You’ll love this Chicken and Dumpling Instant Pot Recipe
You’ve never met a bigger fan of dumplings than me. And the thing is, I didn’t even grow up on them. I grew up on great chicken soup, but dumplings I was denied. This is probably why I love them so much now. Being a noodle lover, I ventured into the dumpling world in college, probably after watching them being made on the Food Network. (My cooking ventures began in college when I routinely skipped class to watch cooking shows). As you might expect, I’m opinionated about dumplings. I don’t like them dry on the inside, I like them all the way wet. I like them fluffy and flecked with fresh finely chopped parsley. Oh, and I like them in less time than it normally takes to make them. Enter my quick version made in the Instant Pot.
Chicken and Dumplings (Instant Pot) ingredients
Butter. We will be searing the chicken thighs in butter, which is exactly as delicious as it sounds. We need 1.5 tablespoons of butter, it doesn’t matter if it’s salted or unsalted. Chicken Thighs. Two bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this recipe. If you’re doubling it and making it in a 6 or 8-quart instant pot, use 4 chicken thighs. There’s no need to trim the fat, because we’re rendering it by searing with the skin-on. Flour. A small amount of flour to the butter and chicken fat mixture forms a roux, which makes our instant pot chicken and dumplings nice and thick. A roux is a thickening agent in any soup or stew; without one, the soup will be watery and thin. Carrot. One small carrot, washed, peeled and sliced into half-moon shapes. Celery. One stalk of celery, washed and thinly sliced. Onion. One small white or yellow (non-sweet) onion, diced is about 1 cup. Parsley. I really love the addition of fresh parsley in this recipe, since we’re cooking in a pressure cooker. You can use one teaspoon of minced fresh parsley or ½ teaspoon of dried. Chicken Stock. The chicken stock is so important in a dumplings soup recipe, so I really recommend homemade. I have a recipe for homemade instant pot chicken stock here. However, one quart of a high-quality chicken bone broth is the best substitute if you can’t make it from scratch.
For the dumplings:
Flour. All-purpose flour here. Cornmeal. A small amount of fine cornmeal keeps our dumplings firm without being overly soggy. Baking Powder. This gives lift and fluff to your dumplings. Parsley. Again, entirely optional, but I love the flecks of fresh herb in a dumpling. Butter. We need melted butter for the liquid portion to make the dumpling. Milk. Whole milk is best, but 2% is fine.
How to make Chicken and Dumplings in Instant Pot
These Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings for Two might be the thing I’ve made the most in my Instant Pot mini. I buy big packs of local chicken thighs, and freeze them two to a bag using my FoodSaver system. It’s so easy for me to pull a small bag out in the morning to defrost by dinner time. Also, I use my small batch Instant Pot Chicken Stock, but if you want to use store-bought, it’s totally fine! While most Instant Pot chicken recipes are dump, close and set, this one has an extra step. I’m going to ask you to sear the chicken using the sauté setting, is that ok? Pinky promise it’s worth it. Because then, we’re going to sauté the vegetables in the chicken fat, and anything sautéed in chicken fat is better than anything not sautéed in chicken fat. We’re using bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs for this Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings for two recipe because it makes a deep, rich broth. Please tell me if any of you guys make it with boneless skinless chicken, though!
Scaling down recipes for the instant pot mini:
I adapted this recipe from Melissa Clark’s version, and I have to say that when you’re converting a recipe for the big Instant Pot for the Instant Pot Mini, it’s not just a matter of scaling down the ingredients. The cooking time usually needs to be reduced by a ton. The first time I made her recipe, I followed the cooking times and had mushy chicken and tough dumplings. It was not good. But, I tweaked it a bit in subsequent testing and found the perfect ratios and times for the Instant Pot mini. This Instant Pot Chicken Dumplings for Two recipe is perfect now. I hope you try it!
How to serve this Chicken and Dumpling Instant Pot Recipe
This recipe is a standalone full meal, but you can serve it with a side salad.
How to store Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Leftover chicken and dumplings should be stored in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 3 days. To reheat, place in microwave-safe bowl or saucepan and heat until warm throughout. It also freezes very well in freezer-safe contains (with about an inch of headspace for expansion in the freezer) for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, heat through and serve. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSaveSaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave
