Instant pot chicken noodle soup with egg noodles

Sit down, rest yourself a moment, and settle in with a bowl of healthy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup. It won’t demand much from you—just a quick 15 minutes of ingredient prep—and you’ll be rewarded with soul-soothing spoonfuls of nourishing healthy goodness.

This easy Instant Pot chicken noodle soup is a recipe to revitalize your spirits.

• If you’re feeling run down, it will give you comfort and respite.
• If you are feeling optimistic, it will keep your momentum strong.
• And if you’re somewhere in between, it will tip the scale in your favor.

Its breezy 15-minute prep time means we can spend less time cooking and more time doing the things we love (like eating chicken noodle soup with a side of No Knead Focaccia ).

Though the activities that fill your day may look different than mine, let this healthy Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with egg noodles be there at the end of your day too.

5 Star Review

“This is the absolute best chicken soup recipe! My kids loved it!”

— Megan —

This soup is full-on classic, just like my original Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup, Crock Pot Chicken and Rice Soup and Minestrone Soup recipe.

It’s clean, cozy, and the kind of thing I like to eat when I want my dinner to give me a hug.

• Thyme and bay leaves make this soup stand out above other run-of-the-mill chicken noodle soup recipes you may have tried, as does the method of pressure cooking.
• Plus, just like my top-rated Crock Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, this soup tastes wonderful leftover and is freezer-friendly.

Make it once, and enjoy having a healthy, soul-soothing meal on hand whenever you need it.

How to Make The BEST Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

The Instant Pot (here is the model I own), makes this soup especially weeknight-friendly (like this Instant Pot French Onion Soup).

Every element of it from the veggies, to the chicken, to the noodles cooks in a pressure cooker from start to finish.

If you want to make a chicken noodle soup from scratch the quick and easy way, you’ve come to the right place!

The Ingredients

• Chicken. I elected to make this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with chicken breasts. You can swap chicken thighs if you prefer.

Ingredient Note

• Bone-In. My one pinky-out directive is that you use bone-in chicken. Not only is bone-in chicken more tender, but the bones themselves help to flavor the broth, making this recipe the best Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with chicken breasts (or thighs) that you’ll try.
• Whole Chicken. I have not tried making this as an Instant Pot whole chicken noodle soup yet, but I suspect if you’d like to make with a whole cut up chicken that it would be delicious. If you decide to try, I’d love to hear how it goes!

• Mirepoix. The trinity of chicken noodle soup goodness! Onions, carrots, and celery are an essential soup trio, and they bring Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and antioxidants to the party.

INGREDIENT NOTE

Could add 2 cloves garlic, minced for a slight garlicky flavor to the mirepoix.

• Seasonings. A combination of pepper, salt, dried oregano, fresh thyme, and bay leaf. Perfect way to add flavor to chicken noodle soup. Make sure you use fresh thyme here (it’s worth it).
• Chicken Broth. The liquid base for our soup. I always reach for a low-sodium option to keep things on the healthy side.

TIP!

If you elect to use boneless chicken for this recipe, I suggest using chicken stock or a high-quality bone broth instead of broth. Stock or bone broth will provide the soup with at least some of the added flavor and nutrients lost by not cooking with bone-in chicken. But I’ll repeat: I wholly recommend using bone-in chicken.

• Egg Noodles. The chicken noodle soup classic. I used whole wheat egg noodles for a nutritional boost of fiber and iron.

Substitution Tip

If you want to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup without egg noodles, you may swap for any pasta variety you enjoy. Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with macaroni or rigatoni are fine swaps.

I have never tried making this as an Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with dumplings before (I’m pretty loyal to my Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings), however, if you have a trusted method for making dumplings in an Instant Pot (likely by simmering with the sauté function, they might work with this recipe too. If you give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes.

The Directions

1. Remove the skin from the chicken.

1. Sauté the veggies in the Instant Pot.

TIP!

I like to use a mix of butter and olive oil, though you can use all of one or all of the other if you prefer.

1. Add in all of the remaining ingredients, except for the water. Place the chicken pieces on top.

1. Close and pressure cook Instant Pot chicken noodle soup for 10 minutes. Then let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes.

