This homemade instant pot chicken noodle soup will be warm and ready on your table in under 30 minutes. This classic recipe is made with tender chicken thighs, fresh herbs, and al dente noodles. You can even use frozen chicken or leftover chicken!
Craving another instant pot soup recipe? This Instant Pot Greek Lemon Chicken Soup and Instant Pot Lasagna Soup are easy weeknight meals.
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Sometimes you just want a warm and cozy bowl of soup. Maybe you're under the weather or you're just craving a cup of soup to go with the cold temps. Either way, this instant pot chicken noodle soup recipe will make you feel all the warm and cozy feels.
We love Instant Pot recipes because they build a ton of flavor in a fraction of the time. This means you don't have to simmer soup all day to get intense flavors, pressure cooking does the work for you. Here are a few more reasons to make this recipe ASAP.
Why You'll Love This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- It's a hearty soup but will leave you feeling light and satisfied.
- Nourish the whole family with this comforting soup when you're under the weather or craving something cozy.
- All of the classic flavors in the best chicken noodle soup in a shorter amount of time.
- Use up leftover shredded chicken or buy a rotisserie chicken for a shortcut.
- It's an easy recipe to cook up on a weeknight and store all week for lunches, just like whole30 zuppa toscana.
- The addition of bay leaf, fresh thyme, and fresh parsley takes the flavor to another level.
- We're building deep flavor in the broth by searing the chicken first—just like in this lemon chicken orzo recipe.
Grab These Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients for this pressure cooker chicken noodle soup. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
- Chicken: We're using chicken thighs for added flavor from the dark meat, but boneless skinless chicken breasts work as well. You can use bone-in or boneless chicken meat. I haven't tried it, but you could also use a whole chicken cut up into pieces. (If you're in search of more chicken recipes, we have plenty the whole family will love.)
- Noodles: We used egg noodles in this recipe. We found these amazing gluten-free egg noodles we keep on hand now.
- Vegetables: This recipe calls for a classic mirepoix of celery carrots, and onions. These fresh ingredients are the delicious trinity that makes up so many classic soups and stews, like these gluten-free chicken and dumplings.
- Broth: The base of the soup is made with chicken broth or chicken stock. This provides the soup with its characteristic flavor. See the tips below for the most flavorful chicken broth. (And easily check if your chicken broth is bad.)
- Seasonings: Common seasonings used in chicken noodle soup include garlic, bay leaves, salt, and black pepper. These ingredients help to enhance the flavor of the soup.
- Herbs: The mixture of fresh parsley and thyme makes all the difference in adding extra flavor. Don't skip these!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure it turns out every time.
VIDEO: watch how to make instant pot chicken soup
Prepare the chicken. Set Instant Pot to the saute setting and drizzle olive oil in the bottom. Pat the raw chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides of the thighs with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the chicken thighs smooth side down and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. It shouldn't be cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate.
Drizzle a little more olive oil in the bottom then add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
Prepare the base of the soup. Press cancel to stop the saute setting then add the rest of the ingredients, except for the noodles, to the instant pot. Place the chicken thighs back in the broth, making sure they're fully submerged.
Close lid and press pressure (manual) cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Cook for 10 minutes if you're using bone-in chicken thighs. Natural release (do nothing) for 5 minutes then turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the remaining pressure.
Shred the chicken. Carefully remove the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and turn the soup back to the saute setting to bring it to a boil. While it's heating, shred the chicken with two forks. You could also cut it into bite-sized pieces.
Cook the noodles. Add the uncooked pasta and boil for 5-7 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente.
Finish and enjoy. Stir in the shredded chicken and parsley. Serve this comforting bowl of chicken noodle soup right away with more fresh parsley, thyme, and fresh black pepper.
Expert Recipe Tips
- We recommend using this 6-quart Instant Pot because this makes a large batch of soup.
- Sear the chicken first to create 'fond' (brown bits) in the bottom of the Instant Pot, which seasons the broth.
