Get ready to experience the ultimate in classic American comfort food with our Instant Pot chicken noodle soup. Loaded with fresh vegetables, chicken breast, and simple seasonings, it’s perfect anytime you want a delicious soup that eats like a meal.
I absolutely adore my Instant Pot for cooking up tons of great meals, and it’s a total game-changer when it comes to making soup. Soups that usually take forever to cook can now be done super quickly, and the flavors are just out of this world!
Classic chicken noodle soup is my all-time favorite. It’s packed with juicy chunks of chicken breast, fresh celery, carrots, and onions. I throw in some fresh garlic, parsley, and a mix of Italian spices for that perfect seasoning. Then, I add those extra-wide egg noodles to make it really hearty. Honestly, it’s so good and fills you up just right.
Why I love this recipe?
I love this recipe because it’s super easy to make and everything takes place right in our Instant Pot pressure cooker. We can saute the vegetables and chicken right in the Instant Pot itself, then add the remaining ingredients and let it do its magic! No need to simmer for hours. The pressure cooking process fuses all the flavors and makes a restaurant-quality soup in under an hour.
Ingredients and Preparation
We’ll start with some fresh, boneless, skinless chicken breast and cut it into bite-sized chunks.
Next, we’ll dice up some carrots, celery, and onions. This will make our mirepoix, which is the foundation of many soup and stew recipes. We’ll also add some minced garlic to really build a wonderful foundation of flavors and aromas for our soup!
For the liquid, we’ll use store-bought chicken broth mixed with an additional cup of water.
To continue building the flavor, we’ll add a teaspoon of dried Italian seasoning and fresh ground black pepper.
And, of course, the noodles. We use extra-wide egg noodles. These hold up very well to the pressure cooking process.
Using Broth or Stock?
The store shelves are loaded with different brands and varieties of stocks and broths. But which should you choose?
Chicken stock is generally made by simmering bones, which gives it a rich taste and a thicker feel because of the gelatin from the bones. Chicken broth, on the other hand, is made from simmering meat (and sometimes bones too), making it lighter and flavorful enough to sip on its own. While they can often be used interchangeably, chicken broth is your best option for this recipe.
Cooking
We start by setting the Instant Pot to saute mode and adding the oil. Once it’s hot, we add the celery, carrots, and onion and saute for about 3 minutes until the carrots and celery are a nice bright color and the onions become translucent.
Next, we add the chicken with some salt and continue sauteing for another 3-4 minutes or until the chicken turns white. Then add the garlic for another 30 seconds.
Next, press the cancel button, which will stop the saute process, and it’s time to add the broth, water, noodles, Italian seasoning, and pepper. Gently stir until the ingredients are combined.
Now it’s time for the pressure cooking. Secure the lid and make sure the vent is in the sealed position, and pressure cook (on high pressure) for 5 minutes. It will take several minutes for the pot to come to pressure, after which which time the cooking timer will begin to count down.
Once the pressure cooking cycle is complete, do a quick release of the pressure. When all the pressure is released and the pin drops, you can safely remove the lid and the soup is ready to serve!
Storage and Reheating
Your Instant Pot chicken noodle soup is great served the next day too! To store, simply ladle the soup into plastic or glass containers and refrigerate, covered, for up to 3 days.
It is not recommended to freeze this soup, as the noodles do not hold up well in the process.
To reheat your soup, simply microwave for about 3-4 minutes or until heated through. Additionally, you can reheat on the stovetop in a saucepan or pot over medium heat for about 5-7 minutes or until heated through.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe was made and tested in a standard 6qt Instant Pot. No adjustments are needed when using an 8qt appliance. If using a 3qt Instant Pot, the recipe will need to be halved.
They most certainly can! Chicken thighs hold up very well to the pressure cooking process and provide excellent flavor.
We recommend using extra wide noodles because they hold up the best to the pressure cooking process. If using smaller noodles, do not add them during the pressure cooking step. Wait until the pressure cooking step is complete, the pressure is released, and the lid removed, then set the pot to saute mode. Once simmering, add the noodles and cook until tender.
It most certainly is! In fact, it’s a great starter recipe if it’s your first time using your instant Pot. You can also get additional Instant Pot help from our Instant Pot Quick Start Guide.
Recipe
Best Damn Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Total Time: About 45 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings
Description
The ultimate comfort food, our Best Damn Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is a quick and easy recipe that brings together fresh chicken breast, vegetables, and simple ingredients to make a heartwarming meal that everyone will love.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. chicken breast (or thighs), cut into small cubes
- 2 medium carrots, diced
- 2 medium stalks of celery, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced (about ½ cup)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 tbs minced garlic
- 2 cups extra-wide egg noodles (about 4oz)
- 1 tbs fresh chopped parsley
- 1 tsp dried Italian herb seasoning
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
Instructions
- Select saute mode on Instant Pot and add oil. When it shows hot, add carrots, onions and celery. Sauté for 3 minutes.
- Add chicken and salt and continue sautéing until chicken is white, about 3-4 more minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 30 seconds. Now press cancel to stop the saute mode.
- Add chicken broth, water, noodles, Italian seasoning and pepper. Gently stir to combine.
- Secure the lid, make sure the vent is sealed (closed), and pressure cook (on high pressure) for 5 minutes. It will take several minutes to come to pressure before the cooking timer starts.
- After cook time is complete, quick release the pressure, remove lid and serve. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
- Prep Time: 15 min
- Cook Time: 5 min + time to come to pressure
- Category: Soup
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Pat Jacobsen says
I an gathering items for the IP chicken noodle soup; do not have wide noodles. Can I use potatoes or cavatippi pasta instead?
Thanks for all your ideas and suggestions!
Alex says
Hi Jason, do you have a preferred noodle that you like for soup?
RecipeTeacher says
YEs indeed I like to use extra-wide egg noodles.
Rosalind says
All of your recipes are amazing. Thank you.
RecipeTeacher says
Aww, thank you Rosalind!!
Sunny says
I made this soup last night. It turned out just fine. However, had problems with your directions. I have no manual button. Usually recipes will tell about how long it takes to get the pressure up. There was no way to to to time it at five minutes. Had to wing it and then release the pressure, eventually just shutting it off. The soup was done.
Flavors were very good.
RecipeTeacher says
Hi Sunny, I’m glad you enjoyed the soup! With different variations of Instant Pots and electric pressure cooker brands, it can be a challenge to get the wording “just right” for all. However, I am in the process of updating recipes to try and include more universal terminology. The time to come to pressure can vary from model to model as well, but i’m hoping to have updates with that as well. Thanks for the feedback!
Ckr says
This soup was delicious, very easy preparation, a little too peppery for us but overall a keeper. Will be making this often .
RecipeTeacher says
Awesome! Thanks, Ckr! You can certainly adjust pepper or salt to taste. Thank you for the feedback.
CKR says
Can we double the ingredients listed for a 10 quart pt? If so, how long to cook?
Thank you
RecipeTeacher says
Yes indeed you can double the ingredients. Cooking time will be the same.