Craving a warm, hearty bowl of chicken noodle soup but short on time? Look no further than our incredibly easy Instant Pot chicken noodle soup recipe! Whether you prefer using fresh chicken breasts or convenient rotisserie chicken, this recipe delivers a delicious and super healthy meal in an astonishingly short 5 minutes of pressure cooking time. It’s the ultimate comfort food for chilly days or when you’re feeling under the weather, packed with tender chicken, wholesome vegetables, and slurp-worthy noodles. This versatile recipe can also be perfectly adapted for your Ninja Foodi or even made with frozen chicken!
We absolutely adore this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup! While it’s a classic remedy for colds, it’s also a perfectly satisfying meal for any time of year. Its ease and speed make it a go-to for busy weeknights. This recipe is just one of many easy Instant Pot recipes we’re delighted to share, with new additions constantly being added to our collection. 😉
Effortless Ninja Foodi Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Whether you’re using an Instant Pot, Ninja Foodi, or another brand of electric pressure cooker, the magic remains the same: minimal ingredients, maximum flavor, and incredible speed. This recipe requires just a few fresh components, and once cooked on high pressure, it transforms into a perfect, piping hot meal in mere minutes. For our Ninja Foodi recipe enthusiasts, remember to use the appropriate pressure cooking lid (not the air fryer lid) to achieve these quick results.
While we’ve enjoyed making chicken soup in a Crockpot many times, the speed and efficiency of the Instant Pot have truly revolutionized our kitchen. It delivers that same comforting, slow-simmered taste in a fraction of the time, making healthy homemade meals more accessible than ever.
If you’re new to the world of pressure cooking, rest assured, we have a wealth of easy one-pot meal recipes designed for you. To get started, here are a few essential tips:
- Make sure to bookmark our comprehensive Instant Pot recipes page. We regularly update it with exciting new dishes!
- Print this invaluable Instant Pot cooking times cheat sheet. It will quickly become your best friend, helping you understand precise cooking durations for various meats, vegetables, and beans in your pressure cooker.
- For optimal results and easier cleanup, we highly recommend you invest in a non-stick inner pot. It makes a significant difference.
- While it’s always good to know how to deglaze a pressure cooker after sautéing, a non-stick liner minimizes food sticking, simplifying the process even further.
For your reference, the model we consistently use for all our recipe creations is a 6-quart Instant Pot.
Key Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
The beauty of this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup lies in its simple, fresh ingredients. Here’s a closer look at what makes it so good and how you can customize it:
Choosing Your Vegetables for Pressure Cooking
For vegetables, we typically opt for bite-sized pieces of onions, carrots, and celery. These classic soup aromatics are relatively firm and hold up well under the high-pressure cooking environment. A crucial tip for pressure cooking vegetables: the thinner or smaller you slice them, the more tender they will become. Since this recipe has a very short cook time, ensure your vegetable pieces aren’t too large; otherwise, they might not reach that desirable fork-tender texture. Feel free to experiment with other quick-cooking vegetables like diced bell peppers, zucchini (added post-pressure cooking to avoid mushiness), or even a handful of spinach stirred in at the end for added nutrition and color.
The Perfect Broth Base
We recommend around 48 ounces of liquid, which is the ideal amount for the noodles to absorb without turning the soup too thick or too watery. This ensures a comforting, slurpable consistency. You can use store-bought chicken broth (low sodium is a great option for health-conscious cooks) or elevate your soup with our flavorful homemade pressure cooker chicken broth. For a richer, deeper flavor, consider using a mix of chicken and vegetable broth. This amount of liquid is also perfect for recipes like our Instant Pot chicken stew, though you might reduce it slightly if you prefer a thicker, stew-like consistency.
Noodle Choices for Your Soup
When it comes to pasta, traditional egg noodles are our top choice for their classic taste and tender texture. They cook beautifully in the Instant Pot within the recommended time. Small pasta shells or ditalini would also work, but keep in mind they might be a bit firmer and have a different mouthfeel than the soft, comforting egg noodles. Always add uncooked noodles directly to the pot with the broth for the best results.
