How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Homemade chicken noodle soup will always be far superior to canned soup. Making homemade soup is a process, so most people just reach for the can. However, the Instant Pot can make things easier; we just need to learn how to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup.

After learning how to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup at home, you can customize your soup the way you want; no can opener is needed. Instant Pot chicken soup is a lot easier to make than you may think, even if it’s your first time.

We can really put that high pressure to work. The biggest benefit is going to be the cooking time. Making soup, especially chicken noodles, takes time. We must first cook chicken thighs, breasts, or a whole chicken.

We definitely don’t want to skimp on the flavorful broth. Lastly, some fresh herbs and noodles will bring everything together for a hearty bowl of soup. This process takes time, but that is why we search for Instant Pot recipes.

Learning how to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup means we can customize things every step of the way. You can take a basic recipe and turn it into your own Instant Pot chicken soup recipe.

However, the pathway to a delicious soup will always be the ingredients we use. The homemade chicken broth starts out as nothing more than cups of water that have been flavored and nutrients added.

Everyone thinks the chicken is the most crucial part. We can actually get away with just grabbing a rotisserie chicken from Costco and utilizing not only the meat but the bones for the broth.

The critical part is going to be the rich broth. Break out the slotted spoon; it is time to start pressure cooking an easy Instant Pot chicken noodle soup recipe.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Although homemade chicken soup technically starts with the chicken, the broth is the most important part. Even classic chicken noodle soup relies on the broth to carry the dish. There are a couple of ways to make the broth: bone broth or chicken stock.

We can really put some time into this recipe to get the best results and make our own chicken bone stock. A bone stock is a broth that uses just the bones of the chicken. The marrow seeps out into the water, adding flavor and nutrients.

We can also add bay leaves or even just a single bay leaf for added flavor. Chicken stock uses both the bones and the meat, meaning you just need some bone-in chicken to get the job done.

Both of these ways will provide you with a delicious base for the soup. Now, we just need to figure out what chicken to use for the soup.

What Part of Chicken is Best for Soup?

Learning how to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup starts with the broth, but the broth is usually made with the chicken. Shopping for chicken noodle soup means finding tender chicken for the recipe.

Bone-in chicken can help us create the broth and provide us with chicken for the soup. However, we will want some more meat in our homemade soup recipe. One trick to make a hearty chicken noodle soup is to mix the cuts of chicken we use.

For example, we want chicken thighs for the flavor and bones but we also want at least one chicken breast in the mix as well. The breast meat will add more heartiness to the dish. We will be shredding the chicken anyway so that everything will mix together.

The good news is that we can toss the raw chicken into the mix from the start. Then, we can remove the cooked chicken, use forks to make shredded chicken, and add it back. Another idea is to use leftover chicken meat for the soup.

This works best as added chicken, not just the sole chicken source. A combination of tender chunks of chicken will make this steaming bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup one of the best you’ve ever had.

What Kind of Pasta is Best for Chicken Noodle Soup?

​We have already learned how to customize the broth and the chicken for different outcomes. However, the noodles are more fun to customize. Most homemade chicken noodle soup recipes will rely on wide egg noodles, tender noodles with a lot of surface area, to pair with the juicy chicken.

You can even make your noodles at home. The goal is to enjoy the soup, which means you can pick any type of noodle you want. Maybe the first time you make homemade chicken noodle soup, you use wide egg noodles, but the second time you go with macaroni.

Any type of noodles will work. The Instant Pot can handle cooking the noodles, and the natural release will ensure everything comes together well. Homemade noodles will give you bonus points, but there is nothing wrong with using dry noodles from the store.

What Are Good Seasonings to Put in Soup?

Learning how to make Instant Pot chicken noodle soup is not just about the flashy stuff, the broth, the chicken, and the noodles. These things will provide some amazing flavors, the flavors we love. However, seasonings will take everything up a notch.

Fresh thyme, Italian seasoning, and black pepper will work very well. We don’t need to add too much salt since the broth will be salty enough as it is. We can even customize here, though it may be worth adding seasonings to a single bowl of soup first.

This way, we know if it comes out well enough to add that seasoning to the Instant Pot the next time—some seasonings to try to include the basics like garlic powder, onion powder, and even turmeric.

The seasonings aren’t the only flavor enhancers we can add to the soup; let’s not forget about some veggies. Celery is a common addition to chicken noodle soup. Carrots are another great option for this particular soup.

Fresh vegetables will take this easy recipe to the next level. They also won’t increase the pressure cook time either. The point is that there is no reason to stick to the classic flavors when we make this soup from scratch at home. Instead, try new things and save the recipes you love the most. 

More Instant Pot Recipes

Healthy Instant Pot Sausage and Kale Soup Recipe | Chicken noodle soup is just the beginning. It is time to branch out and make some more unique soup recipes.

Instant Pot Teriyaki Chicken | Teriyaki chicken is another delicious dish you can make using your Instant Pot.

No Sugar Instant Pot Cinnamon Apples | You don’t have to stick to soups and main courses with your Instant Pot. You can easily make some desserts in a hurry as well.

Low Carb Instant Pot Pork Chops Recipe | Pork chops will be a nice change of pace after enjoying chicken noodle soup made from scratch.

Instant Pot Goulash Recipe with Beef | Goulash is another pasta dish that is filled with flavor and can be made with ease.