Instant Pot Chicken and (not) Dumplings

A low carb Chicken and (not) Dumplings meal in the Instant Pot.

It is mid September and the zucchini are still in the garden. They won't go away! I altered a Chicken and Dumplings recipe to take advantage of them and give me a flavorful low carb dinner in the Instant Pot. You can make it as chunky as you want. It is fun to play around with the flavors.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless chicken thighs cut in bite sized piece about like a tablespoon. Use more if you want up to about 3 pounds will work.

3 tablespoons of butter

salt and pepper

3 tablespoons of Riley's Red Rub it adds a ton of flavor and is the secret ingredient!

1 onion chopped up. Pick your favorite I like red. Make it 2 onions if you like.

4 or 5 cups of chicken broth. I use the chicken or vegetable Better Than Bouillon

3 to 6 ribs of celery chopped up in stew sized pieces.

2 teaspoons of dried thyme

2 bell peppers in different colors chopped

2 cups of zucchini chopped to a size like the chicken. Not peeled is ok just be sure to remove the seeds.

Instructions 

Set Instant Pot to Saute and add the butter. Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. When the butter starts to brown a little add the chicken and brown it with the lid off for about 5 minutes.

When the chicken is browned add everything except the zucchini and bell peppers. Put on the cover and set the Instant Pot to Manual for 8 minutes on High (if you have that option)

When 8 minutes are up do a Quick Release. Open the lid and add the zucchini and bell peppers. Set the Instant Pot to Saute and let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes with the lid off.

Test the zucchini and when it as done as you like you are ready to eat!

You can add things to the individual bowl like parmesan cheese or hot sauce or in the photo above I added some sliced jalapeño peppers. Be creative or leave it alone.

This is pretty low carb with the zucchini replacing the dumplings and the bell peppers adding flavor the carrots and corn would traditionally have in a Chicken and Dumplings meal. If you aren't worried about carbs have some favorite crusty bread with your bowl.

If you want to make real Chicken and Dumplings leave out the zucchini and bell peppers. When the 1st part of the cook is over at 8 minutes and you do a Quick Release add a cup of corn kernels and use Bisquick to make some batter for the dumplings. Put the spoonfuls of Bisquick in the Instant Pot during the final step and let it cook on Saute with the lid off for about 10 minutes.

You can also finish by stirring in 1/2 a cup of milk.