My Grandma’s homemade Instant Pot Chicken Soup is a warm and nourishing soup that is perfect for cold winter days or when you’re feeling under the weather. Use a whole chicken or any bone-in chicken and fresh vegetables.
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When I shared my Grandmother’s homemade chicken soup recipe on my blog, I didn’t expect such a huge outpouring of emails, notes, and ratings. That chicken soup-from-scratch recipe has been getting rave reviews everywhere.
The original recipe of my Grandma’s chicken soup is made on the stovetop and takes 2-3 hours to cook to full flavor. While the aroma of the soup was phenomenal, my busy lifestyle doesn’t always work to prepare it in that manner.
I have transformed the recipe so I can easily make the chicken soup in the Instant Pot. When you make pressure cooker chicken soup, the flavors combine even more to make it out of this world amazing. The chicken is fall off the bone moist!
Our family loves chicken soup…for more delicious chicken recipes, check out the best homemade gluten free chicken recipes on my blog.
Why does chicken soup make you feel better?
- The warm soup will help ease the pain in your throat. It is also believed that the soup has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Another reason that you feel better is that the heat from a hot bowl of soup can also aid in breaking up congestion.
- Many people call this Instant Pot Jewish chicken soup Jewish penicillin because it can help you feel better when you have a cold or flu. When I am sick, nothing makes me feel better, like a big bowl of yummy soup.
- Fresh ingredients add so much flavor to this soup—foods like carrots, celery, and chicken.
Allergen Information:
This easy Instant Pot chicken soup is gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free.
Even in rural Zambia, while working at a small mission hospital, I would make this soup every week. I would also make brown rice and keep both in the refrigerator. Whenever I needed something quick, I would heat up a bowl of this delicious soup and toss in some rice for an instant meal. Thank you. This is a wonderful recipe. Twasanta mwane means “thank you” in the Kikaonde language here in NW Zambia.”
Allan
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- One whole chicken – I typically buy organic chicken. Make sure to remove the giblets bag before you cook this recipe. I made the mistake of forgetting once, and so on.
- Parsnips are similar in flavor to a carrot but a little sweeter. These are optional but add great flavor!
- Onions – Use yellow onions.
- Celery – Use as much as you like
- Carrots – I love to use a lot of carrots for flavor.
- Garlic – Minced fresh or jarred garlic are both okay to use.
- Chicken Broth – This gives a boost of flavor.
- Parsley – fresh parsley is delicious; I often use fresh dill instead for a bit of extra flavor.
This soup is also healthy because it is made with chicken bones, which makes a savory bone broth full of nutrients! If you want a more hearty Instant Pot Chicken recipe, try this homemade Gluten Free Chicken Stew recipe.
Tips For Success:
- Make this Instant Pot Whole Chicken Soup recipe with a good quality chicken broth. Try not to use bouillon because many are not gluten free.
- If you don’t have a whole chicken, you can use chicken legs, a half chicken, or even chicken breasts.
- Ensure enough water is added for the Instant Pot’s size.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Are you ready to try this easy Instant Pot chicken soup recipe?
This is a dump, aka an easy, minimal prep recipe. There is no need to use the fancy Instant Pot sauté button. I dump all of the ingredients into my Instant Pot.
I used an 8 Qt Instant Pot, which I think you need for this homemade chicken soup recipe.
Step 1: Add your chicken, vegetables, and seasoning to the Instant Pot. Don’t forget to remove the giblet bag! Many ask if you need to rinse the chicken before adding it to the Instant Pot. You do not need to rinse the chicken.
Step 2: Add in the combination of chicken broth and water. Take note of the fill line!! You do not want to overfill your Instant Pot!!
Step 3: Seal your Instant Pot and set it to Soup/Broth. Add extra time to your model so this soup cooks for 40 minutes.
Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize, or use the quick-release feature if your model has it.
Step 4: Check the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is at 165º F.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Put on the cover and lock the lid down. Press Soup/Broth and cook. When this is done, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken. Use the extra time so that this cooks for 40 minutes total. When it is done, your chicken should be over 165º F.
