Make the best chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot! Enjoy the classic flavors of tender chicken, perfectly cooked veggies, and whole wheat noodles, all in a warm, nourishing broth.
Chilly weather means one thing: it’s soup season! In my family, we absolutely love eating soup year-round, but we definitely enjoy it even more often when the weather gets cooler.
There’s nothing quite like a bowl of classic chicken noodle soup.
And if you can make it hands-off in the Instant Pot? Sign me up!
I’ve made chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot no less than 3 times in the past two weeks and every drop is devoured. You’re going to want to add this soup to your meal plan too!
INSTANT POT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
I love Instant Pot chicken noodle soup because it’s:
- Easy. I can dump all the ingredients in the Instant Pot – including the noodles AND a whole chicken breast.
- Quick. I’ll have a delicious soup ready in 30 minutes without dirtying any other dishes AND the chicken breast will stay WHOLE. (This is important for our family because my husband doesn’t like the texture of meat in soup.)
- Kid-friendly. With the classic chicken noodle soup flavors, it’s mild and perfect for picky eaters.
- Healthy! Made with nourishing chicken broth and wholesome veggies (that you can always customize), it’s a perfect soup for any time you need a boost!
HOMEMADE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP RECIPE INGREDIENTS
You’ll find typical soup ingredients in this chicken soup recipe.
- Soup Veggies. Use a classic mirepoix – diced onions + carrots + celery are the usual veggies for Instant Pot chicken soup.
- Chicken Stock. You can make Slow Cooker Chicken Stock or Instant Pot Chicken Stock.
- Garlic. Use minced fresh garlic cloves or substitute a teaspoon of garlic powder.
- Simple Seasonings. Italian Seasoning + bay leaf + salt + black pepper
- Noodles. I used whole wheat spaghetti. You can also use egg noodles or your favorite small pasta. If you are using pasta that is not dense like whole wheat pasta, cook it separately and add it after the soup cooks to avoid the noodles getting mushy and falling apart.
- Chicken. Skinless chicken thighs, boneless skinless chicken breasts, and legs would all work here, OR use 2 cups of cooked shredded chicken.
Using cooked shredded chicken is the most frugal option. Buy a whole chicken (or leg quarters if they’re the better deal), cook it up (in the oven or in a slow cooker), and shred the meat. Portion out 2 cups of shredded chicken into storage containers and stick them in the freezer.
For this recipe, I didn’t go the shredded chicken route mostly because of my husband and his aversion to meat in his soup. And not everyone has shredded chicken on hand. But if you have it, please use it in this recipe!
HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP IN THE INSTANT POT
Ready to make chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot? It couldn’t be easier! Just follow these instructions:
Step 1. Place onions, carrots, celery, chicken stock, Italian seasoning, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in the Instant Pot. Add the noodles, broken into quarters.
Step 2. If you’re using raw chicken, add it to the Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid.
Step 3. Press the soup function, or cook manually on medium pressure, for 30 minutes.
Step 4. Once the timer goes off, use the quick pressure release. If you’re afraid the soup will sputter, you can let it natural release for a few minutes and then place a towel over the top of the valve when you quick release it.
Step 5. Remove the chicken and shred it, then stir it back into soup. If you’re using shredded chicken, just stir it into the hot soup at this time. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
Serve Instant Pot soup with your favorite bread on the side. We like No-Knead Artisan Bread or Rosemary Olive Oil Bread with ours.
Store leftover Instant Pot chicken noodle soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze leftover soup in jars – here’s how to do that without the jars breaking!
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP FOR INSTANT POT TIPS
A few things worth noting before you jump into this AMAZING Instant Pot chicken noodle soup recipe:
- The total cooking time is about an hour. The soup only needs 30 minutes to cook, but the Instant Pot pressure cooker takes 20-30 minutes to come to pressure. Use the quick release to speed things up once the soup is done.
- Feel free to add more vegetables! I’m only including the classics in this version, but I’ve added mushrooms, spinach, and peas before and it’s always YUM-O. I’ve also used celery seeds instead of actual celery when I ran out. Guess what? Still YUM!
