Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (Print View)

Hearty soup with tender chicken, vegetables, and noodles ready in 30 minutes.

# Components:

→ Poultry

01 - 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs

→ Vegetables

02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 3 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
04 - 3 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 3 cloves garlic, minced

→ Soup Base

06 - 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth

→ Seasonings

07 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
08 - 1 teaspoon dried parsley
09 - 1 bay leaf
10 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
11 - 1 teaspoon salt or to taste

→ Pasta

12 - 6 ounces egg noodles

→ Oil

13 - 1 tablespoon olive oil

→ Garnish

14 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add olive oil, then sauté onion, carrots, and celery for 3 to 4 minutes until softened.
02 - Add minced garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
03 - Place chicken breasts or thighs on top of the vegetables.
04 - Pour in chicken broth and add thyme, parsley, bay leaf, black pepper, and salt. Stir gently to combine.
05 - Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
06 - Allow a natural pressure release for 5 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure.
07 - Remove chicken to a plate and shred using two forks.
08 - Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode again. Add egg noodles and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes until tender.
09 - Return shredded chicken to the pot, stir to combine, and adjust seasoning as needed.
10 - Discard the bay leaf. Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with fresh parsley if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's done before you've finished setting the table, which means actual time to sit down together.
  • The chicken becomes so tender it falls apart with barely a fork, and nobody has to ask if it's cooked through.
  • One pot means one thing to wash, and that alone makes this a weeknight hero.
02 -
  • Never skip the natural pressure release at the start—quick-releasing all at once can make the chicken tough and stringy, which defeats the whole purpose.
  • Add the noodles after the chicken is cooked and shredded, not before, or they'll turn to paste and absorb too much broth, leaving you with soup that's more like stew.
03 -
  • A squeeze of lemon juice right before serving lifts all the flavors and makes people ask what the secret ingredient is.
  • If your noodles are the delicate kind, check them at 4 minutes instead of waiting the full 5 to 6—you want tender, not dissolved.
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