This chicken soup recipe does NOT have to be made in an Instant Pot…feel free to make it in a slow cooker or stovetop. Use what you have! Here are the directions to make my Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup on the stove.
Store this soup in your refrigerator in an airtight container. I like to store my chicken and soup separately. It will keep up to 5 days.
A slow cooker cooks your food slower, so the meats, sauces, spices, and seasonings combine to create a flavorful dish. An Instant Pot has many functions. You can use it as a slow cooker or pressure cooker. You can even saute’ foods and use them to keep food warm.
I would not cook noodles with soup, especially gluten-free noodles. They will turn to absolute mush over the 40-minute cooking time.
If you don’t have an instant pot, you can make this delicious homemade chicken soup recipe on the stovetop just like my Grandmother did. You may also love this Chicken and Rice Soup with Mushrooms.
More Gluten Free Instant Pot Recipes:
- This Vegetable Soup With Shredded Chicken is hearty enough to make a great meal!
- My family loves this simple Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, even my picky eater.
- If you haven’t tried teff, it is delicious in this Teff Breakfast Cheese Grits Recipe.
- This is my Grandma’s homemade Cabbage and Meatballs recipe but made in an Instant Pot. Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Meatballs.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds Chicken *See note
- 5 carrots chopped, *You can use a combination of carrots and parsnips
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 onion
- 2 teaspoons basil
- 2 teaspoons thyme
- 1 quart chicken broth
- water to get to fill line
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
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Instructions
- Add all vegetables and a whole chicken to the Instant Pot.
- Add seasonings and chicken broth. Add water the rest of the way to the fill line.
- Close the Instant Pot. Choose Soup/Broth and extra time (it should read 40 minutes!)
- When the Instant Pot is done, do NOT just open the instant pot. You need to let the Instant Pot depressurize according to the directions.
- To ensure your chicken is cooked, make sure the chicken is at an internal temperature of 165º F
- Serve hot. Optional add rice or gluten free noodles.
Video
Notes
- 1. Note, you can make this chicken soup stovetop in a pot by following my Grandma’s chicken soup recipe.
- The real benefit to this soup is using the bones so the nutrients can cook into this soup. You can use boneless chicken, you just won’t get the same depth of flavors and nutrients.
- This soup will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 4 months in the freezer.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older January 2019 post with more recipe details.
Thank you for sharing this quick and easy recipe! I love the Instant Pot recipes and people like you that take the time to post. You’ve made life easier for me and my family my family loved it particularly my kids—thank you!
I am so glad this soup recipe has made life easier. You made my day, so thank you so much for coming to leave me a review. I always have some in the freezer just in case someone isn’t feeling well.
Just wondering why you have a special note at the bottom at gluten free flour as I did not see any in your recipe. Is there a step missing? Thanks!
Hi Roxy, You can ignore that…65% of my blog is baking and there wasn’t a way to add that just to those recipes.
I just ran across this recipe and I’m excited to try it! Thank you for the detail! I read the reviews and I’m sorry for the negative. We are SO lucky to be able to google and get whatever we want and whenever. I love that there is so much detail and info about your grandma making it and that we can also skip to recipe. Thank you for taking the time to put yourself out there on the internet so we don’t have to! 🙂 And for responding to every single message!
Thank you so much, Katie. I truly appreciate your kind words. I hope you enjoy my grandmother’s recipe (IP version.)
Made this soup last week and it was so easy and delicious I am making it again today. Thank you!
I am really glad you loved it enough to make it again! Thank you, Mary!
I didn’t make it yet I have everything in the pot but my pot doesn’t have a soup button it just a pressure button I guess that’s what I push yes thanks for the recipe
Hi Kat, what brand do you own?
I have an Instant Pot Duo crisp air fryer. No soup button. Do I just use manual setting?
Hi Rosanne, I have no experience with the duo, so I don’t know how to advise you. You can make it in a soup pot: https://www.fearlessdining.com/grandmas-homemade-chicken-soup/
The Soup button is just a pre-set, it’s still a pressure cook setting. It’s basically just a suggestion of what temp and time and temp to cook soup (it suggests 30 mins at High Pressure). So using the soup button and changing the time or using the pressure button and choosing your time is the exact same thing.