Selecting the Best Chicken for Your Soup
The best chicken for soup really comes down to personal preference and what you have on hand. For this recipe, we typically use boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed into bite-sized pieces. They cook quickly and remain tender in the pressure cooker. Honestly, we often just use whatever chicken is on sale! However, if we had to choose a favorite with no budget constraints, dark meat, such as boneless, skinless chicken thighs, would be a strong contender. Dark meat tends to impart a richer, more profound flavor to the broth, which can be a game-changer for the overall dish. Beyond fresh cuts, this recipe is incredibly forgiving and works wonderfully with leftover cooked chicken or even frozen chicken cooked directly in the Instant Pot. We’ve done this countless times to avoid food waste, and it turns out perfectly every time.
Can You Use Rotisserie Chicken in Instant Pot Soup?
Absolutely, using rotisserie chicken is a fantastic shortcut that makes this soup even faster! If you’ve picked up a store-bought rotisserie chicken or have some leftovers from a previous meal, simply dice it into small, bite-sized pieces. When using pre-cooked chicken, you can entirely skip the initial sautéing step, streamlining your preparation significantly. Just add the diced rotisserie chicken along with your chopped vegetables and broth, then continue with the rest of the recipe as directed, maintaining the same pressure cooking time. This option is a true time-saver, perfect for those exceptionally busy days.
Elevating Your Chicken Noodle Soup: Flavor Boosters
While the basic recipe is wonderfully flavorful, there are many ways to enhance your Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and tailor it to your palate. Minced garlic is a flavor powerhouse we love to add to almost everything; it brings a savory depth that complements the chicken and vegetables beautifully. For an aromatic, earthy note, consider adding a bay leaf to the pot along with the broth – just remember to remove it before serving. Fresh herbs like chopped parsley, dill, or thyme stirred in after cooking can brighten the soup with vibrant, fresh flavors.
If you’re looking for a creamier, thicker consistency, you might be interested in a different twist. Using similar ingredients, you could transform this into an Instant Pot chicken noodle casserole. For those who enjoy an Asian-inspired flair, swapping traditional egg noodles for Pho noodles would be a delicious variation, reminiscent of our Instant Pot ramen recipe. We’re always striving to incorporate healthy eating habits into our daily lives, and having a diverse collection of Instant Pot recipes has truly made that goal achievable!
Essential Tips for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Success
Achieving perfectly cooked noodles is key to an exceptional chicken noodle soup. When cooking pasta in a pressure cooker, a quick pressure release is generally recommended. This differs from dishes like our Instant Pot chicken and rice, where a natural pressure release for a few minutes helps the rice “puff up” and achieve an ideal texture.
For egg noodles, which are commonly used in chicken noodle soup, a shorter cooking time is best. We recommend 3 minutes on high pressure, followed by a quick release. If you prefer your noodles with a bit more bite (al dente), aim for just 2 minutes of pressure cooking. This slight adjustment can make a big difference in texture, so feel free to experiment to find your ideal preference. After the quick release, stir the soup well to distribute the noodles and ensure everything is heated through.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Justine
10 minutes
5 minutes
15 minutes
5
Comment
Print Recipe
Equipment
-
1 pressure cooker
Ingredients
-
2
medium
chicken breasts,
cubed, bite size, boneless skinless -
2
tbsp
olive oil -
1/4
tsp
salt and pepper,
optional, more or less, to taste -
2
medium
carrots,
sliced thin -
2
stalks
celery,
sliced -
1/4
small
onion,
diced -
48
ounces
chicken broth,
or half chicken and half vegetable broth -
2
cup
egg noodles,
uncooked -
1/4
tsp
basil -
1/4
tsp
oregano
Instructions
-
Set your Instant Pot to the “Sauté” (low) function. Add olive oil, then the cubed chicken, sliced celery, diced onions, and thinly sliced carrots.
-
Sauté for a few minutes until the chicken is lightly browned on the outside and the vegetables begin to soften slightly. This step builds flavor.
-
Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the chicken broth, uncooked egg noodles, salt, pepper, basil, and oregano. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the noodles are mostly submerged in the liquid.
-
Secure the lid on your Instant Pot, ensure the sealing valve is in the “Sealing” position, and set it to “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” (High Pressure) for 3 minutes.
-
Once the cooking cycle is complete and the Instant Pot beeps, perform a quick pressure release by carefully moving the sealing valve to the “Venting” position. Once all the steam has fully escaped and the float valve drops, carefully open the lid. Stir the soup and serve immediately. Enjoy your perfectly cooked, comforting chicken noodle soup!
