Recipe for Chicken and Rice Soup Made in the Instant Pot

Using an Instant Pot pressure cooker is a fantastic method to whip up a homemade chicken and rice soup in no time, perfect for any evening. This soup boasts a healthy mix of tender chicken breasts, stock, and veggies, enhanced with basic pantry seasonings that are likely already in your kitchen.

While thyme and rosemary are recommended in this recipe, you can easily swap them out for an equal measure of an Italian seasoning mix. Alternatively, experiment with other herb blends like fines herbes or herbes de Provence for a twist.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

• 1 pound of boneless chicken breasts, either 2 large ones or 3 small ones
  

• 1 cup chopped onion

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 cup sliced celery

• 3 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice, about 2 cups

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

• A quarter teaspoon of crumbled dried rosemary or three-fourths teaspoon of freshly chopped rosemary
  

• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1/2 cup long-grain raw white rice

• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Steps to Make It

01.  Get all your ingredients together.

02.  Set your Instant Pot to sauté and pour in the olive oil. Once it reads "hot," add the chicken breasts. Cook each side for about 3 minutes until they're partially cooked and lightly browned on the outside. Take the chicken out and place it on a plate.

03.  Toss in the onion, garlic, celery, and carrots into the pot along with the thyme, rosemary, kosher salt, and pepper. Cook and stir for another minute.

04.  Pour in the chicken broth and rice, scraping the bottom to loosen any browned bits.

05.  Put the partially cooked chicken breasts back in.

06.  Seal the Instant Pot lid, ensuring the valve is set to seal. Choose the pressure cook or manual option, set it to high pressure, and set the timer for 3 minutes (it'll take about 13 minutes to pressurize and start cooking). After the timer ends, allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes. Then, switch the steam release valve to venting to release any remaining pressure.

07.  Take out the chicken breasts and shred them using two forks.

08.  Return the shredded chicken to the Instant Pot and mix in the chopped parsley. Sample the broth and make any necessary adjustments to the seasonings.

09.  Serve the soup in bowls and if you like, top it off with some extra parsley for garnish.

Recipe Variation

• If you're keen on using brown rice, here are a couple of adjustments you can make to this recipe. One option is to cook the brown rice separately either in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop, then stir it into the soup just before serving. Another approach is to prepare the soup using brown rice and frozen chicken breasts. Skip step 2, and once you've added the broth and rice, introduce the frozen chicken breasts. Instead of cooking for 3 minutes, set the timer for 15 minutes.
• For a more intense chicken taste, consider including 3 to 4 bouillon cubes or chicken base when you add the broth. Hold off on adding salt until you've tasted the final soup to ensure the seasoning is just right.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
197	Calories
5g	Fat
16g	Carbs
20g	Protein