- Don’t use the “keep warm” function. Well, I mean you CAN use it, but my fear is that since you’re adding the noodles directly to the soup, the “keep warm” function might cook your noodles into nothingness in the soup. I’d recommend turning that feature off. When the lid is sealed, the soup will stay hot for a while anyway.
- To shred the whole chicken breast, I pull the cooked chicken out of the hot soup and shred it in my mixer. Then the kids and I will put a couple tablespoons of chicken into our bowls and ladle the soup over it. My husband will just ladle the soup. Everyone is a happy camper!
- This makes EXCELLENT leftovers! I’ve intentionally kept leftover soup in the fridge to see if the noodles would dissolve, and they don’t! Keep in mind that I’ve used whole wheat noodles every time, so I haven’t tested with regular pasta.
- For an extra quick version of Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, use already cooked chicken and a bag of frozen mixed veggies and reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes on high pressure.
Psst! Want to kick this up a notch? Try finishing this recipe with a pinch of finishing salt! I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because it doesn’t have microplastics (gross, right?) and it’s SO GOOD! Plus, you can get a free 8oz. bag of sea salt (just pay shipping and handling!) Just add a pinch to that deliciously warm soup and enjoy!
INSTANT POT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP FAQS
Can you cook the noodles for soup in the Instant Pot?
I’ve had no issues with using whole wheat pasta and cooking it directly in the soup. However, if you use regular pasta or gluten-free pasta, the cooking time will likely be too long for the noodles, and they’ll start to disintegrate. I would cook those separately on the stovetop and add them at the end.
Can you use frozen chicken in Instant Pot soup recipes?
Yes! You can add a frozen chicken breast to this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup, and it will fully cook in the time listed. You can also cook frozen chicken breast on its own using the Instant Pot – read my method for that here.
How long does the Instant Pot take to pressurize for soup?
It depends on how big of a batch of soup you’re making – the more liquid you have in the pot, the longer it takes to pressurize. Since this is a large amount of soup, it will take 20-30 minutes to come to pressure before the timer starts, so plan accordingly.
MORE EASY SOUP RECIPES
- Instant Pot Detox Chicken Soup
- White Bean and Sausage Soup
- Instant Pot Curried Butternut Squash Soup
- Easy Garlic White Bean Soup with Kale
- Instant Pot Beef Stew
- Cheeseburger Soup
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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Make the best chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot! Enjoy the classic flavors of tender chicken, perfectly cooked veggies, and whole wheat noodles, all in a warm, nourishing broth.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 4–8 servings 1x
- Category: Main Meals
- Method: Instant Pot
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 large carrots)
- 1 cup diced celery (about 2 celery ribs)
- 1 cup diced onions (about 1 onion)
- 8 cups chicken stock (here’s how to make slow cooker chicken stock)
- 3 tsp finely diced garlic (about 3 cloves)
- 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 Tbsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
- 4 oz noodles (I used whole wheat spaghetti)
- ½ lb chicken, raw (I used chicken breast) OR 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
Instructions
- Place onions, carrots, celery, chicken stock, Italian seasoning, garlic, bay leaves, salt, and pepper in the Instant Pot. Add the noodles, broken into quarters.
- If you’re using raw chicken, add it to the Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid.
- Press the soup function, or cook manually on medium pressure, for 30 minutes.
- Once the timer goes off, use the Quick Pressure Release to release the steam. If you’re using shredded chicken, stir it into the hot soup at this time. Remove the bay leaves and discard.
Notes
- The total cooking time is about an hour. The soup only needs 30 minutes to cook, but the Instant Pot pressure cooker takes 20-30 minutes to come to pressure. Use the quick release to speed things up once the soup is done.
- Feel free to add more vegetables! I’m only including the classics in this version, but I’ve added mushrooms, spinach, and peas before and it’s always YUM-O. I’ve also used celery seeds instead of actual celery when I ran out. Guess what? Still YUM!
- Don’t use the “keep warm” function. Well, I mean you CAN use it, but my fear is that since you’re adding the noodles directly to the soup, the “keep warm” function might cook your noodles into nothingness in the soup. I’d recommend turning that feature off. When the lid is sealed, the soup will stay hot for a while anyway.
