Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup

Make the best Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe in a fraction of the time thanks to your Instant Pot! Carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and squash combine with shredded chicken and tons of fresh herbs for a soup that’s not only delicious, but also incredibly nutritious and comforting! You’ll want to cozy up with a big ole’ bowl of this soup year round.

Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe

When you’re sick, almost nothing tastes better (or makes you feel better!) than a big bowl of chicken vegetable soup.

The problem comes when you’re sick and don’t feel like cooking for hours to make a good soup.

I made this Instant Pot chicken soup recipe one night when I was recovering from a terrible stomach bug.

While Instant Pot chicken noodle soup would have been delicious, I wanted to replace the egg noodles with something a little healthier.

The fix? A delightful chicken vegetable soup recipe full of nutrition! But unlike this chicken vegetable soup recipe that’s made on the stovetop, I popped the ingredients in my handy dandy Instant Pot and had it ready in a fraction of the time. It’s perfect when you’re under the weather or have a string of busy weeknights.

And thus, I have become a HUGE fan of Instant Pot soup recipes.

(Want to learn How to Use an Instant Pot?  All of the basics are covered in this post!)

Ingredients

The fresh ingredients you need to make this easy Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable soup include:

• Oil. While olive oil works best, you can use avocado oil instead.
• Vegetables. A healthy mix of onion, celery, carrots, red potatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash add beautiful color along with nutrients.
• Chicken. Grab some boneless skinless chicken breasts from the grocery store. You can choose chicken thighs instead, if you prefer. Make sure you cut any other chicken parts into 4-ounce portions to ensure the best results!
• Broth. When making this chicken vegetable soup recipe it is completely up to you whether you use chicken broth, chicken stock, or bone broth. In any case, make sure you use a low sodium version so you can adjust the amount of salt to your preference. If using chicken stock, you will most likely have a much richer and more gelatinous soup. However, if you are short on time, a boxed chicken broth or bone broth will work equally well with delicious results!
• Garlic. Fresh minced garlic is a must to create the most flavor.
• Herbs. Don’t skimp on the dried herbs! For the best results, you’ll want thyme, rosemary, tarragon, and paprika. Of course, salt and black pepper are a must. Feel free to swap these out for fresh herbs or a bit of basil or sage.
• Milk. Regular dairy milk or a plant-based variety can be used. The key to this recipe is WARM milk.
• Starch. Tapioca or corn starch are used to make a slurry that thickens the soup.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup

Below you’ll find the steps to make this pressure cooker chicken vegetable soup at home:

Make the Base

Chicken vegetable soup is one of those recipes you cannot really mess up.  You can make it in the Instant Pot, in a Crock-Pot, or on the stovetop. For today’s purposes, we’re pulling out our Instant Pot to give you a little more time away from the kitchen.

Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Sauté a bit of olive oil with diced onions and garlic. Add broth or stock and give it a good stir, scraping the bottom of the pot.

Layer up all of your vegetables in the pot and then place your chicken breasts on top.

One of the best parts about this soup is how LOADED with fresh vegetables it is. Here are just a few of the health benefits you will receive when eating a bowl of this soup:

• Carrots – A great source of beta-carotene, fiber, vitamin K, and potassium.
• Zucchini and squash – These vegetables have almost no fat and are full of vitamins B6, C, K, riboflavin, and folate.
• Red potatoes – These potatoes also have no fat or cholesterol and have almost half of your recommended amount of Vitamin C.

Sprinkle in seasoning ingredients, salt and pepper.

Cook’s Tip: It’s super important to add the broth and scrape the bottom to make sure you do not get a burn error notice on your pressure cooker.

Cook in Instant Pot

Cover the Instant Pot with a lid and set the pressure valve to sealed.

Cook Instant Pot chicken vegetable soup for 10 minutes on high pressure. Then, do a natural pressure release for 10 minutes. Once done, allow a quick release.

