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Chicken noodle soup is the perfect cold weather dish, whether you have a sniffly or just need something comforting. It's warm, hearty, and full of delicious chicken, vegetables, and noodles. It cures your ailments – even if it's just hunger.
The homemade version is so much better than the canned one that there isn't even a competition. Luckily, it's easy to make chicken noodle soup at home, especially if you have an Instant Pot. The handy device shortens cooking time and still prepares a tasty dish with minimal cleanup. (No Instant Pot? Try this stovetop version!)
We recommend adding the noodles after pressure cooking to avoid soggy, sad egg noodles. The cooking time is only a few minutes anyway.
The secret to tasty chicken noodle soup
Although you can use store-bought chicken broth to make this soup, soups always taste better with homemade broth. If you don't have homemade broth in your freezer, you can easily and quickly make a batch using an Instant Pot. Here's how:
- Add chicken bones and/or wings, a large onion cut into quarters, two coarsely chopped carrots and celery sticks, and a bay leaf to the inner pot.
- Season with salt and add water until all ingredients are covered.
- Cook on high pressure for 1 hour and use a natural release. The broth can be made up to 5 days in advance and kept refrigerated or frozen for up to 3 months.
Another secret that ensures this chicken noodle soup is full of flavor? Sauté the vegetables and onions in butter to release their aroma and enhance their flavor.
A note on pressure relief
Some Instant Pot models take longer to release pressure than others. If your device has not released all pressure naturally within 30 minutes, use a controlled quick release to release any remaining pressure.
“A real treat that is quick to prepare! I love making soups in the Instant Pot because I don't have to stand over the stove and this chicken noodle soup did not disappoint. Even with store-bought broth, the recipe is the right one.” It was very flavorful and the chicken thighs became nice and tender when shredded. Making the egg noodles directly in the soup at the end also means you have one less pot to wash, which is always a good idea.” – Patty Lee
2 tablespoon Butter, or oil
1 yellow onion, diced
2 Stems Celery, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
3 cloves Garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 bay Sheet
2 Pound Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless
4 cups Low sodium chicken broth, store bought or self-made
3 cups Water
Salt, taste good
Freshly ground pepper, taste good
6 ounces egg noodles, about 3 heaping cups
1/2 Lemon, juiced
2 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Gather the ingredients.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Turn on the saute function on the Instant Pot (medium heat). Once hot, add the butter to the inner pot and melt. Add onions, celery and carrots and sauté for a few minutes until onions become translucent.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Add garlic and oregano and stir; Turn off the saute function. Add the bay leaf and chicken thighs in a single layer. Add broth and water and season with salt and pepper. Attach the lid.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Cook on high pressure for 6 minutes using a natural release. Depending on your Instant Pot model, don't forget to close the steam release valve before pressure cooking.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Once the pressure has naturally released, remove the lid. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the chicken to a plate. Remove bay leaf. Shred the chicken and return it to the pot. Turn on the saute function (medium heat).
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Once simmering, add the egg noodles and stir until submerged. Cook, uncovered, for about 5 minutes or until the pasta is cooked through. Carefully remove the inner pot from the Instant Pot and add the parsley and lemon juice. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph Serve hot.
The Spruce / Laurel Randolph
Recipe variations
- Make this recipe with chicken breasts. Add two pounds of skinless, boneless chicken breasts and cook on high pressure for 5 minutes instead of 6.
- Make this soup vegetarian by using vegetable broth and replacing the chicken with a can of rinsed and drained beans and chopped vegetables such as zucchini, broccoli, peppers, corn, peas and mushrooms.
- For extra nutrition and color, add green vegetables like baby spinach or baby kale at the end of cooking until wilted.
- Customize this soup recipe by using your choice of fresh or dried herbs.
Here's how to store it
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
- You can also easily freeze leftover chicken noodle soup. If possible, set aside the portion you want to freeze before adding the egg noodles, as noodles do not freeze well. If you have already added pasta, you can still freeze it. However, keep in mind that the noodles will become very soft when reheated.
- Then portion into small freezer-safe containers (not glass!) or zip-top bags. If you use zipper bags, you can lay them flat to save space.
| Nutritional Information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 370 | Calories |
| 17g | Fat |
| 15g | carbohydrates |
| 42g | protein |
View full nutrition label
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| Nutritional Information | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 6 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 370 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 17g | 22% |
| Saturated fat 6g | 32% |
| 203 mg | 68% |
| 472 mg | 21% |
| 15g | 5% |
| Fiber 2g | 7% |
| Total sugar 2g | |
| 42g | |
| Vitamin C 11 mg | 55% |
| Calcium 56 mg | 4% |
| Iron 3 mg | 15% |
| Potassium 700 mg | 15% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a food portion contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories per day is used for general nutritional advice. | |
(Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
