplings steam right on top of the soup after that.

The broth ends up rich and creamy, loaded with carrots, celery, and tender shredded chicken. It’s the kind of meal that feels like it took hours but really didn’t.

If you’ve been looking for a simple, hearty dinner that the whole family will enjoy, this one is hard to beat.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Ready in Under 40 Minutes – Traditional chicken and dumplings can simmer for over an hour but the Instant Pot cuts that time nearly in half.

The Chicken Comes Out Incredibly Tender – Pressure cooking for 10 minutes makes the chicken so tender it practically shreds itself with zero effort.

Thick and Creamy Broth – The heavy cream and starchy biscuit dumplings create a rich velvety broth that feels like a warm hug in a bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 tablespoon Butter
• 1 medium Yellow Onion, diced
• 3 Celery Stalks, diced
• 3 medium Carrots, peeled and diced
• 3 cloves Garlic, minced
• 4 cups Chicken Broth
• 1 teaspoon Dried Thyme
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1 Bay Leaf
• 1 (16.3 oz) can Refrigerated Biscuit Dough
• 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Set the Instant Pot to saute mode and melt the butter. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots, cooking for 4 minutes until the vegetables begin to soften. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

Step 2

Pour in the chicken broth and stir in the dried thyme, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Nestle the chicken breasts into the liquid.

Step 3

Lock the lid and set the valve to sealing. Pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.

Step 4

While the chicken cooks, open the can of biscuit dough and tear each biscuit into 3 to 4 smaller pieces. These will be the dumplings.

Step 5

When the cook time is complete, do a quick pressure release. Remove the lid, take out the chicken, and shred it with two forks. Discard the bay leaf.

Step 6

Set the Instant Pot to saute mode. Return the shredded chicken to the pot and pour in the heavy cream. Stir to combine, then drop the biscuit pieces on top of the soup one at a time.

Step 7

Place the glass lid or a regular lid on top (do not lock the pressure lid) and let the dumplings steam for 10 to 12 minutes until they are fluffy and cooked through.

Step 8

Gently stir the dumplings into the soup, sprinkle with fresh parsley, and serve immediately.

Pro Tips

Don’t Skip Sauteing the Veggies First

Those 4 minutes of sauteing the onion, celery, and carrots before pressure cooking matter a lot. It builds a deeper flavor base for the broth that you won’t get if you just dump everything in raw.

You also want to make sure the garlic only goes in for that 30 seconds at the end. Garlic burns fast on saute mode, and burnt garlic will give the whole pot a bitter taste that you can’t fix.

Tear the Biscuits Into Even Pieces

When you tear each biscuit into 3 to 4 pieces, try to keep them roughly the same size. If some pieces are tiny and others are big, the small ones will turn mushy while the big ones are still raw in the center.

Aim for pieces that are about 1 to 1.5 inches. That size cooks through evenly in the 10 to 12 minute steaming window and gives you dumplings that are fluffy all the way through.

Don’t Stir the Dumplings While They Steam

Once you drop the biscuit pieces on top of the soup, resist the urge to stir them or push them down into the liquid. They need to sit on the surface and steam, not boil. If they sink and sit in the liquid, they’ll turn into a gummy, doughy mess.

Just place them on top, put the lid on, and leave them alone for the full 10 to 12 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when they look puffed up and feel firm to the touch on top.

Related Recipes

• Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken & Rice
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this on the stovetop if I don’t have an Instant Pot?

You can! Use a large pot or Dutch oven and follow the same steps. Saute the veggies in butter, add the broth and seasonings, then nestle in the chicken and let it simmer with a lid on for about 25-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.

After you shred the chicken and stir in the cream, drop the biscuit pieces on top, cover with a lid, and let them steam on low heat for 12-15 minutes. Just keep the heat low enough that the soup gently simmers rather than boils hard.