Name: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 46 min
Ingredients: 3 chicken leg quarters; 5 cups water; 1 tablespoon minced garlic; 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon pepper; 1 teaspoon liquid smoke; 1/2 yellow onion diced; 2-3 carrots (peeled and sliced); 2 cups fresh home-style egg noodles

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The instant pot chicken noodle soup is a delicious, hearty soup loaded with chicken and oodles of noodles.

Just the words “chicken noodle soup” bring back memories of moms or grandmas cooking in the kitchen, the whole house being filled with wonderful smells of delicious foods and our hearts being warmed all over again. The instant pot chicken noodle soup is a delicious, hearty soup loaded with chicken and oodles of noodles. It’s perfect to serve on a chilly winter’s day, or when you’re feeling the chills because you’re ill. When you’re not feeling well, there’s nothing better than being handed a mug of piping hot chicken noodle soup – it feels like a hug in a mug – it is so delicious and nourishing!

You can have your Chicken Noodle Soup ready for your family in only 35 minutes!

Chicken noodle soup is filled with just the right amount of spices and broth to bring out all the flavor of the chicken and the noodles. Making chicken noodle soup in the instant pot is ideal, as it only takes about 35 minutes from start to finish and you can start enjoying a delicious cup or bowl of soup! Such a great comfort food, and the cleanup is so easy, as the soup is prepared in one pot! Add crackers, saltines, or sliced French bread and you have the perfect wintry meal!

Can I add more items to my soup?

Absolutely! We’ve all grown up with a variety of veggies and spices in our soup that may be a bit different than are included in this recipe – that’s what makes cooking so much fun – we can experiment and experience various flavors.

Some veggies you might want to try include celery (1 stalk cut into bite-size pieces), peppers, parsnip, leafy greens like spinach.

Some people add a can of corn or a can of diced potatoes at the end when the noodles are added.

Instead of noodles, try using flour tortillas cut into strips!

For those on Weight Watchers, use whole wheat egg noodles for a -0- point bowl of soup!

Only have chicken breast on hand?

That’s fine. Chicken breast will work, but we like to use the leg quarters as cooking the chicken with skin and bones provides a more delicious broth.

Help! I forgot to take the chicken out of the freezer!

No problem! If the chicken is frozen it will take a little longer to cook. Plan 12 additional minutes for the pressure cooking time, and then 10 minutes for the natural release. If the chicken isn’t cooked all the way through, repeat the process but for only 2 minutes each.

No Instant Pot? No problem!

Crock pot – Add all the ingredients, except the noddles, and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Remove the chicken and shred the meat. Add the noodles to the crock pot, along with the shredded meat and cook for an additional 20-30 minutes.

Stove top – Instead of following the directions for the pressure cooking, simmer on the stove in a pan with a lid for 20 minutes. Remove the chicken and shred, then return the chicken to the pot and add the noodles. Simmer until the noodles are cooked but not mushy.

Storing leftovers:

Let the soup cool on the counter before placing it in an airtight container. It will store well in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat on the stove top or in the microwave until the soup is warmed through.

If you plan to freeze the soup, don’t add the noodles as they don’t do well when defrosted and reheated.

Freeze the soup in an airtight container (or a freezer bag to conserve space) for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before heating the soup on the stove top – noodles can be cooked separately and added to the soup then.

Tips to make your soup night a success!

Noodles cook quickly so add them at the end after the chicken is cooked.

When using the instant pot, always use an oven mitt or a kitchen towel to prevent burns as the steam is very hot.

Never force the lid off your instant pot. If it doesn’t open easily, it means it is still under pressure – patience is very important here! You will know it’s finished releasing pressure when the silver “pin” drops.

Ingredients:

Chicken leg quarters – We used chicken leg quarters for this specific chicken noodle soup. My family LOVES the fresh chicken broth these quarters give for the soup instead of store-bought chicken broth. If you already have chicken broth, and cooked chicken, you could skip straight to step 4 in the recipe! It’s that easy!

Minced garlic – we used jarred minced garlic, but you can also use fresh garlic!

Dried thyme – an aromatic herb from the mint family.

Salt/Pepper

Liquid smoke – This is what makes this recipe so delicious! And you only need a teaspoon for the entire dish! A little goes a long way!

Yellow onion – For this savory dish, yellow onions are paired best because of how well it carmelizes. Ideally, yellow onions are best used in soup dishes!

Carrots – I prefer using whole carrots because they slice better than baby carrots. Packed full of vitamins and other nutrients, carrots are a great addition to the health benefits of this soup.

Egg noodles – I linked the egg noodles we used for this recipe, but we have also used these noodles before too! Just remember that noodles cook quickly, so add them at the end after the chicken is cooked.

Add water, chicken, spices, and liquid smoke to the instant pot. Seal the lid and pressure valve. Cook on high for 15 minutes. Quick release pressure when done.

Remove the chicken. Remove the skin from the chick, take out all the meat from the leg quarters and shred it with two forks.

Dice the onions to the desired size, and peel and slice the carrots.

Add meat, vegetables, and noodles back to the instant pot. Seal the lid and pressure valve. Cook on high for 2 minutes. Let pressure release naturally before opening.

Serve and enjoy with your favorite crackers, or as is!

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Supplies I used:

For this recipe, I used one of my favorite kitchen gadgets – the Instant Pot! This is the size and type I have:

A great addition to your Instant Pot is an extra inner pot and silicone lid. After you have served up your soup, and you still have leftovers, you can keep it in this pot, and throw it right in the fridge! To reheat your leftovers, you can put your pot back in the Instant Pot, select “warm”, and your soup will be ready in no time!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, or would prefer to make this soup on the stove, I have instructions in the beginning of my blog post! The Instant Pot makes the soup process go super fast, while creating lots of flavor. But the stovetop is a great alternative – it’s the OG!

To dice your onions, I HIGHLY suggest you adding this to your kitchen gadgets! You add your onion to the top of the blade, and with one push, you have made hundreds of pieces of diced onions! I will never chop my vegetables any other way!

If you like this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, I suggest you try this delicious No Knead Artisan Loaf of Bread to go along with it!

Rustic Artisan Bread (Dutch Oven No Knead)

Try out my latest recipes!