Instant Pot Chicken Soup and Stock

5 from 1 vote

Sep 23, 2020, Updated Jun 27, 2024

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Easy Instant Pot Chicken Soup and Stock – in this recipe you’ll learn how to make chicken noodle soup in a pressure cooker from a whole chicken, with a homemade chicken stock. The stock that the recipe makes is enough for 2 soups. You can also use it for other recipes. Can be stored in the fridge for 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Chicken soup made with homemade stock is generally less expensive than using store bought, it is way more flavorful and delicious and you know exactly what goes inside.

Why make chicken noodle soup in an Instant Pot?

I make soups quite often and rarely use my electric pressure cooker for them. The reason why? Because most of my soup recipes require about 30 minutes to make and it takes nearly the same time for the pressure cooker to build pressure and then release it (if doing it manually for liquid heavy recipes like this soup it may take longer time).

To me homemade chicken soup means:

You make your own stock by either boiling a whole chicken, bones, legs or carcass. This is what I call a good chicken soup, that will make me feel better while running a cold or warm me up on a chilly day. This is how my mom and grandma make it. This is how my children like their soup made.

Of course I understand that not everyone has the time, desire and patience to make their own stock. In this case store bought chicken broth or bullion can be used.

Making this soup in a pressure cooker will save you time. It reduces the cooking time a lot.
It will ensure that you get a flavorful and delicious chicken broth without hours of boiling a whole chicken on the stove top. Even if you use a deep stock pot, you may still make a mess while boiling from the liquid splashing over your stove top.
You can leave the pot to cook the soup and get something done around the house.
The Instant Pot has the option of keeping your soups warm for hours.

A ladle held over an instant pot full of chicken noodle soup

Chicken stock in the instant pot

To make chicken stock in the electric pressure cooker you either need a whole chicken, chicken legs or chicken carcass.

I prefer using a whole chicken.

It is a budget friendly way to prepare chicken stock/broth, that you use for soup and cook chicken meat, that will be also used in soups, but you can use in other recipes that call for cooked chicken meat (salads, tacos, rice).

Stock is a cooking liquid simmered for a long period of time with bones. Stock is typically rich in color (yellow/brown).

It is made by cooking chicken meat (raw or cooked leftovers) is water and simmering uncovered for 3-4 hours (stove top), until the bones release collagen in the liquid and it reduces and starts to thicken.

In the instant pot is can take as little as 30 minutes to get a nice stock and perfectly cooked meat.

Ingredients:

whole chicken (or chicken legs, carcass or left over chicken meat with the bones)
cold water
optional – veggies or veggie scraps like carrots, carrot peels, onions or garlic
seasoning – salt, black peppercorns, thyme or rosemary – I usually don’t use seasonings for my homemade stock
vinegar – some recipes call for a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice will help extract the collagen from the bones better

Chopped vegetables for chicken soup on a cutting board

Directions:

Place the wire rack at the bottom of the Instant Pot.

Add chicken (you can stuff the inside with onions, carrots, garlic and carrots if you’d like).

Then add 10 cups cold water to cover the chicken, but don’t go over 2/3 of the volume of the Instant Pot.

Close the Instant Pot and set to seal.

Set Manual Pressure for 25 minutes. At this point you can let the pressure release naturally or release manually.

Strain the stock.

!!! Recipes with a lot of liquid could take quite some time to release pressure. Work carefully to prevent burnings !!!

At this point you can use the stock for a soup, refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Freezing in an ice cube tray is a great idea.

A bowl with chicken noodle soup made in an Instant pot

How to make chicken soup in a pressure cooker

Step 1: Make the Instant pot chicken stock following the directions above.

Step 2: Heat 1 tbsp of oil in an Instant Pot on the Saute setting. Add chopped onion, carrot, parsnip (optional) and celery. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened.

Step 3: Add in 6 cups chicken stock, salt, pepper, 3 cups chicken meat from the whole chicken and 1 cup egg noodles. Add salt, pepper and thyme (optional).

Step 4: Close the lid, set to sealing and cook for 2 minutes on manual with quick release.

Step 5: Make liaison (optional). Liaison is a mixture of egg yolks and cream/yogurt, that is used to thicken soups or sauces. Since I’m Bulgarian, I usually use it to thicken chicken and meatball soups and it makes them taste amazing.

Use 3 tablespoons of full fat Greek yogurt and 1 egg yolk. Whisk until smooth. Add 1 cup of the warm soup broth, whisking constantly to incorporate with the liaison. Then return the mixture to the pot of soup and stir to combine. Serve immediately or refrigerate after cooled to room temperature for up to 2 days.

More Instant Pot recipes

Instant pot lentil soup
This Instant Pot Chicken Tinga from Tessa The Domestic Diva is the perfect, easy to make family meal.
Easy pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot
Instant pot pork chops

Looking for other soup recipes, that require chicken stock to make? Try this Chicken Pastina Soup from Clean Eating Couple. It is loaded with anti-inflammatory turmeric and veggies. Quick to make and super delicious!

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