Thicken Soup with Slurry

Shred chicken breasts in the pot using two forks.  (You can also remove the chicken and shred it on a cutting board.)

In order to keep this Instant Pot chicken soup extra healthy, it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and Whole30 compliant. But how do we thicken it up without adding a bunch of heavy cream? Why, make a slurry of course!

A simple solution of warm almond milk (soy or cashew milk work great, too!) and a couple of tablespoons of starch (tapioca or corn starch work well!) get whisked together to form an incredible thickening agent. Simply add it to the soup when it is done cooking in your Instant Pot and voila! A super thick, creamy, comforting soup without the heavy cream. (You can also learn how to thicken soup 5 different ways!)

Serve this delicious soup in a cozy bowl with gluten-free crackers or crusty bread and topped with fresh parsley!

Meal Prep and Storage

• How to prep ahead. This chicken veggie soup seriously gets better with time… if you have the patience for it. The flavors somehow meld together even more perfectly if refrigerated for about 24 hours.
• How to store: First, let the soup come to room temperature uncovered, and then transfer leftover soup to the refrigerator in an airtight container. Soup will keep well for 3-5 days.
• How to freeze: After following the directions above and letting the soup refrigerate for at least 8 hours, store soup in freezer-safe plastic containers or a freezer bag for up to 3-4 months.
• How to reheat: Soup is the absolute BEST when reheated in a pot on the stove. However, if you’re in a hurry simply pop it in the microwave for a few minutes and it will be ready to enjoy!

What can I add to chicken soup to give it flavor?

The best way to give any type of chicken soup flavor is by creating layers throughout the cooking process and using different herbs. Cook the onion and garlic first, the add in the other ingredients and herbs to build rich flavor.

Can you overcook soup in Instant Pot?

Yes, you can definitely overcook soup in the Instant Pot. Cooking for too long will lead to mushy vegetables and an unappealing flavor.

How long does soup mode take on Instant Pot?

The pre-programmed soup mode on most Instant Pot models is 30 minutes. However, not all soup recipes need to cook that long, so make adjustments as needed.

Can you freeze chicken and vegetable soup?

Yes! This healthy chicken soup recipe freezes really well, and so does plain vegetable soup. Just be sure to let it completely cool. Then, freeze it in individual portions so you can easily thaw a serving. (Learn how to freeze soup!)

Expert Tips and Tricks

• Small is key. Be sure to cut the chicken into 4-ounce portions for the best results.
• You choose. While rosemary, thyme, paprika, and tarragon are classics, you can sub in basil, sage or your favorite herb. You can also go with Homemade Italian Seasoning.
• Stir well. Not adding enough broth and forgetting to mix might get you a burn notice.
• Make extra. Freeze some for those days when you need an easy, comforting meal.
• Thicken it up. Learn to Thicken Soup with a cornstarch slurry for a creamy result.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup

Sometimes all you need is a bowl of soup. Other times, you want to add a side to round it out.

You can’t go wrong with a salad like a Fall Harvest Salad, Strawberry Spinach Salad, or Lemon Arugula Salad.

Or, whip up Gluten-free Cornbread or Sweet Mini Cornbread Muffins.

More Chicken Soup Recipes

Chicken soup can be made in many satisfying and comforting ways. Be sure to put these on your menu soon for a healthy dinner for the whole family.

Don’t miss out on Chicken Pot Pie Soup, Chicken Gnocchi Soup, and Chicken and Dumpling Soup.

If you like Mexican flavor, stick with Chicken Enchilada Soup, Green Chili Chicken Soup, or Crock-Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup.

You can’t go wrong with a classic like Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Gluten-free Chicken Noodle Soup, or Chicken Vegetable Soup.

Lemon Chicken Orzo Soup, Chicken Pot Pie Soup, and Chicken and Dumpling Soup are irresistible!

You can also skip the chicken and get all of the health benefits in this veggie-packed Olive Garden Minestrone Soup!