This Instant Pot chicken soup is a comforting one-pot meal that's practically effortless to make yet loaded with amazing flavors! The Instant Pot pressure cooking method allows chicken breasts to cook quickly and become incredibly tender while the vegetables and herbs infuse the broth! The result is a savory and delicious soup that's perfect for a chilly day or whenever you're craving a hearty meal!
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Soup
If you love comforting and hearty dinners that can be made quickly and easily, then you have to make my Instant Pot chicken soup! This tasty soup is packed with tender shredded chicken breasts, flavorful vegetables, and an herb-infused broth!
It's the perfect one-pot meal to enjoy with your family on a cozy night in! Plus, you won't have to worry about watching a pot on the stove or stirring constantly - simply set the Instant Pot and let it do its thing!
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🥘 Instant Pot Chicken Soup
You can adjust the ingredients to your liking, adding or removing vegetables as needed and using different herbs and spices to tailor the flavor to your preferences! The soup is also a great way to use up leftover chicken or vegetables, making it a practical and economical choice for dinner!
- Olive Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO).
- Onion - 1 medium yellow onion (chopped).
- Celery - 2 ribs of celery (chopped, or use a celery substitute).
- Carrots - 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped).
- Garlic - 1 tablespoon of garlic (minced).
- Chicken - 1 pound of boneless skinless chicken breasts.
- Chicken Broth - 6 cups of chicken brother (or use a chicken broth substitute)
- Water - 2 cups of water.
- Bay Leaf - 1 bay leaf (remove before serving, or use a bay leaf substitute).
- Dried Thyme - 1 teaspoon of dried thyme (or use a dried thyme substitute).
- Salt & Pepper - ¼ teaspoon of each, salt & pepper (to taste).
- Egg Noodles - 2 cups of egg noodles (optional to make chicken noodle soup, uncooked).
- Parsley - fresh parsley (optional, chopped for garnish, or use a parsley substitute).
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Soup
If you're like me, then you love minimal-effort meals that require a low amount of prep work! This chicken soup is incredibly easy to prepare before the Instant Pot takes over the work! You will need an Instant Pot (pressure cooker), measuring spoons, and a wooden spoon to begin!
This tasty recipe will yield around 4 bowls of hearty soup!
- Preheat. Set your Instant Pot to the saute function and add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.
- Saute veggies. Once the oil is hot, add 1 medium chopped onion, 2 ribs of chopped celery, and 2 medium chopped carrots. Saute for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are slightly softened.
- Saute garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of minced garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add ingredients. Add 6 chicken breasts, 6 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1 bay leaf, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Seal and add pressure. Close the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Release pressure. Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure in the Instant Pot to natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then do a quick release to vent any remaining pressure.
- Shred chicken and serve. Remove the chicken breasts from the Instant Pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if using.
🥗 Sides
Chicken soup is a delicious meal on its own. However, it's a versatile dish that will pair well with many side dishes! I like to serve my chicken soup with some tasty garlic bread and a wedge salad. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic is around 3 cloves.
- You can use bone-in chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for a richer broth.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, add a slurry of equal parts cornstarch and cold water after adding the shredded chicken. Use 1 tablespoon of each to start, and add more as needed.
- Feel free to add other vegetables, such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, to this recipe to make it even heartier.
- If you want to add noodles to make a chicken noodle soup, set the Instant Pot to the sauté function again and add the uncooked egg noodles. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the noodles are tender. Do this during step 7 to add the noodles and shredded chicken back in with the broth and vegetables.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You can also store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Reheating Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Pour your leftover chicken soup into a saucepan and reheat on the stovetop on medium heat until it is heated through to your liking. Alternatively, you can transfer your leftover soup into a microwave-safe dish and heat it at medium power in 30-second increments until heated through.
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❓ Recipe FAQs
Using boneless and skinless chicken breast would be the easiest choice because you need to shred it before adding it back into the broth with the vegetables. However, you could also use bone-in chicken breasts or chicken thighs to add more flavor if you'd like!
Great question! Aside from the celery, carrots, and onion, you could add your favorite potatoes or sweet potatoes! Also, you can add other vegetables like kale, spinach, or green beans.
Yes, you can use frozen chicken in chicken soup! The Instant Pot is great because it cooks frozen chicken so easily, which can be a time-saver when you don't have time to thaw the chicken in advance. You will need to increase the cooking time between 5-10 minutes.
When you take the chicken out of the Instant Pot to shred it, use a meat thermometer to ensure that the chicken breasts' thickest part reaches an internal temperature of 165°F (75°C).
😋 More Tasty Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Minestrone - This hearty and comforting soup is loaded with tender vegetables, pasta, and savory seasonings!
- Creamy Duck & Wild Rice Soup - If you have leftover duck, you must make this amazingly flavorful soup!
- Vegetable Beef Soup - Packed with tender beef and vegetables, this soup is perfect for chilly nights!
- Butternut Squash Soup - Tender, roasted butternut squash is blended to make a creamy, delicious fall soup!
- Leftover Turkey Noodle Soup - This soup recipe is a classic dish to make whenever you have leftover turkey after a holiday dinner!
- Split Pea Soup - A hearty and rich soup made from ham hocks, carrots, celery, onions, and split green peas!
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📖 Recipe Card
Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- 1 medium yellow onion (chopped)
- 2 ribs celery (chopped)
- 2 medium carrots (peeled and chopped)
- 1 tablespoon garlic (minced)
- 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1 bay leaf (remove before serving)
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 2 cups egg noodles (optional to make chicken noodle soup, uncooked)
- fresh parsley (optional, chopped for garnish)
(Note: 2x or 3x only changes the ingredient list)
Instructions
- Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function and add the olive oil.
- Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Saute for 5-7 minutes, or until the vegetables are slightly softened.
- Add the minced garlic and saute for an additional 1-2 minutes.
- Add the chicken breasts, chicken broth, water, bay leaf, thyme, salt, and black pepper to the Instant Pot. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
- Close the lid on the Instant Pot and set the valve to the “sealing” position. Set the Instant Pot to manual high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Once the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure in the Instant Pot to natural pressure release (NPR) for 10 minutes, then do a quick release to vent any remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken breasts from the Instant Pot and shred them using two forks. Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and stir to combine. Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh parsley, if using.
Notes
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic is around 3 cloves.
- You can use bone-in chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts for a richer broth.
- If you prefer a thicker soup, add a slurry of equal parts cornstarch and cold water after adding the shredded chicken. Use 1 tablespoon of each to start, and add more as needed.
- Feel free to add other vegetables, such as potatoes or sweet potatoes, to this recipe to make it even heartier.
- If you want to add noodles to make a chicken noodle soup, set the Instant Pot to the sauté function again and add the uncooked egg noodles. Cook for 5-7 minutes until the noodles are tender. Do this during step 7 to add the noodles and shredded chicken back in with the broth and vegetables.
- To store: This soup can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- To freeze: You can also store it in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- To reheat: Pour your leftover chicken soup into a saucepan and reheat it on the stovetop on medium heat until it is heated to your liking. Alternatively, you can transfer your leftover soup into a microwave-safe dish and heat it at medium power in 30-second increments until heated.
Hannah S Whitney says
Thanks for the great recipe. I did add Rosemary and extra carrots and chicken and it still worked!!!