Nothing says comfort like a warm bowl of chicken noodle soup. This version made in the Instant Pot creates a classic dish with almost no work or effort. With juicy chicken, tender vegetables, and soothing egg noodles, this easy one-pot soup will become a staple in your home for chilly days.
Why Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup?
Making Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup comes with ample benefits:
- Fast and Easy to Make – With an Instant Pot, the entire soup is made in under an hour with minimal hands on effort. No constantly watching a pot on the stove!
- Use Less Dishes – The Instant Pot can cook the chicken, vegetables and noodles all in one multi-functional pot. Less dishes used means less cleanup.
- Infuses Maximum Flavor – The pressurized environment helps infuse the broth with delicious chicken and vegetable flavors.
- Tender and Juicy Chicken – The high-pressure cooking ensures moist, fall-off-the bone chicken. No dry, rubbery pieces of chicken in this soup.
So for a quick and easy meal, whip up this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup. The aroma of chicken broth, vegetables and seasonings will fill your house with comfort.
What You Need to Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
A homemade chicken broth really sets this soup apart, but you can save time by using store bought broth. Here is what you need:
For the Soup
- 3-4 pound whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 ribs celery, sliced
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups chicken broth (homemade or store bought)
- 1⁄4 cup tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 8 oz. egg noodles
To Finish
- 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
- 4 green onions, chopped
Step-by-Step Instructions
Now let’s get this comforting Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup going! Follow these simple steps:
Cook the Chicken
- Rinse chicken and trim off excess fat. Add chicken to Instant Pot insert.
- Add in onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Pour in chicken broth and tomato paste.
- Add bay leaves, thyme, and generously season with salt and pepper. Give everything a quick stir.
- Lock lid and set to Manual/Pressure Cook on High for 15 minutes then allow for 10 minute natural release.
Once finished cooking, carefully remove the chicken from the pot. It should be extremely tender and juicy. Let it rest 10 minutes then shred or cube the chicken, discarding bones and skin.
Finish the Soup
- Remove and discard bay leaves. Turn pot to Sauté setting and bring broth to a gentle boil.
- Add egg noodles and shredded chicken. Let cook 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Add parsley and green onions. Adjust seasoning as needed.
- Serve hot and enjoy! Can garnish bowls with extra parsley or green onions.
Pro Tip: For more tender noodles, boil them for 2 minutes before adding to Instant Pot in step 6.
Variations and Substitutions
This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is highly adaptable to your tastes and what you have on hand:
- Chicken – Use bone-in chicken thighs for richer flavor, rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken works too.
- Vegetables – Try mixing up the vegetables with broccoli, turnips, mushrooms or corn.
- Herbs – Play around with herbs like rosemary, basil, dill or cilantro.
- Broth – For extra richness, swap some of the broth for heavy cream.
- Noodles – Use egg noodles, rice noodles or small pasta shapes instead.
- Garnishes – Grate parmesan over top or serve with crusty bread and butter.
No matter how you change it up, this soup always satisfies!
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
This easy and delicious pressure cooker chicken noodle soup comes together in just 35 minutes. Bone-in chicken thighs are seared to golden brown before carrots, celery, onion, garlic, broth and thyme are added to the pot. After cooking under pressure for 8 minutes, the chicken is shredded while the noodles cook in the hot broth to tender perfection. The shredded chicken is returned to the soup which is seasoned to taste before serving garnished with fresh parsley. Quick, flavorful and comforting, this Instant Pot version makes classic chicken noodle soup completely fuss-free.
- Instant Pot
- Large skillet or sauté pan
- Cutting boards
- Sharp knives
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Slotted spoon
- Ladle
- Serving bowls
- Aluminum foil (for easy clean up)
- 2 pounds bone-in (skin-on chicken thighs)
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 2 stalks celery (sliced)
- 1 yellow onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 8 ounces egg noodles
- Chopped fresh parsley (for serving)
- Season the chicken thighs all over with salt and pepper.
- Select the Sauté function on the Instant Pot and heat oil. Working in batches if needed, add the chicken skin-side down and cook until golden, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
- To the pot, add the carrots, celery, onion, garlic and 1⁄2 teaspoon salt. Sauté 3 minutes. Add broth and thyme. Tuck in chicken along with any accumulated juices.
- Lock the lid and set to High Pressure for 8 minutes. Use quick release to depressurize.
- Remove chicken and shred or cut into bite sized pieces when cool enough to handle.
- Select Sauté and bring soup to a boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions, about 5 minutes.
- Return chicken to pot and season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Serve garnished with parsley.
- For easy cleanup, line the pot with foil before adding ingredients.
- For more flavor, stir in a teaspoon of chicken better after sautéing the aromatics.
- For extra richness, stir in a dollop of sour cream when serving.
Helpful FAQs
Still wondering how to master this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup? Here are helpful answers to some common questions:
Can This Soup Be Made Entirely In the Instant Pot?
Yes! If you want a true one-pot soup, simply shred or dice the cooked chicken while leaving it in the pot, then continue on to Step 5 and finish the soup.
How Long Does the Soup Keep in the Fridge or Freezer?
The soup will last 4-5 days tightly sealed in the fridge, or 2-3 months in freezer bags from the freezer. Let thaw overnight before reheating.
Is a Fat Separator Needed to De-Fat the Broth?
While you can use a fat separator if desired, it’s not necessary. The Instant Pot does not brown ingredients, resulting in less fat rendered into the broth upfront.
Can Rotisserie Chicken Be Used Instead?
Absolutely! Simply shred or cube 2-3 cups of rotisserie chicken and add to pot in Step 6 instead of home cooked chicken. Easy shortcut.
Should Any Ingredients Be Pre-Cooked First?
Nope, one of the beauties of the Instant Pot is everything cooks from raw, all in one pot. No need to dirty extra pans pre-cooking anything.
What Sides Go Well With This Soup?
Buttery biscuits, crusty bread, salad, or even roasted chicken with vegetables pair nicely for a heartier meal.
Conclusion
During cold weather, this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup offers something for everyone with its comforting broth, tender chicken and noodles, and vegetables. Kids especially love slurping up those fun little noodles!
The easy Instant Pot method gives you wholesome, homemade flavor without hours spent minding a bubbling pot on the stove. For fantastic chicken noodle soup ready right when you need it, look no further than this simple recipe.
