Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup

At a glance

What stands out: Nutritious, lighter, and satisfying, Instant Pot chicken and rice soup is a family favorite. It’s straightforward to mix, and there are many ways you can adapt the recipe so the soup is exactly the way you like it.

How long it takes: 45 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Instant Pot
Servings: 5 (generous)

From-scratch Chicken Soup

Always hits the spot. Chicken and rice soup is such a simple and satisfying meal. Steaming bowls of soup chock full of vegetables, chicken, and rice, what could be more welcome than that? Nothing fancy, spicy, or exotic about this recipe, it’s reliable for even the pickiest palate!

Straightforward to mix. When you need a little comfort, or just plain good sustenance, try this from-scratch Instant Pot chicken and rice soup. Besides the great flavor of this soup, you’re going to love how straightforward it is to make. It’ll take you about 45 minutes, and much of that time is hands-off.

How it comes together

Sauté vegetables. Begin by cooking the onions, carrots, and celery in a bit of olive oil in your Instant Pot using the Sauté function. When the vegetables are starting to soften, add the garlic and stir that for a minute or so.

Add remaining ingredients. Add broth, water, boneless skinless chicken breasts (uncooked), brown rice, and dried herbs to the pot. Set it to pressure cook for 11 minutes. Keep in mind that it will take about 10 minutes to come to pressure.

Finish. When the time is up, release the pressure, remove the chicken breasts, and chop or shred them with two forks. Add the chicken back to the pot and stir in the frozen peas and chopped fresh parsley. Taste the soup, and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Keep the soup warm until ready to serve.

Serve. Enjoy Instant Pot chicken and rice soup with from-scratch corn muffins or crackers. Our family loves these from-scratch Cheez-Its! If you’re feeling a little more ambitious, try our no-knead whole wheat bread. The recipe makes two loaves and it’s fabulous toasted with a smear of strawberry freezer jam.

Ways to change it

• Use different vegetables. This recipe calls for celery, carrots, and peas but you could add other veggies (whatever you happen to have) like diced sweet potato, green or red bell peppers, frozen or fresh corn, diced kohlrabi, cauliflower, and so on.
• Add greens. Add finely chopped kale when you add the chicken and broth, or stir in fresh spinach leaves when you add the peas and parsley.
• Use dark meat. If you prefer dark meat, use boneless skinless chicken thighs. Shredded rotisserie chicken or even canned chicken will work too. Stir it in with the peas and parsley.
• Try different rice. If you don’t happen to have brown rice, you can substitute jasmine, wild rice blend, or long grain white rice.
• Make it on the stovetop. Chicken and rice soup can easily be made on your stove in a Dutch oven or large saucepan if you don’t have an Instant Pot. Adjust cooking time if necessary but it won’t differ too much.
• Try a creamy soup recipe. If you’re more in the mood for a creamy chicken and rice soup similar to what Panera’s has to offer, try slow cooker creamy chicken and wild rice soup or stovetop creamy chicken rice soup. Both recipes are rich!

Keeping leftovers

Refrigerate: This soup tastes just as good the next day! Refrigerate leftover Instant Pot chicken and rice soup in a covered bowl or plastic container for 3 to 4 days.

Freeze: Prepare the soup, cool, divide into freezer containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Reheat: Microwave individual portions or heat larger amounts in a saucepan on the stove over medium heat until heated through.

• Yield: 5
• Prep: 20 minutes
• Cook: 11 minutes
• Total: 41 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 ½ cups diced carrots ( 3 to 4 carrots)
• 1 cup diced celery ( 3 stalks)
• ½ cup diced yellow onion ( 1 small onion)
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt (or as desired)
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (or as desired)
• 1 clove garlic (minced)
• 4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, uncooked
• ¾ cup uncooked brown rice
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• ½ teaspoon crushed rosemary
• 1 cup frozen peas
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

Method

1. Heat 6-quart Instant Pot to Sauté. Add oil, then add carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes.
2. Add garlic and continue to cook, stirring, for one minute or until fragrant.
3. Add broth, water, chicken, rice, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary to Instant Pot. Stir well.
4. Secure lid and turn valve to seal. Set Instant Pot on Pressure Cook (or manual, high pressure, depending on your model) for 11 minutes. It will take an additional 10 minutes or so to pressurize.
5. Quick release pressure when done cooking by turning valve to vent. Remove chicken to a plate; remove and discard bay leaf.
6. Shred chicken with two forks, or chop into bite-sized pieces, and return it to the pot.
7. Add peas and parsley, stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning for salt and pepper. Add more chicken broth or water if soup is thicker than you like it.
8. Serve immediately.

Notes

Possible variations: Substitute or add additional vegetables, if desired. Try diced sweet potato, green or red bell peppers, frozen or fresh corn, diced kohlrabi, cauliflower, chopped kale, and so on. Baby spinach or chopped spinach can be stirred in with the peas. Other types of rice work well, too, as long as it isn’t pre-cooked or instant rice.

Chicken: The amount of chicken you need for this soup doesn’t have to be exactly 2 pounds. Use what you like. Boneless skinless chicken thighs are good, too, or if you have rotisserie chicken or canned chicken, you can stir it in with the peas, just to heat it up.

Storage: Refrigerate leftover Instant Pot chicken and rice soup in a covered bowl or plastic container for 3 to 4 days. To freeze, divide into freezer containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.