What Makes This The Best Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings
The original recipe was handed down from my grandmother to my mom, and it was likely my great-grandmothers before that. Its an old-fashioned, authentic recipe that uses real ingredients for a comforting, delicious bowl of hearty chicken and dumplings.
When I wrote my first book, Weeknight Cooking with your Instant Pot, I adapted the recipe for the Instant Pot. It was a perfect candidate since chicken in the Instant Pot especially when its pressure cooked directly in liquid gets incredibly tender very quickly.
What Kind Of Chicken Should I Use In This Recipe
I prefer to use boneless, skinless chicken breasts for this recipe, but they can easily be swapped with boneless, skinless chicken thighs if you prefer and theres no need to change the cook time.
I prefer not to use bone-in chicken for this recipe, simply because it wont cook in the same time as the vegetables, meaning your chicken will be undercooked or your vegetables will be mushy.
Ingredient Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings
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This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings Recipe is so so soooo easy but so so sooooo good! Its a hit for my entire family and a true hit for me because its 4 ingredients and Im done!
Seriously the best part about this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings recipe, is you can dump it all into your Instant Pot let it go while you are checking off other tasks on your to do list. The bonus is you have dinner ready for the family with very little effort, yet everyone is happy in the endincluding mama!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Heres how to make this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Step 1 Place your chicken breasts in your Instant Pot with water and cook on your chicken/meat setting.
Step 2 Once your chicken has finished pressuring/cooking youll place your frozen noodles, cream of chicken soup and salt/pepper into your Instant Pot to set on simmer.
Step 3- Lastly youll keep your instant pot lid off and let your chicken and dumplings simmer for about 30-40 minutes on medium, stirring occasionally.
Your Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is ready to serve! I like to serve mine with green beans and corn, but really any vegetable side compliments this dish well.
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How To Make Dumplings
There are two types of dumplings that you will find in chicken and dumplings recipes: dumplings that are like drop biscuits and dumplings that are like noodles. In this recipe, were making drop biscuit style dumplings because they are easiest.
To make the dumplings, combine flour, baking baking powder and salt in a bowl. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to work cold butter into the flour mixture. Then, pour in milk and stir until the dough comes together. Youll refrigerate the dough while you prepare the other parts of the recipe.
Before pressure cooking, youll drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough on top of the chicken, vegetables and broth. Instant Pot dumplings wont brown like dumplings cooked in the oven, but they will be tender and delicious.
What Is Chicken And Dumplings Called
Chicken and dumplings is a recipe that has been around for centuries. It originated in the 1800s, 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 wasnt 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 1700s. 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.
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How Long Do I Pressure Cook The Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings
- Close the Pressure Cooker lid.
- Pressure cook on high pressure for 7 minutes.
- After 7 minutes, let the Instant Pot release go through the natural release cycle to release the steam. It may take about 10 minutes.
- Carefully unlock and remove the lid.
- Stir in the peas and heavy cream.
- If you need to thicken the chicken and dumplings, combine 2 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of cold water and stir into the chicken and dumplings.
- Add chopped parsley or cilantro for garnish.
Serve hot.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken And Dumplings Recipe
1 medium white onion
4 medium carrots, peeled and diced
3 ribs celery, diced
1 pound of chicken tenders, chopped
1/2 t salt
1 tube of canned biscuits, cut into quarters
4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup green peas
Prep and chop your veggies. Cut the chicken tenders into bite-sized pieces.
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Instant Pot Dumplings Experiment
Some of you may normally make dumplings with Bisquick biscuit dough or canned biscuits, but hey! Try to make your own dumplings from scratch its easy & tasty! Plus, you can probably find the few ingredients in your kitchen.
We tested cooking the homemade dumplings with 2 methods:
Test #1: Pressure Cooked with Chicken Soup
Result: light & fluffy outer layer, moist, more flavorful with denser core than being simmered
Test #2: Simmered in Chicken Soup
Result: light & fluffy, soft, moist, slightly gooey, slightly dense core
We personally enjoy Test #1s dumplings better because it has better mouthfeel texture & greater overall flavors & aroma.