Hi Shannon, thank you so much for clarifying.
Fantastic dump and go recipe for the IP! Absolutely delicious and it reminded me of Chicken Soup from the Jewish Deli I used to go to in college. I used a whole 4lb chicken and a mixture of parsnips and carrots. I also added a bay leaf to the pot. I did do a 30 minute natural release and I added salt and pepper to taste after adding some pulled chicken back to the soup. My husband loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am so glad you loved this soup recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know! I love adding parsnips as well!
How can you write a recipe for the IP w/out including natural or instant release? You don’t have to warn people not to just “open it up” since of course it won’t open under pressure. Guess I’ll check out other recipes to find the release method. FYI, you might wanna include this info. Thanks.
Hi Barb, I agree opening an Instant Pot is important to do it right. There are several manufacturers and often the directions vary slightly. Do you think having just one set of manufacturer directions is enough?
Too much talking…. To save time using an Insta pot you don’t have to waste time reading a message
Hi Linda, I am really sorry to inconvenience you with talking in a well-tested, delicious recipe that I provided to you for free. It also sounds like you missed the giant “Jump to Recipe” button at the very top of my free recipe, so you could by-pass all of my talking. You probably wouldn’t have even found my recipe if I didn’t include all of those things that Google requires in order to even show up in search results. There are people, with feelings behind the free recipes and being a little nicer goes a long way for karma.
Making it right now, but quick question.
Do I let it do a slow depression or should I do a quick release?
I let it go slowly, but you can do a quick release if you are familiar with how to do it safely with your brand of pressure cooker.
This was absolutely delicious and so easy! I used the frozen chicken legs and beef bone broth. Added some ginger as well. The meat fell right off the bone and it was so tender. I’d say be careful releasing the pressure- it might splatter your kitchen if you do it too soon. Just caught Covid and thank goodness for this soup I can survive for a few days! Thank you ❤️
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you loved the recipe. I will have to add some ginger next time! I hope you feel better soon.
It’s in the pot right now! I LOVE that there is no sautéing the veggies nor precooking the chicken!
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipe!!
This is such a wonderful and versatile recipe. I have made it from whole fresh chickens, whole frozen chickens, Costco rotisserie chickens, and random pieces of chicken. It always turns out wonderful. My family loves it, especially the leftovers, too!
I am so glad you love this Instant Pot version of my Grandma’s soup. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. Have a great weekend.
Turned out perfectly. Absolutely delicious, thank you!
I am so glad you loved this Instant Pot version of my Grandma’s soup!
I can’t have chicken broth/stock. Would I just use water?
You can definitely use water, but you will need to up the quantity of veggies, garlic, and seasoning.
I used Boneless chicken breasts and used Bone broth with turmeric. I made this for a friend that has the Covid variant and a sore throat. She called and said that she loved the soup and I made enough to last her a few days. She thinks it should help and is delicious! Thanks!
That is so kind of you to make soup for your sick friend. I hope they feel better soon. Thank you for coming back to leave a good review!
Any tips on getting the chicken out to debone it after cooking? I am nervous about not seeing bones I missed in the soup because of the veggies.
Hi Mary, I use a big metal strainer to scoop under the chicken. It isn’t always perfect, but it is the best way I have found.
Do the instructions change if I were to use frozen chicken leg sections (thighs and drumsticks)?
Hi Yael, the directions shouldn’t change, the amount of water you need may vary depending on how much chicken you use.
How long would I cook this in the instant pot with chicken breasts instead?
Hi Caitlin, if you are using the breasts, follow the directions in my IP Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe: https://www.fearlessdining.com/instant-pot-vegetable-soup/
Hello, looking forward to cooking this Amazing soup. I wanted to ask can I add cabbage to the soup. Thank you for sharing stay warm and safe. God Bless.
I haven’t tested adding cabbage so if you do try it, please come back and let me know how it turned out.