Instant Pot Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
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Say goodbye to long hours of simmering on the stove because this Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe makes a comforting bowl of goodness in a fraction of the time.
Thanks to modern pressure cookers like the Instant Pot®, you get all the great flavor and tender chunks of chicken you crave without sacrificing any quality.
Whether it’s a cold day or you’re just looking for a quick yet delicious meal, this recipe has got you covered.
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While you may prefer to skip to the recipe card, we suggest reading the entire blog post to avoid missing valuable tips and substitution suggestions and to ensure you have the necessary ingredients, equipment, and understanding of the steps and timings.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
There’s something incredibly comforting about a bowl of chicken noodle soup, especially on cold winter days.
Unfortunately, it can be a bit time-consuming to prepare from scratch with a whole chicken carcass.
This no-fuss version uses an electric pressure cooker, specifically the Instant Pot, to make an incredibly tasty soup, using cost-conscious chicken thighs, tender chicken breasts, and the subtle infusion of flavor from a fresh bouquet garni.
A bouquet garni serves as a little herb package that elevates the flavors of various dishes like casseroles, stocks, sauces, and soups.
Traditionally, it’s made up of parsley—or even just its flavorful stalks—a handful of thyme sprigs and a bay leaf. In our herb bundle, we’ve included rosemary in addition to the classic trio.
This one-pot meal is a satisfying main dish enjoyed with some homemade soda bread, soft pretzels, or cheesy garlic bread.
Or serve a smaller bowl of easy Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with a sandwich or salad on the side.
Best Chicken Noodle Soup
Egg noodles are a staple in classic chicken noodle soup recipes. They’re hearty and absorb the flavors of the homemade chicken soup beautifully.
In this pressure cooker chicken soup recipe, the noodles are cooked directly in the soup, ensuring they soak up all that delicious broth.
Both chicken thighs and breasts provide a mix of white and dark meat, ensuring every bite is juicy and flavorful.
The beauty of using an Instant Pot for this recipe is the high-pressure cooking method.
It ensures that the chicken is cooked to perfection, tender, and easy to shred in a fraction of the time it would take using a slow cooker or on the stovetop.
Enjoy chicken noodle soup at a casual dinner party, stash it in an airtight container for weekday lunches, or serve it at a cozy family gathering. With a few minutes of preparation time, it’s versatile and always a crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients & Equipment Used In This Recipe
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Ingredients Needed For Chicken Noodle Soup
- Fresh Produce – Parsley Stems, Thyme, Rosemary, Bay Leaves, Garlic, Onion, Carrots, Celery
- Protein – Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts and Thighs
- Pantry – Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Black Pepper
- Chicken Broth/Stock – You can use store-bought or homemade chicken broth or bouillon chicken base for extra flavor.
- Extra Wide (Homestyle) Noodles – Pappardelle is a good, wide pasta noodle to use.
The complete list of ingredients with measurements is on the recipe card at the end of this post.
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Equipment Needed For This Recipe
- Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 – Cook times and instructions will vary among different Instant Pots. Before preparing this recipe, check the recommended chicken guidelines for your specific unit.
- Kitchen Twine – For tying up the herbs for the bouquet garni.
- Sharp Knife
- Chopping/Cutting Board
- Rubber/Silicone Spatula – or you could use a Wooden Spoon.
The Purple Pumpkin Blog uses both cups and weighted measurements in its recipes, making American cups and kitchen food scales valuable tools for trying all the recipes. We provide US customary, imperial, and metric measurements. Still, it’s important to note that while you can combine cup measurements with weighted measures, never mix US customary/imperial (pounds, ounces, pints, etc.) with metric (kilograms, grams, liters, etc.).
Dinner Party Menu Suggestions
Chicken soup can be enjoyed as an appetizer, as a soup course, or as the main dish, but what about the rest of the courses?
Here are additional recipes to create a menu for a dinner party or special meal:
- Appetizer: Grilled Corn on the Cob with Herb & Parmesan Butter
- Salad: Apple Walnut Salad with White Balsamic Vinaigrette
- Main Dish: One-Pan Chicken with Lemon Orzo Spinach & Feta
- Side Dish: Oven-Roasted Parmesan Green Beans
- Cocktail: Vodka Margarita
- Dessert: Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies
How Do I Make Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup?
The printable recipe card with the ingredients list and instructions can be found at the end of this post.
Number of Servings: 10-12 Cups
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Additional Time: 5 minutes | Total Time: 45 minutes
Step 1 – Prepare Bouquet Garni: Prepare a bouquet garni by assembling the parsley, thyme, and rosemary sprigs on a clean work surface and securing them with kitchen twine, as shown. Securely tuck the bay leaves inside the twine to hold. Set aside.
Step 2 – Saute Vegetables: Select the Sauté setting on the Instant Pot® and adjust to the highest setting. Add the olive oil to the pot, along with the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and stir to combine.
Saute veggies for 4-5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until they soften and develop a bit of color. Turn the unit off.
Step 3 – Add Chicken: Pour the chicken broth into the pot, along with the raw chicken thighs and breasts. Push the chicken pieces down into the liquid until fully submerged.
