Instant Pot Chicken Soup the Classic Get Well Soon Broth Made in Under an Hour

Achieving Slow and Simmered Depth in Minutes

Chicken soup is the ultimate, nourishing hug in a bowl, right? It's what your grandma made when you were sick, and it’s the definition of comfort food. Traditionally, you have to monitor a massive pot on the stove for hours to get that deep, bone and rich flavour.

I don't know about you, but my Tuesday nights rarely allow for seven hours of gentle simmering.

Enter the Instant Pot.

This machine is the biggest cheater in the culinary world, and I absolutely adore it for that. We are taking the hard work of slow simmering and forcing it to happen in under an hour. We’re achieving true "get well soon" depth without the time commitment.

Why the Pressure Cooker Excels for Broth

It all comes down to collagen extraction. When you pressure cook, you’re creating an intense, pressurized environment higher heat than boiling water can manage in an open pot. This extreme heat forces the connective tissue (collagen) from the chicken bones to break down almost instantly into gelatin.

Why does that matter?

Gelatin is what gives your instant pot chicken soup that beautiful body, that velvety mouthfeel, and that satisfying richness that tells you this is real soup, not just flavoured water. We are maximizing the flavour extraction from the bones and tissues, yielding a proper, golden broth in record time.

The Instant Pot Advantage for Classic Chicken Soup

The beauty of the Instant Pot isn't just the pressure cooking phase. It’s the sheer versatility built into that steel insert.

First, you can sauté your aromatics right there. No need for a separate skillet. This is essential for building a flavour foundation (more on that later). Second, the set and it and forget and it nature is brilliant. You lock the lid, set the timer for 15 minutes, and walk away.

That predictability is why this specific instant pot chicken soup recipe works so well. Finally, we use the Sauté function again at the end to cook the noodles directly in the finished broth. Less washing up is always a win in my book.

Essential Prep: Getting Started Before the Pot Heats Up

Right then. Before we hit that power button, let’s get organized. The French call this mise en place , and it’s especially important when using a pressure cooker, because once that lid is locked, you can’t exactly peek inside or throw in a stray carrot chunk.

Chop your mirepoix (onion, carrots, celery) evenly. Consistency is key here. If the onion chunks are huge, they won’t soften down during the initial sauté. Get your chicken ready. If you’re using chicken thighs, make sure they are skinless. Measure out your stock.

Speed and efficiency mean better soup, faster.

Building a Flavour Foundation: Ingredients for the Best Instant Pot Chicken Soup

If you want a fantastic instant pot chicken soup, you need to start with fantastic ingredients. It sounds obvious, but so many people rush past the ingredients list. This isn't just a vehicle for heating up canned broth; we are building something truly special.

Sourcing the Best Chicken Cuts (Bone and In vs. Boneless)

I am drawing a line in the sand here: use bone and in chicken thighs. Period.

If you grab boneless, skinless chicken breast, the resulting broth will be thin, and the meat tends to dry out during the high and pressure cook. I know some of you are tempted to use instant pot chicken soup frozen chicken or just boneless meat, but if you want that gelatin and rich texture, you need the bones.

My favourite is bone and in chicken thighs because they are inexpensive and stay moist under pressure. If you happen to have an instant pot chicken soup from carcass (maybe from a rotisserie chicken you ate last night), throw that in too! The more bones, the richer the broth.

Vegetable Prep and Aromatics Breakdown

We are sautéing the holy trinity: onion, carrot, and celery. Don't skip this ten and minute step. I’m telling you, this is the difference between a good soup and a great soup.

Sautéing coaxes out the natural sugars in the vegetables, creating a deep, slightly sweet flavour that would otherwise be missing.

We also use fresh garlic. Dried herbs go in with the liquid I prefer dried thyme because it stands up beautifully to the pressure cooking time.

Choosing Your Noodle and Herb Companions

I stick with classic egg noodles because they are traditional and soak up the broth nicely. They cook fast, which is great for the finishing stage. If you want something heartier, instant pot chicken soup with potatoes is a great route.

Add small, cubed yellow potatoes right along with the chicken, as they need the full cook time.

Remember, your fresh herbs and any acid (like lemon) should only be added at the end. Pressure cooking destroys the vibrancy of fresh herbs.

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Mastering the Cook Cycle: Step and by-Step Instant Pot Chicken Soup Directions

Let's crack on with the process. This might feel like a lot of detail, but following these steps ensures success and avoids the dreaded "Burn" error.