Video
Nutrition
Serving:
6
oz
,
Calories:
239
kcal
,
Carbohydrates:
15
g
,
Protein:
22
g
,
Fat:
9
g
,
Saturated Fat:
1
g
,
Cholesterol:
70
mg
,
Sodium:
1250
mg
,
Potassium:
717
mg
,
Fiber:
1
g
,
Sugar:
1
g
,
Vitamin A:
4175
IU
,
Vitamin C:
22.4
mg
,
Calcium:
41
mg
,
Iron:
1.2
mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Additional Info
Soup
American
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Looking for even more incredible and easy Instant Pot soup recipes? We have a fantastic collection of options waiting for you to try next!
Storing Leftover Chicken Noodle Soup in the Refrigerator
To keep your delicious Instant Pot chicken noodle soup fresh and safe, proper storage is essential. When stored correctly in airtight containers, cooked chicken soup will last for about 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. We recommend portioning it into individual servings for easy reheating throughout the week. Always allow the soup to cool down to room temperature before transferring it to containers and refrigerating to prevent bacterial growth and ensure food safety.
Freezing Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup for Later
While homemade chicken noodle soup is a wonderful make-ahead meal, soups containing pasta, like chicken noodle or minestrone, don’t always hold up well to freezing. The noodles tend to become mushy and absorb too much liquid upon thawing and reheating, significantly changing the soup’s texture. If your intention is to freeze portions of soup for future meals, we highly recommend holding off on adding the pasta during the initial cooking process. Instead, prepare and freeze the broth and chicken/vegetable mixture. When you’re ready to enjoy it, simply thaw, reheat the soup base, and then boil fresh noodles separately to add just before serving. This method ensures you always have perfectly textured noodles and a fresh-ttasting soup, even from the freezer. The same principle applies when making our Instant Pot chicken rice soup if you plan to freeze it.
How can chicken noodle soup be made without boiling it for hours? The secret lies in pressure cooking! By combining all your ingredients in an Instant Pot or Ninja Foodi, you can achieve wonderfully tender, moist chicken and perfectly al dente egg noodles in a fraction of the time traditionally required. You can even start with frozen chicken breasts by steaming them with broth for about 12 minutes, then dicing them and proceeding with the recipe as directed. This method ensures a quick, flavorful, and incredibly convenient meal.
The “Soup” setting on an Instant Pot is a pre-programmed button designed for certain types of soup. However, many experienced pressure cooker users, including us, rarely use it. Instead, we prefer to utilize the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” function on high pressure, allowing us to precisely control the cook time needed for specific ingredients to achieve the best results, as demonstrated in this recipe.
Yes, you absolutely can use frozen chicken in your Instant Pot chicken noodle soup if that’s what you have! The key is to adjust the cooking method slightly. You’ll want to use the pressure cook function with only broth for about 12-15 minutes (depending on the size of your breasts) to cook the frozen chicken through. Once cooked, remove the chicken, dice it, and then proceed with adding your vegetables and noodles. The latter ingredients typically only need 2-3 minutes on high pressure to soften, ensuring everything comes out perfectly.
You bet it is! Our Instant Pot chicken noodle soup is inherently healthy, featuring lean protein from chicken breast, nutrient-rich fresh produce like carrots, celery, and onions, and a wholesome broth base. With very few processed ingredients, it’s a clean and nourishing meal. For those looking to reduce sodium intake, simply opt for low-sodium chicken broth, and adjust salt and pepper to your taste without any compromise on flavor.
If you prefer a thicker chicken noodle soup, you have a few options. After pressure cooking and releasing the pressure, you can remove about 1/2 cup of broth, whisk in 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch (or flour) to create a slurry, and then stir it back into the hot soup using the “Sauté” function until it thickens to your desired consistency. Another method is to mash some of the cooked vegetables against the side of the pot to naturally thicken the broth. Alternatively, reducing the initial amount of broth slightly can also result in a thicker soup.
Beyond the salt, pepper, basil, and oregano included in this recipe, several other spices and herbs can enhance your chicken noodle soup. A pinch of thyme or rosemary can add an aromatic depth. For a subtle savory note, a touch of garlic powder or onion powder works well. Bay leaves, as mentioned earlier, are fantastic for infusing a classic herbaceous flavor. Fresh parsley or dill, stirred in just before serving, can also provide a bright, fresh finish.
