This Instant Pot chicken and rice soup takes just 10 minutes of prep, but is a comforting soup loaded with flavor.
When it comes to soup, there are so many options - from pumpkin carrot soup to salsa verde chicken pozole to loaded potato soup to chicken manchow soup.
The beauty of soup is the depth of flavor you can create. And the benefit of using an Instant Pot is it tastes like something that has been cooking for hours as opposed to less than 30 minutes.
Why This Recipe Works
- Simple - You just set it and forget it. The beauty of the Instant Pot is throwing all of the ingredients in and let it do its work. You just have to sauté the veggies before letting the Instant pot do its work.
- Flavorful - the chicken comes out super juicy and tender. It almost melts in your mouth. Plus you get added flavors from the herbs and lemon.
- Freezer friendly - you can make a big batch of this soup and freeze to use later.
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Ingredient Notes
- Mirepoix - the famous combination of onion, celery and carrots which is a base for many recipes including this.
- Rice - I'm a fan of brown as it is higher in nutrients.
- Thyme and rosemary - brings aroma and flavor to the soup.
- Chicken broth - the base of the soup. You want to use quality low-sodium broth.
- Chicken thighs - I liked the added flavor and fat of thighs.
- Lemon - adds a hint of acidity and freshness.
Ingredient Swaps
Like any recipe, you can mix up what you use. Some variations include:
- While I like brown rice with this recipe, white rice can be used too.
- I use dried herbs for ease, but fresh herbs work too. Just triple the amount as they aren't as potent.
- Usually you go with chicken broth for soup, but stock can be substituted. Broth is made from the meaty parts of the bird and is lighter than its stock counterpart. Broth is something you sip where stock is something you cook with.
- Chicken thighs are my go-to for soup, but chicken breasts work as well.
Step-by-Step Photos
Please note full ingredient list and instructions of these tacos can be found in recipe card below.
Sauté the mirepoix for 5 minutes before mixing in the rice, garlic, herbs, salt and pepper.
Add the broth and chicken. Close lid and turn vent to "sealing." Set Instant Pot to "manual" and time for 10 minutes. Allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes.
Shred the chicken, add back to the soup and stir in fresh lemon juice. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
FAQs
Yes. Just throw all the ingredients in a slow cooker and cook on high for 2 ½-3 hours or low for 5-6 hours and then shred the chicken and serve.
Yes of course. Sometimes I do this myself. You'll want to add about 4 ½ cups of shredded rotisserie chicken to the soup.
Yes. And bonus is it doesn't require extra cooking time. The Instant Pot just takes longer to come to pressure.
You can try the old fashion way of using two forks or shred chicken with a hand mixer, which has actually changed my life. It is done in 30 seconds.
There is nothing wrong with having a big batch of soup to use whenever you need.
To store in the fridge, just let come to room temperature and place in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. When reheating, you might need to add more broth as the rice soaks it up.
To store in the freezer, place in airtight container in freezer for 3 up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let that overnight in the fridge. Reheat on the stove and add more broth if needed.
Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
- Use pre-shredded rotisserie chicken to make the soup even quicker.
- Replace dried herbs with fresh herbs if needed. Just triple the amount.
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the soup more mouth feel.
- If the soup is too thick for your tastes, just add some extra broth.
Other Soup Recipes
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot chicken and rice soup or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium sweet onion, diced
- 3 carrots, peeled and diced
- 2 stalks celery, diced
- 1 cup uncooked brown rice
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 ½ lbs boneless chicken thighs
- 1 lemon, juiced
Instructions
- Add olive oil and set the Instant Pot to "sauté" setting. Add the onion, carrots and celery, cooking for 4-5 minutes or until the onion is translucent.
- Add the rice, garlic, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper, cooking for another minutes.
- Pour in the chicken stock and add the chicken. Close lid and turn vent to "sealing." Set Instant Pot to "manual" on high pressure and set for 10 minutes. Allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Remove the chicken and shred with two forks before adding back to the soup. Stir in the lemon juice and taste, adjusting for seasoning if needed.
Notes
- Use pre-shredded rotisserie chicken to make the soup even quicker.
- Replace dried herbs with fresh herbs if needed. Just triple the amount.
- Use quality low-sodium chicken broth as it contributes to the flavor. You can also use chicken stock which gives the soup more mouth feel.
- If the soup is too thick for your tastes, just add some extra broth.
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