Chicken Noodle Soup from scratch is the ULTIMATE comfort food. This hearty soup is packed with chicken and noodles and cooked in an Instant Pot, it is belly-filling-ready in a fraction of the time.
2poundschicken breast, thighs, or legs with skin and bonestry to use at least 1 chicken breast and one "bone-in" piece
5ouncesegg noodles, uncookedthis is about two cups - I use the Aldi brand egg noodles for this recipe - they are a bit thicker than brands like "No Yolks" and hold up well when pressure cooked.
Instructions
Dice the carrots, celery, and onions into thick slices and remove the fat and gristle from the chicken. If the chicken has skin and bones, leave that - it will help flavor the broth.
1 - 2 large onions, 3 medium carrots, 3 stalks celery
Set the Instant Pot to Saute Mode and let it heat up. When the Instant Pot is hot (it won't take very long to heat up) add butter and let it melt.
3 tablespoons salted butter
Now, add the carrots, celery, and onions to the melted butter and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
1 - 2 large onions, 3 medium carrots, 3 stalks celery
Add thyme, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper, then stir.
"Deglaze" the pot with a little broth, then lay the chicken on top of the vegetables.
4 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth, 2 pounds chicken breast, thighs, or legs with skin and bones
Pour in the rest of the broth and water, making sure the chicken is covered.
4 cups chicken stock, chicken broth, or bone broth, 4 cups water
Close the lid of the Instant Pot and set the vent to Sealing.
Press the Cancel button to cancel the Saute function, then set the Instant Pot to Manual Mode, Pressure Cook at High Pressure, or Soup for 7 minutes. (If your Instant Pot has a Soup button, you can use it - but it is really no different than using the Manual/Pressure Cook buttons.)
When the cooking cycle is complete, Naturally Release (NR) the pressure by letting the Instant Pot sit and release pressure on its own. It should take around 10 minutes. (If you are in a hurry, carefully release the pressure using a controlled release. This means, release the pressure in small bursts, stopping if there appears to be any liquid coming out that is not steam. If the soup seems to be spewing out, close the vent back to sealing and let the Instant Pot sit for a few minutes to naturally release, then try to manually release again.)
When all the pressure has been released, open the lid and remove the chicken. Place it off to the side in a small bowl and shred it. Leave it off to the side (out of the broth) while you cook the noodles.
5 ounces egg noodles, uncooked
Add the noodles to the Instant Pot and close the lid again.
5 ounces egg noodles, uncooked
Set the vent to Sealing, then Pressure Cook at High Pressure for 3 minutes. Alternatively, you can set the Instant Pot to Saute and bring the soup to a boil, cooking the noodles for 6 - 8 minutes.
If you pressure cook the noodles, when the cooking cycle is complete, carefully release the pressure using a controlled release. (This means, release the pressure in small bursts, stopping if there appears to be any liquid coming out that is not steam. If the soup seems to be spewing out, close the vent back to sealing and let the Instant Pot sit for a few minutes to naturally release, then try to manually release again.)
When all the pressure has been released, open the lid carefully.
Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot, stir, and serve.
Notes
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve chicken noodle soup immediately, with some extra kosher salt, black pepper, and fresh parsley. If I am feeling really wild, I will also melt some freshly grated parmesan cheese on top. (It is SO good.)
How to Store Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Once cooled, this soup can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a week or it can be frozen for a few months. If you are freezing the soup, let it defrost in the refrigerator or on the counter - do not put this frozen soup directly in a hot pot because the texture of the noodles will get weird.
Tips
I like to cut the vegetables really thick when making this recipe so that they still have a little bit of crunch after pressure cooking.
I like to use the Aldi Brand (Reggano) Egg Noodles because they are a bit thicker than the No Yolks brand and don't get mushy when they are pressure cooked.