- To save time, use pre-sliced veggies from the grocery store or slice and store/freeze a lot of veggies to make this quick the next time.
- Don't skip the fresh herbs, it makes all the difference, especially in chicken soup recipes, like our healthy chicken soup recipe.
Recipe Variations
- For a creamy chicken noodle soup, stir in a splash of heavy cream (or a vegan substitute for heavy cream) at the end.
- For a gluten-free version, use gluten-free egg noodles. We really like the Double Yolk egg noodles. They hold up really well in this homemade chicken noodle soup, but keep in mind some gluten-free noodles can be mushy.
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with cooked chicken: If you don't have the extra time, you can make this with newly-purchased or leftover rotisserie chicken that you already have on hand, or you can use your own pre-cooked shredded chicken. Your broth won’t be as flavorful, but it’s a speedy choice for the cooking process.
- Chicken noodle soup with frozen chicken: Skip searing the chicken and place the frozen chicken thighs directly in the broth. Increase the cooking time by 5 minutes (13 minutes total).
Recipe FAQs
You can use the soup setting on your instant pot for homemade broths, stocks, and soups. The Instant Pot will control the temperature so the liquid doesn't boil too much. This is a great setting, but we're going to stick to the manual setting for this recipe since we're cooking the chicken right in the soup.
If you want to use chicken breasts instead of chicken thighs for this recipe, you can swap them out for 3 chicken breasts. Follow the instructions and cook on high pressure for 9 minutes.
No, the egg noodles in this recipe cook perfectly in the Instant Pot with the rest of the ingredients.
Crockpot chicken noodle soup is an easy meal as well if you have the extra time. The ingredients are the same as in this instant pot recipe, but the chicken and base of the soup cook for 6-8 hours before adding the noodles which cook until al dente, about 20-30 minutes.
Storage Tips
To store this soup, let it cool to room temperature and transfer it to an airtight container. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you plan to freeze the soup, a good rule of thumb is to consider portioning it out into individual servings before freezing. This makes it easier to reheat and enjoy without having to thaw and reheat the entire batch.
When you're ready to reheat the cozy soup, simply transfer it to a pot and warm it up on the stovetop over medium heat. You can also reheat it in the microwave, stirring occasionally, until heated through. You may need to increase the amount of broth to thin it out as the noodles will absorb moisture.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Soup Recipes
Craving more chicken soup? Try healthy slow cooker chicken tortilla soup or this fan-favorite creamy chicken gnocchi soup.
Try a ground beef-based soup for Taco night with our Instant Pot Taco Soup or try this Instant Pot Lasagna Soup for Italian night.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large yellow onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 2 ½ pounds bone-in or boneless chicken thighs (Note 1)
- 2 cups sliced celery (3-4 stalks)
- 2 cups peeled and sliced carrots (3-4 large carrots)
- 1 tablespoon fresh chopped thyme
- 8-10 cups chicken broth (or chicken bone broth)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 8-10 ounces Egg noodles gluten-free if needed (Note 2)
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
Recommended Equipment
- 6-Quart Instant Pot
Instructions
- Turn the Instant Pot to the saute setting and drizzle olive oil in the bottom. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and seasn both sides of the thighs with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, place the chicken thighs smooth side down and sear on both sides for 3-4 minutes. It shouldn't be cooked all the way through. Remove the chicken to a cutting board or plate.
- Drizzle a little more olive oil in the bottom then add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook for 3-5 minutes or until soft and translucent. Add the minced garlic and saute for another 1-2 minutes until the garlic is fragrant.
- Press cancel to stop the saute setting then add the rest of the ingredients, except for the noodles, too the instant pot. Place the chicken thighs back in the broth, making sure they're fully submerged. Close the lid and make sure the valve is set to the sealing position.
- Press pressure (manual) cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. Cook for 10 minutes if you're using bone-in chicken thighs. It will take about 10 minutes for the Instant Pot to come to pressure then will start counting down. Natural release (do nothing) for 5 minutes then turn the valve from sealing to venting to release the remaining pressure.
