This Instant Pot chicken noodle soup has a silky, savory broth studded with soft egg noodles, tender shreddable boneless skinless chicken thighs, and classic aromatics — onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and a touch of Italian seasoning.
It’s hands-off once sealed: about 10 minutes prep and mostly pressure-cooker time, so it’s perfect for weeknight comfort or a quick sick-day bowl that warms up fast for the whole family.
Why You’ll Love This Soup
The Instant Pot builds deep flavor quickly: sautéing the onion first adds savory depth, pressure cooking makes thighs fall-apart tender, and finishing the noodles in hot broth avoids a mushy texture.
Servings: 6 | Prep Time: 10 | Cook Time: 35 | Total Time: 1. Finish with Salt & pepper to taste and a handful of fresh chopped parsley for brightness.
How to Make This Soup
- Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Cook the chopped onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3–4 minutes.
- Add the carrots (2 medium, peeled & sliced), celery (2 sticks, chopped), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 4 cups chicken broth, 2 cups water, 1.5 pounds chicken thighs (boneless/skinless), and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning to the Instant Pot. Do not add the 2 cups uncooked egg noodles, Salt & pepper, or fresh parsley yet.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes — it will take about 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.
- After the 10-minute cook time, allow a 5-minute natural pressure release, then carefully quick-release any remaining pressure and open the lid.
- Remove the chicken thighs from the pot and shred them with two forks or tongs until pulled apart. Return the shredded chicken to the hot broth.
- Add the uncooked egg noodles to the pot and simmer in the hot broth until tender, checking after a few minutes to avoid overcooking. Alternatively, cook noodles separately and add per bowl to keep leftovers clearer and prevent noodle sogginess.
- Season with Salt & pepper to taste and stir in fresh chopped parsley before serving.
When to Add Noodles
Timing the noodles is the critical step to keep them tender but not mushy. Do NOT pressure-cook them with the chicken.
Add the uncooked egg noodles after you release pressure, remove and shred the chicken, and return the meat to the hot broth. Simmer the noodles in the hot liquid until they reach your preferred tenderness.
- Adds noodles after pressure cooking to prevent overcooking
- Check noodles after a few minutes of simmering to avoid mush
- Option: cook noodles separately and add per bowl for leftovers
How to Shred Chicken
Remove the cooked chicken thighs to a cutting board or bowl and shred with two forks. Thighs shred easily when warm; if they cool too much, warm them slightly before shredding.
For a faster method, use kitchen tongs to pull apart the meat in the pot or briefly pulse in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (low speed) if you have larger quantities.
- Shred with two forks while warm for the best texture
- Return shredded chicken to the pot so it soaks up the broth
- Reserve a few larger pieces if you prefer chunkier bites
Freezing & Reheating
Freeze the soup without the egg noodles for best results: cool completely, transfer to airtight containers or freezer bags, and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or reheat from frozen over low heat until simmering. Add fresh or pre-cooked noodles when reheating to keep texture fresh.
- Do not freeze with egg noodles — they become mushy
- Thaw overnight or reheat gently from frozen, then add noodles
- Freeze in portions for quick sick-day bowls
Tips for Success and Variations
Avoid mushy noodles: Do NOT add the 2 cups uncooked egg noodles before pressure cooking. Add them after pressure release and shredding the chicken so they simmer in hot broth rather than steaming under pressure.
Use thighs for better texture: Boneless skinless chicken thighs stay juicier and shred more easily than breasts in this recipe; if using breasts, expect firmer meat and watch cooking/release times closely.
Make it gluten-free: Swap egg noodles for a gluten-free pasta or rice; if using rice, cook it separately and add to bowls to prevent gummy texture.
Season at the end: Season with Salt & pepper to taste only after pressure cooking and after noodles have been added—concentrated broth can taste saltier after reduction and noodle absorption.
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Final Notes
This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is built for quick comfort: a short prep, pressure-cooked chicken that shreds easily, and simple finishing steps that protect noodle texture.
Keep leftovers noodle-free for freezing and add fresh noodles at serve time for the best bowl every time.
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Equipment
- Instant Pot
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 medium carrots peeled & sliced
- 2 sticks celery chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups water
- 1.5 pounds chicken thighs boneless/skinless
- 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 cups egg noodles uncooked
- Salt & pepper to taste
- parsley fresh, chopped
Instructions
- Add the butter and olive oil to the Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Cook the chopped onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the carrots, celery, minced garlic, chicken broth, water, chicken thighs, and Italian seasoning to the Instant Pot; do not add the egg noodles, salt, pepper, or parsley yet.
- Close the lid and set the valve to sealing. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes — it will take about 15 minutes for the Instant Pot to come up to pressure.