1. Remove and shred the chicken with two forks.

1. Use the sauté function to simmer (not boil) the noodles until al dente.

1. Stir in the chicken and herbs. ENJOY!

Recipe Variations

• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Spinach. At the end of cooking, stir in 4 ounces (about 4 or so big handfuls) of chopped baby spinach leaves until wilted.
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Lemon. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of lemon juice into your soup at the very end of cooking for a bright pop of flavor. You’ll also love this Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup.
• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Potatoes. Omit the noodles at the end and instead add 2-3, peeled and cubed, russet potatoes to the Instant Pot with the chicken and veggies before cooking. (It’s like an Instant Pot version of my favorite Chicken Stew.)
• Gluten Free Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup. Swap the egg noodles for gluten free noodles. Since gluten free noodles cook quickly and can become gummy, I recommend preparing them separately, then stirring them into the whole pot (or even individual servings) at the end.

You can make this Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with 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.

• To Use Rotisserie Chicken. Omit the bone-in chicken from the recipe, then stir the cooked, shredded chicken into the soup at the very end.
• To Prepare Shredded Chicken in Advance. Great for stirring into soup or for any other recipe. See my guides for How to Cook Shredded Chicken (stovetop), Instant Pot Chicken (this is a great way to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup with frozen chicken), Baked Chicken Breast, or Crock Pot Shredded Chicken.

Storage Tips

• To Store. Place cooked and cooled soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• To Reheat. Rewarm soup gently in a medium saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat the chicken soup in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
• To Freeze. Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Meal Plan Tip

Chop your mirepoix ingredients up to 1 day in advance, and store them in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator.

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

• Instant Pot. Perfect for this soup and any of my other Healthy Instant Pot recipes.
• Ladle. Ideal for serving the soup and transferring it to storage containers.
• Chef’s Knife. A nice, sharp knife makes prepping ingredients easy.

The Best Instant Pot

The Instant Pot is the perfect tool for speeding up many of your favorite recipes. This one is easy to use and works well for this soup!

Did you make this recipe?

Let me know what you thought!

Leave a rating below in the comments and let me know how you liked the recipe.

No matter how you’re feeling right now, a bowl of this wholesome, heart-warming chicken noodle soup is here for you.

I hope it’s just the healthy dinner/hug-in-a-bowl you’re craving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Does This Recipe Call for Chicken with the Skin?

The only reason this recipe calls for chicken with the skin on is that most bone-in chicken comes with the skin on. If you’re able to find bone-in chicken without the skin, feel free to use it (and save yourself the trouble of removing it).

Can You Put Raw Chicken in an Instant Pot?

Yes! It’s perfectly safe to put raw chicken in an Instant Pot.

Can You Overcook Soup in an Instant Pot?

Yes. Even though pressure cookers, like the Instant Pot, cook foods quickly, the high temperatures and pressure they cook with mean they can easily overcook recipes, including soups. Every model of pressure cooker is a little different so it can take some time to get the total time just right with your unit. Practice makes perfect!

• 2 1/2 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts or thighs, or a mix
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 1 pound carrots peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick diagonal slices
• 3 medium stalks celery cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
• 1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt plus additional to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups water plus additional as needed
• 2 1/2 cups uncooked whole wheat egg noodles about 3 3/4 ounces
• Chopped fresh parsley

• Carefully remove the skin from the chicken. If your chicken breasts are very large (more than 1 pound each), use a very sharp knife to carefully slice them in half crosswise through the bone. Set aside.

  

• Turn your Instant Pot to the sauté setting. Add the olive oil and butter.

• Once the butter is melted, add the onion, carrots, and celery. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often, until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

  

• Stir in the salt, pepper, and oregano. Place the thyme and bay leaf on top. Pour in the chicken broth and 3 cups water. Gently add the chicken pieces.

  

• Close and seal the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure (manual) for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then immediately vent to release any remaining pressure. Carefully open the lid.

• Remove the chicken and transfer it to a cutting board. Pick out the thyme stems and bay leaf and discard. Turn the Instant Pot to saute (you will need to press “cancel” first).

• Add the noodles. Let cook, uncovered, until noodles are al dente, about 5 to 6 minutes.

  

• While the noodles cook, shred the chicken and discard the bones.

  

• Once the noodles are done, turn off the Instant Pot. Stir in the parsley and shredded chicken. If you’d like a more brothy, thinner soup, stir in additional water until your desired consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired. Enjoy hot with an extra sprinkle of fresh parsley.

  

• TO STORE. Place cooked and cooled soup in an airtight storage container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
• TO REHEAT. Rewarm soup gently in a medium saucepan on the stove over medium-low heat until hot. You can also reheat the chicken soup in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave.
• TO FREEZE. Freeze soup in an airtight, freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

Serving: 1of 6Calories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 47gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 139mgPotassium: 1158mgFiber: 3gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 12803IUVitamin C: 9mgCalcium: 65mgIron: 2mg

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