- Carefully remove the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and turn the soup back to the saute setting to bring it to a boil. While it's heating, shred the chicken with two forks. You could also cut it into bite-sized pieces.
- Add the uncooked pasta to the soup when it begins to boil and cook the noodles for 5-7 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Double-check the package directions for exact timing. The noodles will continue to cook in the soup so be careful not to overcook them. Stir in the shredded chicken and parsley. Serve right away with more fresh parsley, thyme, and fresh black pepper
Gloria says
Can I do this on regulate stove top
Molly says
Definitely! I haven't tried it but you should be able to! Just boil the chicken in the broth until it's cooked and reaches an internal temp of 165°F.
Ann says
12 cups of broth??? Won’t fit in my instapot
Molly Thompson says
It will! It's just 1 1/2 boxes (they're 32 oz each). You need enough broth for the noodles to cook and absorb and still have enough for the soup.
Ron McClain says
I think that would equal 6 cups not 12. 32 oz in a box is 4 cups plus 1/2 box = 6 cups
Molly Thompson says
Yes, you're right! It is actually 3 boxes you need. But remember, it's supposed to be soupy and also allow the noodles to absorb it. Standard instant pots are 6qts (24 cups) so 12 cups of broth and the rest of the ingredients should fit. I've made this recipe several times and had no problem. If you want a thicker soup you can try leaving a few cups out.
Amy says
Super tasty! The recipe says 15 minutes cook time. All total, it was much closer to 45 mins
Molly Thompson says
Thanks, Amy! Yes, you're right I didn't account for the sauteing and pressure cooking heating up. I updated the recipe with the appropriate cook time!
Valerie says
And don’t forget chopping up those veggies, measuring out the herbs and spices! I’ve made this sow two times so far and the third batch is in the instant pot right now. I do have to guesstimate on proportions for a three-quart Instant Pot, so I usually end up with too many noodles, or two many veggies, and not enough of the other. But I love adding extra chicken, and much prefer chicken thighs to breasts. The thighs turned out so delicious and perfectly cooked the last time. Just love my Instant Pot! ❤️💕
And love this recipe, thank you!
JasMik says
Way better than I thought, the chicken was really tender and flavorful.
Super easy to prepare, four big chicken thighs & 3 big carrots & 2 yellow onions only take 25 mins to cook.
Love it, so simple and so tasty!
Melissa Katz says
Can I use bouillon instead of stock??
Mary C says
I’ve made this exactly as written 3 times in the last 3 weeks. An absolutely wonderful recipe. Thanks!!!
Heather says
So good!! Never used turmeric before in soup. Lots of flavor. I used orzo pasta but everything else was exactly as followed. Replacing my old go to recipe with this one!
Molly Thompson says
Ahhh that's the best, Heather! Turmeric has such great anti-inflammatory benefits too:) So glad you like it and it will be a go to!
Madalynn says
This soup is DELICIOUS! I made it this weekend to try -- followed the recipe except I used chicken breast instead of thighs. Personal preference. Turned out amazing. With prep & cooking time, It was homemade delicious soup in about 1 hour. Will be a new weeknight recipe!
Molly Thompson says
Thank you, Madalynn! That means so much!
Lisa says
this was very good. My whole family loved it. Very easy to make.
Sandy Carlson says
This soup is delicious! My husband & I and my mom love it! I added a little extra tumeric, garlic and sea salt. Didn’t have any egg noodles on hand so I used spaghetti noodles. The recipe was so easy to follow!
Thank you for sharing!
Mary says
If you use already cooked chicken do you
Just add at the end ?
Valerie says
Yes! Just enough to warm it up.
Anne says
I made it using chicken breasts, chicken broth from concentrate, and addef a handful of whole peppercorns. It was so good. I will definitely be making it again~!
aimee says
I do not understand the tablespoon measurement, would you be able to clarify?
Shauna says
Your recipe reads "1021 Tablespoons olive oil". I'm sure that is a typo. How much oil should it read in the recipe?