Chicken Stew with Dumplings (Instant Pot)

Savour this classic hearty comfort food with tender chicken and fluffy homemade dumplings in soul-satisfying chicken broth.

8 (2½ lbs) bone-in chicken thighs (1135 g)
5 cups chicken stock (1,250 mL)
1 Tbsp. unsalted butter or olive oil (14 g)
1 large russet potato, bite-size chunks (380 g)
3 medium carrots, chopped (379 g)
2 celery ribs, chopped (170 g)
1 large onion, chopped (209 g)
3 cloves garlic, minced (11 g)
2 bay leaf
pinch dried thyme
½ cup all-purpose flour, unbleached (62.5 g)
½-1 cup frozen green peas (60-120 g)
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground
fish sauce or salt, for seasoning

Garnish:
fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
heavy cream (2 Tbsp. per bowl)

Dumplings (can substitute store-bought dough):
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached (250 g)
1 Tbsp. baking powder (12 g)
1 tsp. sea salt (5 g)
¾ cup milk (188 mL)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted (28 g)
1 Tbsp. olive oil (15 mL)
fresh parsley or chives, finely chopped

Brown Chicken Thighs:
Heat up Instant Pot using Sauté More function. Wait until it says HOT. This prevents chicken thighs from sticking to the pot.

Make Dumplings Dough:
While Instant Pot is preheating, mix 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, unbleached and 1 Tbsp. (12 g) baking powder. In a separate container, mix ¾ cup (188 mL) warm milk, 1 tsp. (5 g) salt, 1 Tbsp. (15 mL) olive oil, and 2 Tbsp. (28 g) unsalted butter. Pour milk mixture into the flour mixture. Mix well to form a batter. Do not overmix.

Pat-dry chicken thighs and season skin side with kosher salt and black pepper. Add 1 Tbsp. (15g) unsalted butter to Instant Pot, ensure the whole bottom is coated with butter.

Add 4 chicken thighs (skin side) in Instant Pot and brown for 3.5 minutes. Season the other side with kosher salt and black pepper. Then, flip and brown for 2 minutes. Set aside and repeat for remaining chicken thighs.

Sauté Onions, Garlic and Veggies:
Add chopped onions, season with a pinch of kosher salt and black pepper. Sauté onions for roughly 2.5 minutes. Add minced cloves garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add chopped carrots and celery, then sauté for 2 minutes. Add 2 bay leaves + a pinch of dried thyme, then let it cook for a minute until fragrant.

Deglaze:
Pour in 1 cup (250 mL) chicken stock and deglaze by scrubbing all the brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Give it a quick mix.

Pressure Cook Chicken and Dumplings:
Add potato chunks, 4 cups (1000 mL) chicken stock, browned chicken thighs and all meat juice. Drop dumplings on top with a tsp. (they'll double in size after pressure cooking). With Venting Knob at Venting Position, close the lid and turn Venting Knob to Sealing Position.

Pressure cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes and Natural Release for 15 minutes. Then, Gradual Release (turn Venting Knob just enough to release pressure slowly) until Floating Valve drops.

Shred Chicken Thighs:
Set aside dumplings. In a large bowl, shred chicken and discard the skin and bones.

Thicken Chicken and Dumplings:
Bring the soup to a simmer. Add in ½-1 cup (60-120 g) frozen green peas. Stir and break some of the potatoes to thicken soup. In a mixing bowl, whisk together ½ cup (62.5 g) all-purpose flour and a few ladles of soup until the flour fully dissolves. Thicken the chicken and dumplings soup to the desired thickness by mixing in the flour mixture one third at a time.

Season and Serve:
Return shredded chicken and dumplings to pot. Taste and season with fish sauce or salt. Mix well and serve with finely fresh parsley, chopped and heavy cream if desired.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Cook's Notes: We diced half of the onions and sliced remaining onions for better texture.