Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

When making Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, you have two choices: hide the Instant Pot and let everyone think you’ve been sweating over the stove all day, or proudly flaunt it and brag that you whipped up this delicious soup in less than 40 minutes. Either way, you win.

This pressure-cooker chicken noodle soup is like the ultimate couch blanket on a cold night—warm, cozy and comforting. Sick day? Solved. Busy weeknight? Handled. Need a cozy dish to impress guests? This soup recipe has got your back. From tenderizing the chicken to perfectly cooking the egg noodles, the Instant Pot does all the heavy lifting while you sip your tea (or wine).

Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

• Butter: You’ll saute the vegetables in butter, giving them a rich, slightly nutty flavor as they soften. It also adds a touch of fat to the broth, which helps carry the flavors of the herbs and spices throughout the soup. Choose unsalted instead of salted butter in this case to control the dish’s overall saltiness.
• Vegetables: Like any classic chicken soup recipe, we use carrots, celery and onion (yellow onions are the best type of onion for this recipe). Onions add aromatic flavor, while carrots and celery add texture and nutritional value. Chop them evenly so they cook uniformly.
• Garlic: Freshly minced garlic delivers a punch of savory, aromatic flavor. It’s added after the vegetables have softened so it doesn’t burn, which would create a bitter taste.
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, oregano and basil enhance the natural flavor of the chicken and vegetables.
• Chicken: A combo of boneless, skinless chicken breasts and thighs give you the best of both worlds. The white meat holds up well during cooking and the dark meat stays juicy and tender.
• Chicken broth: Reduced-sodium broth lets you season to taste without worrying about going overboard on salt. You can use your favorite store-bought chicken broth brand or make your own from scratch.
• Bay leaves: These little leaves add a subtle, earthy aroma to the soup as it cooks. Remember to fish them out before serving!
• Egg noodles: Two cups of uncooked egg noodles make this soup hearty without soaking up all the broth. Cooking them in the soup gives them extra flavor.
• Parsley: Fresh parsley adds a pop of color and a hint of brightness to balance the rich broth. Chop the leaves and discard the stems for the best texture.

Directions

Step 1: Start the base

Place the butter in an 8-quart electric pressure cooker and set the cooker to saute. Add the carrot, celery and onion. Cook them until they’re tender, four to five minutes. Stir in the garlic, salt, oregano, basil and pepper and cook one minute longer.

Step 3: Cook the chicken

Add the chicken, chicken broth and bay leaves. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and set the toggle to sealing. Set the pressure cooker to manual high pressure for seven minutes. Let the steam release naturally, the switch the toggle to venting. Carefully remove the lid. Discard the bay leaf.

Step 4: Simmer noodles and serve

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board. Use two forks to shred the chicken, then set it aside. Set the pressure cooker to saute. Add the egg noodles and simmer the soup until the noodles are al dente, seven to eight minutes. Stir in the cooked chicken and parsley.

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Variations

• Make vegetarian soup: Swap chickpeas for the chicken and use veggie stock instead of chicken broth. It’s still cozy and fabulous. Adding more vegetables, like diced potatoes, parsnips or green beans, is a great way to make a heartier soup.
• Go gluten-free: Swap out the egg noodles and use gluten-free noodles or rice. Or skip the noodles altogether and add zucchini noodles (aka zoodles) or chopped cauliflower toward the end of cooking.
• Try an herbal upgrade: Toss in fresh thyme or rosemary sprigs with the bay leaves for an extra layer of herbal flavor.
• Keep it dairy-free: For a completely dairy-free version, use olive oil instead of butter.

How to Store Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

This soup is ideal for meal prepping, for long-term storage in the freezer, or for giving to a friend who has the flu. Just be sure to store your soup in the fridge in an airtight container. If you plan on storing or freezing the soup, consider cooking the noodles separately and storing them in another container.

How long does Instant Pot chicken noodle soup last?

Chicken noodle soup lasts up to four days in the refrigerator.

Can you freeze Instant Pot chicken noodle soup?

You can absolutely freeze Instant Pot chicken noodle soup! Just freeze it without the noodles so they don’t break and become mushy. Allow the soup to thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating it.

How do you reheat Instant Pot chicken noodle soup?

To reheat chicken noodle soup, pop it in the microwave, simmer it on the stovetop, or even use an Instant Pot. The noodles will absorb the broth, so add a splash of water or stock when warming it up.

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Tips

Jonathan Melendez for Taste of Home

Can you make this chicken soup recipe without an Instant Pot?

Of course, there’s more than one way to cook a soup! You can make chicken noodle soup in a Dutch oven; it takes a bit more time on the stovetop, but the simmer is worth it. At the opposite end of the spectrum, slow-cooker chicken noodle soup takes all day and is more of a set-it-and-forget-it dish.

What can you serve with Instant Pot chicken noodle soup?

A good salad is a balanced choice to go with any from-scratch chicken soup, but wouldn’t you rather have a slice of crusty bread or a melty grilled cheese to make it the ultimate comfort food combo?