Healthy & Hearty Chicken Soup
 
A wholesome, veggie-packed chicken noodle soup bursting with flavor—easy to make in your Instant Pot.
 
Directions
 
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4
 
Ingredients
Base
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion (finely diced)
3 cloves garlic (pressed or crushed)
4 cups chicken broth (regular or low sodium)
4 stalks celery (cut into 1/2 in. pieces)
3/4 pounds carrots (cut into 1/2 in. slices)
1 pound red potatoes (cut into 1 in. pieces)
1 zucchini (cut into 1/2 in. slices)
1 yellow squash (cut into 1/2 in. slices)
1 pound chicken breasts (cut into 1 to 1/2 in. chunks)
Spices
1 teaspoon thyme (dried)
1 teaspoon rosemary (dried)
1 teaspoon tarragon (dried)
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt (to taste)
1/2 to 2 teaspoons black pepper (to taste)
Soup Thickener
1/2 cup milk (cows, almond, or cashew)
3 tablespoons corn starch (or tapioca starch)


 
Instructions
Step 1: 1 tbsp. olive oil - 1 yellow onion - 3 cl. garlic - 4 c. chicken broth
Frying Pan (or Instant Pot set to the sauté function)
Add olive, onions, and garlic
Sauté for 3-4 minutes
Add chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pan/pot. Scrape off all the bits stuck to the bottom on the pan/pot.
Step 2: 4 stalks celery - 3/4 lbs. carrots - 1 lb. red potatoes - 1 zucchini - 1 yellow squash - 1 lb. chicken breasts - [ 1 tsp. thyme - 1 tsp. rosemary - 1 tsp. tarragon - 1/2 tsp paprika - salt to taste - pepper to taste ]
Instant Pot (if frying pan was used in step 1, add cooked ingredients to Instant Pot)
Add celery, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and squash to the Instant Pot
Add chicken breasts. Place on top of the vegetables.
Add thyme, rosemary, tarragon, paprika, salt, and pepper
Step 3:
Cook
Seal the pressure release valve on the top of the Instant Pot
Set to high pressure (manual) for 8 minutes
(Now is a good time to start Step 4) After 8 minutes, turn off the Instant Pot, and let set for 10 minutes . Keep pressure release valve in sealed the position.
After cooking for 8 minutes, and resting for 10 minutes, release the pressure valve, let the Instant Pot fully depressurize, and then open the lid.
Step 4: 1/2 cup milk - 3 tbsp. corn starch
Soup Thickener - Mixing Bowl
Whisk together warm milk and starch until smooth.
Stir starch slurry into soup
Tip: To make Spicy Chicken Soup, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of Calabrian chili peppers and/ or 2 to 4 tablespoons of sriracha.



 
Make It Mad - Tips
Sautéing the Garlic and Onion
Caramelize the onion for a deeper, sweeter flavor. After sautéing for 3-4 minutes, cook them for another 3-5 minutes until golden brown. This brings out natural sugars and adds a rich depth to the broth.
Add a pinch of sugar when sautéing the onions for a slight caramelized sweetness that balances the savory flavors.
Add Bay Leaves
Adding 2-3 bay leaves to the Instant Pot in Step 2 adds an earthy, aromatic note that enhances the overall flavor.
Aromatics Boost
Consider adding fresh thyme sprigs instead of dried thyme for a more fragrant and vibrant herbaceous note.
Fresh rosemary can be added as a garnish when serving for an extra fresh pop.
 
Nutrition Information (Per Serving)
Calories: ~ 350 kcal
Protein: ~ 31 g
Carbohydrates: ~ 44 g
Fat: ~ 8g
(Note: Nutritional values are approximate and may vary depending on ingredients used.)