Nutrition
- Calories: 297
This recipe is SO good! I mean SO good!! Today after eating horribly for a long time, we decided to get on track (again) with nutritional eating. I also need to add, we are not fans of chicken breasts. So I was worried that this soup would be doubly blah because our palettes would revolt. AND to book, I threw in noodles made from chickpeas 😝
THIS SOUP WAS SO GOOD! Thank you. This will definitely be in our often category.
I just got an instant pot for Christmas and was browsing through your recipes. I have to say that I love that you make and post recipes that include things like no meat for your husband’s sensory differences. My kids (especially 1) have sensory differences as well as dietary needs so I’m always looking for recipes that seem more plain or easy to adjust.
I think noodles of all kinds come out great in the Ipot! Am using this recipe with leftover lemon chicken broth for dinner. I fixed a frozen chicken yesterday with a bay leaf, and then lemon slices under the skin on the breast. Thawed only enough to do thst. It was just awesome!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe Heidi!
If I am using frozen chicken breasts, is the cooking time still the same 30 minutes?
I haven’t tested this with frozen chicken breasts, but I think you’ll be good!
This is now our go-to chicken noodle soup recipe. It’s simple, yummy and easy!! I use frozen chicken tenders. Thanks!!
Hi Tiffany! I love your blog. if my instant pot doesn’t have the soup program what program do i use. If using frozen veggies ( chopped small ) in a soup and the turkeys already pre cooked how long does it take to cook in a instant pot
Hi there! Use manual for 30 minutes if you don’t have a soup function. If you’re using frozen veg and pre-cooked meat, I’d reduce the time to 10 minutes. Enjoy!
Would you use the same amount of broth if adding already cooked noodles after? I have shredded turkey and leftover cooked noodles on hand so I plan on using these in this recipe. Thank you! Love your blog!!
Good question! Yes I would. 🙂 Thanks for the encouragement Carlyann! ♥
My ip pressure can only be set to low or high. Should I adjust the time on low?
Adjust it on high Bethani. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this recipe and I am looking forward to seeing others you recommend. I am like your husband and try to ladle most of any meat to my husband/kids, but will love that I can use a breast that will stay together. Then I won’t have to still pick and sift through to find any stray pieces. ..!
Exactly!! 🙂
Hi Tiffany! I love your blog. I was just wondering if the veggies in this recipe come out soft. I have an aversion to mushy veggies (kinda like your husband’s texture of meat). It doesn’t bother me as much in soup but I would still want them not to be falling apart. Thoughts? Thanks for all you do and share!
Hi Misty! Yes, the veggies come out soft, but they’re not mushy for sure. I’m not a fan of those either!!
Since the 6 qt has been around longer, most recipes are written for that. Some things have to be adjusted for the larger, sometimes cook time, definite the max capacity. Might be hard to come up with recipes for the general public to use and I’d always make sure to specify what size you are using.
Good point! Mine is 6 quart.
Since the 6 qt has been around longer, most recipes are written for that.
I’m looking into this, to see if it really does matter, or if there’s an easy “convert” method for recipes. I’ll update when I have it!
I just checked with someone I consider an “expert” with the Instant Pot (since I’m obviously new!), and I was told that as long as the ingredients fit and don’t exceed the max capacity, you’re good to go!! There’s no need to convert 6 qt recipes to an 8 qt, so anyone can buy any size that best fits their family’s needs. (With that said, this recipe will work in either size.)
Chicken noodle soup is one of our favorite pressure cooker recipes for it’s flavor and simplicity! I’ve never cooked the noodles in the soup though, always added them afterwards. Will definitely have to give that a try. Thanks!
You’re most welcome Julia!
Hi Tiffany, my noodles came out very mushy, the rest was good and it was editable but don’t like mushy noodles, next time I will cook noodles seperatley. BTW I did use white noodles because I had them on hand. Thank you Debbie
Hi Debbie, Making them separate is a great modification!
Yum! I just made a pulled pork in my IP. That’s a game changer for sure! My tried and true recipe was 10-12 hours in the crockpot. That meant I had to get up early so it would be ready in time for an early dinner. I would request a pulled pork recipe next!
Consider it on my list Sarah!