Browning the Aromatics and Deglazing the Insert

Hit Sauté (Normal or Medium setting). Add the oil, then the onion, carrots, and celery along with your initial teaspoon of salt. We sauté these until they are soft and slightly translucent about 8 to 10 minutes. Then stir in the garlic for just one minute until fragrant.

Now, stop the Sauté function. Pour in about a half cup of your chicken stock. Take a sturdy wooden spoon and scrape the living daylights out of the bottom of the pot. Seriously, scrape every browned bit (the fond) off. If you leave even a tiny, stuck fragment, the Instant Pot might throw an error.

Setting Up the Pressure Cook Phase

Add the remaining stock, the chicken (thighs or instant pot chicken soup whole chicken pieces), the thyme, bay leaves, and peppercorns. Lock the lid, set the vent to Sealing. Use the Pressure Cook or Manual button (High Pressure) and set the timer for 15 minutes .

If you're using instant pot chicken soup frozen chicken, bump the time up to 20 minutes, though I find the texture is always better starting from thawed or fresh.

The Quick Release and Chicken Shredding Technique

Once the 15 minutes are up, walk away. Do not touch the vent for 10 minutes . This is a mandatory partial Natural Release (NR). This slow, gentle pressure drop is crucial for tenderizing the chicken.

If you Quick Release immediately, the change in pressure will shock the meat, making it tough.

After 10 minutes of NR, manually switch the vent to release the remaining pressure. Once safe, open the lid, pull out the chicken pieces and the bay leaves. Discard the bay leaves. Shred the chicken using two forks. It should be unbelievably tender.

Final Simmer: Cooking the Noodles to Perfection

Toss the shredded chicken aside for a moment. Select the Sauté function again (use the Low setting this time). Once the broth is gently simmering, add your egg noodles. They cook quickly, typically 4 to 5 minutes. Stir them regularly so they don't glob together or stick to the bottom.

Once the noodles are almost ready ( al dente is the goal), stir the shredded chicken back in to warm it through. Taste the broth. This is your last chance for seasoning.

Optimizing Your Instant Pot Chicken Soup Experience

These are the tiny tweaks that make a huge difference in the final product.

Achieving Optimal Broth Clarity (The Skimming Trick)

Since we used bone and in meat, your broth will be rich, which also means it will have some fat floating on top. If you prefer a cleaner, clearer broth, you need to skim.

The Best Skimming Trick: While you can use a shallow spoon to scoop the fat off the surface immediately, the easiest method requires patience. Let the soup cool completely in the refrigerator overnight. The fat will solidify into a thick, easily removable disk on top.

Lift it off, and reheat the perfect, clear broth the next day.

Making This Recipe Freezer and Friendly

Instant Pot Chicken Soup freezes beautifully. It is absolutely perfect for meal prepping a huge batch.

However, if you plan to freeze it, you must omit the noodles . Freezing and thawing turns the noodles into a disgusting, mushy mess. They soak up too much liquid and swell up. Freeze the finished, seasoned broth with the chicken and vegetables.

When you reheat the frozen soup, bring it to a boil and cook a fresh batch of noodles right in the pot. Trust me on this.

Adjusting Seasoning After Pressure Cooking

As I mentioned before, pressure cooking tends to mute salt and pepper levels. So, after you’ve shredded the chicken and the noodles are cooked, you need to taste it aggressively. Add salt until the flavour truly sings. Then, add a generous amount of fresh cracked pepper.

Finally, the secret weapon: fresh lemon juice. That tablespoon of acid stirred in at the end brightens every single ingredient. It lifts the heavy, comforting flavour profile and makes it taste vibrant.

Quick Swaps: Vegetarian and Low and Carb Alternatives

Sometimes you need to adjust the recipe for different dietary needs, and this soup is highly adaptable.

• Vegetarian: Use a hearty vegetable broth base. Replace the chicken with a mixture of sliced cremini mushrooms (added during the sauté) and a can of drained butter beans or chickpeas (added during the pressure cook). The starch from the beans helps thicken the broth.
• Low and Carb: Skip the noodles entirely. You can add cubed zucchini or riced cauliflower during the final simmer phase. They only need about three minutes in the hot broth to soften.
• A Fun Twist: Swap the egg noodles for rice (use a slightly longer grain). This makes a lovely, comforting instant pot chicken soup with rice. Add the rice during the final simmer, but allow about 10 minutes for cooking.