Easy Instant Pot Directions
Turn Instant Pot on SAUTE. Add olive oil to the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add chicken and brown for about 3 minutes on each side.
Add chicken broth to the pot and scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. This is called deglazing and its an important step in making sure you dont get a burn notice.
To the instant pot, add carrots, celery, onion, garlic salt, salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning. Secure the lid and set the pressure valve to SEALING.
Select High Pressure with a cook time of 30 minutes.
When cook time ends, allow to naturally release for ten minutes, then do a quick release.
Remove the chicken from the pot and shred, while removing and discarding the skin and bones. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot.
Cut refrigerated biscuits into fourths and sprinkle with garlic salt. In a small bowl, whisk cornstarch with cold milk. Pour into instant pot.
Turn the instant pot on SAUTE and add the biscuits to the mixture. Cook for about ten minutes, until dumplings have doubled in size, and sauce has thickened.
SERVE and enjoy!
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Making Chicken And Dumplings From Scratch In The Instant Pot Is Super Easy
Were going to create these chicken and dumplings in two stages. The first stage is all about creating the base flavor for the it and cooking the chicken by pressure cooking it. The second stage is cooking the vegetables and dumplings, but not by pressure cooking.
Well be using the sauté function on the Instant Pot to finish off this fab recipe.
How Do You Make Chicken And Dumplings
First youre going to need some meat, duh. You can use chicken thighs or breasts whichever you prefer really. Just choose medium sized that are the same thickness.
This pressure cooker recipe is total comfort food and doesnt take all the time your Grandmother took to make it on the stovetop either.
She would definitely be jealous if she saw you now. Here are a few questions you might have before you get started:
How do you steam dumplings in an Instant Pot?
Well the way we did it for this was to add small bits of refrigerated biscuit pieces in liquid on saute. Then pressure cooked for just a few minutes and they were perfect.
How do you thicken chicken and dumplings?
Set pot to saute again and take some hot liquid out and into a bowl.Whisk this and a few tablespoons of cornstarch together in a small bowl to thicken broth.When this is smooth, add this into your pot as well as your milk. Allow to bubble. Shred your chicken and add back into your pot. Serve!
I have made a multitude of Instant Pot soup recipes which I feel this one falls into. They are all great especially during the winter months.
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Stir And Break Some Of The Potatoes To Thicken Soup
This is a recipe that has been in my family forever. Stir and break some of the potatoes to thicken soup. Cut refrigerated biscuits into fourths and sprinkle with garlic salt. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot. You can use frozen chicken and add a few hours to the cook time. May 16, 2018 · thicken chicken and dumplings: I’m sure that most cultures have a version of this that someone’s mom, nana, or even a dad or grandpa made for them. Made with original bisquick mix, these hearty bisquick dumplings are super easy to make in a dutch oven or slow cooker. Sep 14, 2021 · save money with instant pot chicken and dumplings. This easy pressure cooker chicken and dumplings recipe is a great way to stretch the grocery budget. Find out how to make instant pot chicken and dumplings with bisquick, putting this pressure cooker comfort food on the table fast! May 13, 2021 · slow cooker chicken and bisquick dumplings recipe tips: The next time you are craving comfort food and need something fast, make chicken and dumplings instant pot recipe. Pumpkin brings a natural sweetness often flavored with warm, earthy spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger while cream cheese is rich, tart, and tangy. Turn the instant pot on “saute” and add the biscuits to the.
This easy pressure cooker chicken and dumplings recipe is a great way to stretch the grocery budget instant pot chicken and dumplings. May 16, 2018 · thicken chicken and dumplings:
Saute Onions Garlic & Veggies
Add chopped onions, season with a pinch of Kosher salt & ground black pepper. Saute onions for roughly 2.5 minutes.
*Pro Tip: We diced half of the onions and sliced the other half for better texture.
Add minced garlic cloves and saute for another 30 seconds until fragrant.
Add chopped carrots & celery to Instant Pot and saute for another 2 minutes.
Add 2 bay leaves and a pinch of dried thyme and let it cook for roughly a minute until the fragrance release from the spices.
