This homemade Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is the easiest and most delicious chicken soup I have ever made. You get soup that tastes like it cooked all day in a little over an hour!
There’s nothing better than a bowl of chicken noodle soup on a cold winter day or when you’re feeling a bit under the weather.
This hearty comfort food classic warms you up like nothing else (and somehow magically makes you feel a little better too!).
What’s the best and easiest way to make fabulous chicken soup? Use your Instant Pot electric pressure cooker!
My mom and my gram both made the best chicken noodle soup. When there was a pot simmering on the stove, I couldn’t wait to eat it.
The only thing was it took them hours to make it. It seemed like forever to an impatient kid, but it was so very much worth the wait!
These days, most of us are too darn busy to babysit a pot of soup on the stove all day, so thank goodness for the Instant Pot!
It makes such quick and easy work of making chicken soup, you could even make it for a weeknight dinner – and it tastes just a good as Mom’s and Gram’s did!
This chicken noodle soup is a great recipe for anyone just getting started with an Instant Pot because it’s super easy and the results are out-of-this-world delicious. If you’ve been cooking with your Instant Pot for a while but have never used it for chicken soup, then you definitely should give it a try!
INGREDIENTS YOU NEED:
- Olive oil (regular or light)
- Carrots
- Celery
- Onion
- Garlic
- Bone-in chicken pieces (fresh or frozen; I use a breast and thighs)
- Chicken broth or stock (I use Better Than Bouillon chicken base and water)
- Water
- Salt and pepper
- Egg noodles
- Dried parsley
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
- Instant Pot (6 or 8-quart)
HERE’S A QUICK LOOK AT HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP:
TIPS & TIDBITS:
- Whether you use fresh or frozen chicken to make this soup, the cooking time will stay the same. If you use frozen chicken, it will take the Instant Pot a little longer to come up to pressure.
- I use a combination of bone-in breast and thighs, but you could use all breasts or all thighs, whatever you like.
- Don’t skip the chicken broth and use all water! Because of the quick cooking time, you won’t get all of the flavor that you could out of the chicken. Using broth helps your soup have the best flavor possible.
- I use a roasted chicken base like Better Than Bouillon mixed with water. I think it makes the soup really delicious!
- Don’t skip the salt! There’s nothing worse than sitting down to a bowl of chicken soup only to dig in and it tastes like…nothing. A tablespoon of kosher salt might seem like a lot, but you’ve got 8 cups of liquid, 2 pounds of chicken, and 5 cups of vegetables to season here.
- Of course you can adjust the amount of salt to suit your tastes, but don’t leave it completely out if you want your soup to taste good. Adding it after the fact just isn’t the same.
- You can use fresh parsley instead of dried. I use dried because I always have it, and I don’t end up having to buy a bunch of fresh parsley that will probably end up in the trash.
- Whichever one you use, don’t add it until the very end. If you pressure cook it, it gets really dark, almost black, which can be a bit unappealing.
- You can freeze this chicken soup, but don’t freeze it with the noodles in it, as they will become mushy and unpleasant. If you plan to freeze some, just cook the noodles separately.
- To freeze your noodle-free soup, allow it to cool completely, put it in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags, and freeze for 4 to 6 months. When you’re ready to serve it, thaw, heat, and add some noodles.
Next time you want some chicken noodle soup, don’t reach for a can. Pull out your Instant Pot, and you’ll be eating the most delicious homemade soup before you know it!
If you like having some bread with your soup, try my Easy Cheesy Garlic Biscuits. They go great with just about everything. If you like crackers in your soup, some of my Cajun Spiced Oyster Crackers are good sprinkled on top too!
I hope you try this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and love it as much as I do. Thanks for visiting today!
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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, regular or light
- 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots, ¼ inch thick
- 2 cups sliced celery, ¼ inch thick
- 1 cup diced onions
- 1 clove garlic, peeled and lightly smashed
- 2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces, fresh or frozen, I use a combination of breast and thighs
- 4 cups chicken broth or stock, I use 4 cups of water mixed with 4 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon chicken base
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt, add more or less to taste
- 4 ounces egg noodles, about 2 cups, uncooked
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- additional salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot on to SAUTE. Once it says HOT, add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to get soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Press CANCEL to turn the Instant Pot off.
- Add the garlic clove, the chicken broth or stock, the water, the chicken pieces, and the salt.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot and turn the steam release valve to SEALING. Cook at HIGH pressure (or use the SOUP setting) for 20 minutes. Note: It will take the Instant Pot between 20 and 30 minutes to come to pressure before the cooking time will begin to count down.
- When the cooking time has finished, allow the pressure to naturally release for 15 minutes, then quick-release the remaining pressure (always make sure you protect your hands and stand back away from the pot – that steam is very hot!). Note: You can also do a full natural pressure release if you prefer; it will just take a little longer.
- Remove the chicken pieces to a bowl or plate. Make sure they are cooked through (temperature at least 165°F). If not, put them back in the pot and cook them a little longer.
- Turn the Instant Pot back on to SAUTE to bring the soup up to a boil. Once the soup is boiling, stir in the egg noodles and cook, stirring occasionally, as per the time on the package directions.
- While the noodles are cooking, remove the chicken from the bones, discard the bones and fat, and shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
- When the noodles are done cooking, press CANCEL, and add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with the parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed, and enjoy!
Notes
- I usually use one large breast and two thighs, but you can use all breasts or all thighs, whatever you like.
- The cooking time will be the same whether you use fresh or frozen chicken. If you use frozen chicken, it will take the Instant Pot a little longer to come up to pressure.
- You can freeze this soup, but don’t freeze it with the noodles in it, as they will become mushy and unpleasant. If you plan to freeze some, just cook the noodles separately. To freeze your noodle-free soup, allow it to cool completely, put it in freezer-safe containers or freezer bags, and freeze for 4 to 6 months. When you’re ready to serve it, thaw, heat, and add some noodles.
- This recipe was tested in both 6 and 8-quart Instant Pots. It will not fit in a 3-quart mini.
This post was updated on 2/10/21 (the recipe was updated to include a 15-minute natural pressure release).
Kristyn
Fabulous!!
Michelle
Thank you!