The Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Nothing beats homemade chicken noodle soup.  With an Instant Pot you can have this soup on the table in about an hour and it tastes like it simmered all day.  This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is sure to become a family favorite.

Chicken Noodle Soup for Flu and Cold Season

So guess what happened in the Sidewalk Shoes household last week?  The flu.  After watching them close school district after school district in Tennessee, I thanked my lucky stars that I wasn’t teaching any more.  Then the hubs and I decided to take a day trip to Atlanta.  Fun, but it meant I was trapped in the car, breathing his air, when he didn’t feel good.

So, I blame him one hundred percent.  You know what’s worse than having the flu?  Being the one that has to make your own chicken noodle soup.  But don’t fret, making it in the Instant Pot is so easy, you won’t mind.  This is truly the Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.  The hubs couldn’t stop commenting on how good it was.  He should, since we were having it because of him.

Ingredients for Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

This recipe is very forgiving, I pretty much used what was already in my pantry and freezer.

I started with 4 whole chicken legs (legs and thighs) because that is what was on sale at the store.  You can use any pieces of chicken that you’d like, though I think it’s important to have bone in pieces, it adds so much depth of flavor.

I also used carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.  Pretty much what goes into every single soup that I make!

To add even more immune boosting goodness, I added some tumeric and some fresh grated ginger (which I keep in the freezer – so easy to grate that way.)  If you can find fresh tumeric, keep it in the freezer and grate it like the fresh ginger.

A little soy sauce kicks in some unami goodness.

I used 8 oz of rice noodles because I finish cooking the noodles in the Instant Pot and they cook in only 5 minutes.  We loved them and they are now my go to noodles for soup!  They also make this soup gluten free!

I added the minced fresh parsley purely for garnish, but then ended up really liking the freshness that it brought to the soup!  Make this.  Even if you don’t have the flu.

How to Make The Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Bring chicken to room temperature by bringing it out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you are ready to start cooking and salt and pepper.

While the chicken is coming to room temperature prepare the vegetables:  peel and slice the carrots, slice the celery including the leaves, dice the onion, mince the garlic.

Gather the rest of the ingredients:  olive oil, chicken stock, ground turmeric (or fresh,) soy sauce, fresh ginger, dried rice noodles, and fresh parsley.

Brown the chicken – turn on the saute function of the Instant Pot and add a couple of swirls around the pan of olive oil.  When hot, add the chicken pieces skin side down.  Let the brown undisturbed for about 5 minutes.  Then turn over and brown the other side for about 5 minutes and remove from the pan.

Saute the vegetables – Remove the chicken to a plate and if needed add a bit more garlic to the pan.  Add the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic.  Saute until slightly softened.  Then add the turmeric, grated ginger (I use a microplane and grate right into the pot,) soy sauce and about a cup of the broth.  Stir and scrape up any brown bits.

Cook the soup –  Add the chicken back to the Instant Pot and add the rest of the broth.  Lock on the lid and turn the sealing vent to sealing.   Press off,  make sure you are on High Pressure, press manual and set the timer for 12 minutes.   While the soup is cooking, mince the parsley.

Finishing the soup – When the timer goes off, do a quick pressure release by moving the sealing vent to  venting.  When the pressure valve drops, remove the lid and take out the chicken.  Turn the pressure cooker off, then press saute.  When the mixture comes to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes.  While the noodles are cooking, shred the chicken meat.

Serving the soup – add the shredded chicken meat to soup and stir.  Serve in big bowls with a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

Looking for More Instant Pot Recipes

Pasta alla Vodka in the Instant Pot

Instant Pot Mushroom Barley Risotto

Pressure Cooker Ham and Bean Soup

Instant Pot Shrimp Risotto

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Update Notes: This was originally published in 2017 and has been updated for 2019.

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5 from 3 votes

The Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

The Instant Pot makes the best soups, they come out so rich and full of flavor, like this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 443kcal

Ingredients

• 4 whole chicken legs including thighs
• olive oil
• 4 carrots peeled and sliced
• 4 stalks celery sliced, including leaves
• 1 onion diced
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 6-8 cups chicken stock
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon ginger grated, or 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 8 oz dried rice noodles
• 4 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Instructions

• Take the chicken out of the fridge and salt and pepper it. Allow it to come to room temperature - about 20 minutes, while you prep the veggies. Turn on the saute feature and add a few swirls of olive oil. Add the chicken skin side down to the pan. Allow the chicken to rest undisturbed for about 5 minutes to brown, turn and brown the other side. Remove the chicken.
• If needed, add a bit more oil to the pot. Add the carrots, celery, onions and garlic to the pot and saute until slightly softened. Add the turmeric, soy sauce and grated ginger and about a cup of the stock. Stir, scraping up any brown bits on the bottom. Top with the chicken and pour over the rest of the stock.
• Lock the lid into place, making sure your vent is set correctly. Press off then manual and set the timer for 12 minutes.
• After the time is done, do a quick pressure release. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool. Turn off the cooker and then turn on the saute feature. When the soup comes up to a boil, add the noodles and cook for 5 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, remove the chicken meat from the bones. When the noodles are finished, turn off the cooker, and stir back in the chicken. Serve topped with the fresh parsley.

Notes

 You can use any pieces of chicken that you'd like, though I think it's important to have bone in pieces, it adds so much depth of flavor.

If you have fresh ginger and fresh turmeric, keep them in the freezer, then just grate them right into the soup. 

Rice noodles cook in only 5 minutes, they also make the recipe gluten free! 

 You can omit the fresh parsley at the end, but it really does add a nice fresh flavor. 

Nutrition

Calories: 443kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 87mg | Sodium: 703mg | Potassium: 699mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 144.3% | Vitamin C: 11.2% | Calcium: 5.6% | Iron: 10.8%