Description
This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Soup is a comforting and hearty dish perfect for chilly days. Made with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and a rich, creamy broth, it’s easy to prepare and packed with flavor. Utilizing the Instant Pot ensures a quick cooking time while infusing the soup with deep, savory notes and maintaining protein juiciness.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 medium carrots, sliced
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
Chicken and Seasoning
- 1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Liquids and Vegetables
- 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup frozen peas
Thickening and Creaminess
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons water
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Instructions
- Sauté Vegetables: Set your Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add olive oil, then sauté the chopped onion, garlic, carrots, and celery for 4 to 5 minutes until softened and fragrant, creating a flavorful base for the soup.
- Add Chicken and Spices: Add the boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs to the pot along with dried thyme, rosemary, paprika, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine all the ingredients evenly.
- Add Broth and Pressure Cook: Pour in the low-sodium chicken broth and stir everything together. Secure the Instant Pot lid and set it to pressure cook on high pressure for 10 minutes to thoroughly cook the chicken and meld the flavors.
- Release Pressure and Shred Chicken: When cooking time ends, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure. Remove the chicken pieces from the pot and shred them using two forks.
- Add Vegetables and Make Slurry: Return shredded chicken to the pot. Add frozen corn and peas for added texture and sweetness. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and water to create a smooth slurry, which will thicken the soup when added.
- Thicken and Finish Soup: Stir the flour slurry into the soup. Switch to sauté mode again, stir in the heavy cream, and simmer the soup for about 5 minutes until it thickens to a creamy consistency.
- Serve: Garnish with chopped fresh parsley if desired, and serve the creamy chicken soup warm and comforting.
Notes
- For a lighter version, substitute heavy cream with half-and-half or whole milk to reduce calories and fat content.
- This recipe can be adapted using rotisserie chicken to skip pressure cooking; simply add shredded cooked chicken at the end.
- To make the recipe gluten-free, replace all-purpose flour with cornstarch as a thickening agent.