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Saut The Aromatics And Add The Seasoning
Add one cup of chopped onion and one cup of chopped celery to the pot, and sauté for three minutes. Stir in the tablespoon of minced garlic, and sauté until fragrant for 30 or more seconds. Add your two bay leaves , the salt, ground black pepper, paprika , and ground sage. Stir the seasonings into the aromatics, and sauté for an additional minute. Deglaze the inner pot with roughly about one cup of chicken broth, and add the Worcestershire sauce. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
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, dont 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!
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Preparing The Chicken Stock To Make Dumplings
- Remove the chicken breast and cut it into large pieces
- Ladle out most of the chicken broth stock, leave approximately one cup for steaming the dumplings **
- Hit the sauté button on the Instant Pot
- Gather ingredients to make dumplings
- Bring the chicken broth stock to a boil
- Return the cut chicken pieces back to the Instant Pot
- Make the dumplings
**Save the broth stock for making another meal, do not add it back into the pot while making the dumplings. See below after this recipe for ideas.
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.
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Chicken And Dumplings Meet Instant Pot
I am convinced that every type of soup can be made in the Instant Pot, and chicken and dumplings is no exception! While this recipe does have quite a few ingredient and steps, I really think youll find it is worth it. It has rich flavors and is comfort food at its best. Plus, when you make Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings, you only have one pot to wash
Variations On This Chicken And Dumplings:
- Dairy free: you can easily make this recipe dairy free by swapping the milk in the dumpling recipe with dairy-free milk or even water.
- Bump up the veggies: you can add even more vegetables to this recipe if you want, or leave out the chicken and sub in vegetable broth for a vegetarian meal. Just remember that not all vegetables require the same cook time some should be added before pressure cooking, and some should be added after. Chopped spinach and extra frozen vegetables are a great way to bump up the veggie content just before serving.
- Thicken before serving: because thick and creamy sauces dont pressure cook well, thickeners can only be added after pressure cooking is done. I wanted to create a recipe that didnt require thickening and was ready to go when you crack the lid, so I used just enough broth to give us a nice thick and chunky base for our dumplings. If you prefer, you can always stir in a corn starch slurry and set the Instant Pot to saute for a few minutes to thicken further.
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The Best Flour For Dumplings
Ive tried making these dumplings with both all-purpose and cake flour.
The cake flour definitely wins as far as the texture is concerned. The dumplings turn out lighter and fluffier, whereas all-purpose flour can yield heavier, chewier dumplings. You can make this recipe with all-purpose flour, but for the best dumplings, use cake flour if you have it.
These pressure-cooked dumplings will have a slightly denser texture than if they were simmered in a pot on the stove. I dont mind a little extra chew, though, especially because theyre so convenient to make this way!
Freezing Chicken And Dumplings
You can freeze chicken and dumplings in individual servings for easy reheating in the microwave.
I like to transfer mine into freezer and microwave-safe containers. They will keep in the freezer for up to three months.
When Im hungry for chicken and dumplings, I pop a container in the fridge a day before I want to eat them. A piping hot meal is ready after only a few minutes in the microwave.
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How Do You Make Dumplings
I prefer THIS ready made way featured below though because its easier. There is No baking powder or flour required.
Seasonings to use are listed below, poultry seasoning isnt listed but is another add in option.
I have had some people outside the United States say they cannot find refrigerated biscuits at the store. To that I say you could try and make biscuit dough with Bisquick and add that at the end.
You could also just skip that portion and serve biscuits on the side. I wish I was more help with that but I have always had access to them. Just trying to think outside of the box if thats the case.
- Yes you can make homemade dumplings and cut up the biscuit pieces. But if I can find a quicker way Im all about it, so I used refrigerated biscuits.
Of course you want a soft consistency and these do the trick perfectly. If youre looking for an easy way to make chicken and dumplings in your Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi youve got to give this one a whirl.
If you make a pressure cooker turkey this year you could easily use the leftovers instead of chicken. Its a quick meal done in 30 minutes which we love.
Time needed: 19 minutes.