Step 4 – Pressure Cook: Add the bouquet garni to the pot and gently push it into the liquid. Lock the lid in place. Set the pressure release valve to Sealing and select the Manual button on the high setting. Adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes.
Step 5 – Release Pressure: When the cooking time is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before quickly releasing any remaining steam. Turn the unit off.
Step 6 – Shred Chicken: Carefully remove the lid and transfer the chicken pieces to a large, rimmed plate. Shred the meat using two forks and set it aside. Remove the bouquet garni from the pot and discard.
Step 7 – Cook Noodles: Select the Sauté function on the highest setting and bring the liquid inside to a boil. Add the egg noodles and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Tip: Do not overcook the noodles, or they will become mushy. They will continue to soften some in the hot liquid.
Step 8 – Add Cooked Chicken: Turn the Instant Pot® off and carefully remove the pot from the unit. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
Step 9 – Serve Chicken Noodle Soup: To serve, transfer the soup to individual soup bowls. Add fresh lime wedges on the side for squeezing, if desired. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- A squeeze of fresh lime juice or lemon juice right before serving is a welcome addition to most broth-based soups.
- Use a combination of chicken broth and water if desired. For best results, use at least 50% chicken broth.
- Use boneless skinless chicken breasts for a leaner option.
- Fresh herbs make a difference; opt for them over dried ones.
- However, if using dried herbs, a section of cheesecloth is used to create a sachet that is then dropped into soups or stews while cooking.
- Fresh herbs are bound by a length of kitchen twine, as shown, to make picking out the woody stems and bay leaves easier before serving.
- Don’t overcook the noodles; they’ll continue to soften in the hot broth.
Storing Leftovers & Freezing
- Storing Leftovers:
- Cool (within 1-2 hours), transfer to an airtight container, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- Freezing Instructions:
- For longer storage, freeze the soup without the noodles and add them fresh when reheating.
- Serve in individual portions (or for the size of your family), making defrosting and reheating more convenient.
- Cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container or bag.
- Label with the dish’s name, thawing/reheating instructions, and the date to keep track of your food storage.
- Store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- To defrost the chicken soup, place it in the fridge to thaw overnight (or at least 12 hours).
- Reheat on the stove top, adding some water or chicken broth if needed.
- With all leftovers, ensure the food looks and smells okay before consuming.
- Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart for Cooking
- You can always consult the Food Standards Agency in your country for the most up-to-date advice on storing and freezing foods: Food Standards Agency (UK) | Food Safety (USA).
Printable Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe Card
Below is the printable recipe card. To save ink, any demonstration photos on the recipe card are not printed out.
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Instant Pot® Chicken Noodle
Instant Pot pressure cooker chicken noodle soup is a game-changer. Enjoy this comforting classic in a fraction of the time.
Ingredients
For the Bouquet Garni
- 6-8 fresh parsley stems
- 10-12 fresh thyme sprigs
- 3 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 2 whole bay leaves
- Kitchen twine
For the Soup
- 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 3-4 garlic cloves, minced
- ½ large white onion, chopped
- 4 medium carrots, sliced
- 4 medium stalks celery, sliced
- Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
- 8 cup chicken broth*
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- 1 lb (450g) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- ½ (12-oz/350g) bag homestyle egg noodles
- Lime Wedges, to serve, optional
Instructions
- Prepare a bouquet garni by assembling the parsley, thyme, and rosemary sprigs on a clean work surface and securing them with kitchen twine, as shown. Securely tuck the bay leaves inside the twine to hold. Set aside.
- Press the Sauté button on the Instant Pot® and adjust to the highest setting. Add the olive oil to the pot, along with the garlic, onion, carrots, and celery. Season with salt and black pepper to taste, and stir to combine. Cook for 4-5 minutes, occasionally stirring, until the vegetables soften and develop a bit of color. Turn the unit off.
- Pour the chicken broth into the pot and the chicken thighs and breasts. Push the chicken pieces down into the liquid until fully submerged.
- Add the bouquet garni to the pot and gently push it into the liquid. Lock the lid in place. Set the pressure release valve to Sealing and select the Manual button on the high setting. Adjust the cooking time to 10 minutes.
- When cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 5 minutes before quickly releasing any remaining steam. Turn the unit off.
- Carefully remove the lid and transfer the chicken pieces to a large, rimmed plate. Shred the meat using two forks and set it aside. Remove the bouquet garni from the pot and discard.
- Select the Sauté function on the highest setting and bring the liquid inside to a boil. Add the egg noodles and boil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Tip: Do not overcook the noodles, or they will become mushy. They will continue to soften some in the hot liquid.
- Turn the Instant Pot® off and carefully remove the pot from the unit. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and black pepper, if desired.
- To serve, transfer the soup to individual soup bowls. Add fresh lime wedges on the side for squeezing, if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
*Can use a combination of chicken broth and water, if desired. For best results, use at least 50% chicken broth.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
For more Instant Pot Recipes using chicken, try these recipes next:
