Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

5 from 1 vote

Mar 10, 2024, Updated Apr 10, 2026

Jump to Recipe Comments Add us as a Google Trusted Source

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

This Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is thick, creamy, and loaded with tender shredded chicken and soft, fluffy dumplings that soak up every bit of the savory broth. The vegetables make it hearty and the sauce turns rich and cozy in a fraction of the time it normally takes. It’s the kind of meal that steams when you scoop it into a bowl and makes you go back for another bite before you’ve even finished the first.

Chicken and dumplings served in a bowl and garnished with sliced carrots and chopped parsley.

If you’re craving something warm, creamy, and seriously comforting, this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings is exactly what you want. Tender shredded chicken, soft vegetables, and fluffy biscuit-style dumplings cook right in a thick broth that turns rich and silky in the pressure cooker. Every spoonful is loaded with dumplings soaking up the sauce, chicken that practically falls apart, and that creamy base that makes you slow down between bites.

The best part? It all comes together in one pot, and those pillowy dumplings are made from canned biscuit dough, so there’s no fussing with homemade dough. It’s hearty enough to stand on its own — no sides needed — and it’s the kind of cozy, satisfying dinner that feels like it’s been simmering all day, even though it hasn’t.

Labeled ingredients for Instant Pot chicken and dumplings.

What You’ll Need

Here’s what you’ll need to make this classic chicken and dumplings recipe a reality. For more detailed instructions, scroll to the recipe card below.

Boneless skinless chicken thighs – Breast tenders would work as well. So would cubed boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Salt and Black Pepper: For seasoning and enhancing all the flavors.
Olive oil – If you need an alternative, try using another cooking oil with a neutral flavor, such as canola oil, vegetable oil, or even avocado oil.
Veggies: I went the classic route with yellow onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. You can mix in some other veggies as well, though. Peas and/or corn would be fun, as would sauteed mushrooms.
Soups – Cream of chicken soup, cream of celery, and chicken broth.
Dried Oregano – A good substitute for dried oregano is dried thyme, dried basil, or even Italian Seasoning.
Biscuit dough – I used standard-sized biscuits and cut them into quarters. If you use Grands, cut the biscuits into smaller pieces before adding them to the Instant Pot.
Sour cream – The sour cream adds additional creaminess and a wonderful tang to the dish.
Fresh parsley – For garnish. You can leave it off but it brings a nice freshness to the table.

How To Make Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

Searing chicken thighs in an Instant Pot. — Sear the chicken in the Instant Pot.

Seared chicken thighs in an Instant Pot. — Sear the chicken in the Instant Pot.

Sauteing veggies in an Instant Pot. — Saute the veggies in the Instant Pot.

Adding chicken broth to an Instant Pot full of sauteed veggies, cream of chicken, and cream of celery. — Saute the veggies in the Instant Pot.

Removing cooked chicken from an Instant Pot full of veggies and broth, — Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot.

Shredding cooked chicken with 2 forks. — Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot.

Cutting biscuits into quarters. — Cut the raw biscuits into quarters.

Adding quartered biscuits to an Instant pot full of chicken, veggies, and creamy broth. — Cut the raw biscuits into quarters.

Season and sear the chicken. Set the Instant Pot to saute, season the chicken with salt and pepper, add the olive oil to the Instant Pot, and sear the chicken in the olive oil for 2 minutes on either side. Remove the chicken from the Instant Pot and set aside.
Saute the veggies. Add the veggies to the Instant Pot and saute until slightly softened, then turn off the saute function.
Load the Instant Pot. Stir the soups, chicken, and oregano into the sauteed veggies and return the chicken to the Instant Pot.
Cook. Close the Instant Pot lid and cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. Perform a manual pressure release.
Shred the chicken. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, shred it, and stir the chicken back into the Instant Pot.
Cook the biscuits. Open the can of biscuits and cut the biscuits into quarters. Stir the biscuits into the Instant Pot, seal the Instant Pot, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes. Manually release the pressure.
Make it extra creamy. Stir in the sour cream.
Season and serve. Taste the chicken and dumplings and season with salt and pepper if needed. Serve warm garnished with fresh parsley.

Close-up image of a spoon holding up chicken with dumplings.

Recipe Tips

Don’t skip the sear and saute. It might be tempting to skip over searing the chicken and sautéing the veggies but this process adds a lot of depth to the flavor of the finished dish. So please take the extra few minutes.
Don’t crowd the Instant Pot. When searing the chicken, give each piece plenty of room to breathe or it won’t sear properly. Sear the chicken in batches if they don’t all fit in at once.
Manual release. You want to release the pressure of the Instant Pot right away once the cooking time is up so you don’t overcook the biscuits.
Thicken it. If you want a thicker broth, turn on the saute function of your Instant Pot at the end of the cooking process. Whisk together 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water to make a slurry and stir it into the contents of the Instant Pot. Let the soup cook for a couple of minutes until the broth has thickened to your liking.

Proper Storage

To store. Seal the leftovers in an airtight container. You can store them in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let the chicken and dumplings thaw in the fridge before reheating.
To reheat. Place the contents in a pot and heat over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. You can also microwave a bowl of leftover chicken and dumplings in 30-second intervals until heated through.

More Instant Pot Recipes

Looking for reasons to whip out that Instant Pot? Boy, oh boy, do I have some excellent recipes for you to try out! Here are a few of my favorites.

Pin this now to find it later

Pin It