Description
This Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup is a hearty, comforting, and nutritious one-pot meal packed with tender chicken, fresh vegetables, and flavorful herbs. Perfect for a quick and wholesome dinner, it combines the convenience of pressure cooking with the rich taste of homemade soup, thickened slightly with a milk and starch slurry for a creamy finish.
Ingredients
Scale
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 4 cups chicken broth (regular sodium)
Vegetables
- 4 stalks celery (cut into ½-inch pieces)
- ¾ pound carrots (cut into ½-inch slices)
- 1 pound red potatoes (cut into 1-inch pieces)
- 1 medium zucchini (cut into ½-inch slices)
- 1 yellow squash (cut into ½-inch slices)
Protein
- 1 pound chicken breasts (cut into 4-oz. portions)
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon thyme (dried)
- ½ teaspoon rosemary (dried)
- ½ teaspoon tarragon (dried)
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ – 1 ½ teaspoons salt (to taste)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Thickening Agent
- ½ cup almond milk (or milk/cashew milk, warmed)
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (or corn starch)
Instructions
- Saute Onion: Set the Instant Pot to the sauté function and heat the olive oil. Add the finely diced onion and crushed garlic, sautéing for 3 to 4 minutes until softened and fragrant. Then add the chicken broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits to prevent burning during pressure cooking.
- Add Veggies, Chicken, and Seasoning: Add the chopped celery, carrots, red potatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash to the pot and stir to combine. Place the chicken breast portions on top of the vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk together the dried thyme, rosemary, tarragon, paprika, salt, and black pepper, then sprinkle the seasoning mixture evenly over the ingredients in the pot.
- Pressure Cook: Secure the lid on the Instant Pot and ensure the pressure release valve is set to sealing. Set the Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 8 minutes. After the timer goes off, allow the pot to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes before carefully switching the valve to venting to fully release any remaining pressure. Once safe, open the lid and shred the chicken breasts directly in the pot.
- Make the Slurry: While the soup is cooking, whisk together the warmed almond milk and tapioca starch until smooth to create a slurry. Stir this mixture into the hot soup until the broth slightly thickens, enhancing its creamy texture.
- Serve: Ladle the finished chicken vegetable soup into bowls and serve warm, optionally accompanied by crackers or fresh bread for a satisfying meal.
Notes
- You can substitute the chicken broth with low sodium broth if preferred.
- Feel free to use any milk alternative you like for the slurry or regular milk if not dairy-sensitive.
- The starch slurry can be adjusted to reach your desired soup thickness.
- Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Shredding the chicken after cooking helps distribute protein evenly throughout the soup.
