Instant Pot Chicken Rice Soup

This instant pot chicken rice soup makes plenty for an entire family. You might even have some soup leftover for lunch the next day or to stash in your freezer! And even better, it’s just as good for you as it is delicious! It's filling, yet light, with the addition of a secret ingredient that makes it creamy without any added dairy or cream!

Course Lunch, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 35

Total Time 45

Servings servings

Calories 191kcal

Author Alana Lieberman

Cost $15

Equipment

instant pot or pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 onion chopped
3 celery stalks chopped
3 carrots chopped
olive oil for drizzling
1 cup white or brown mushrooms sliced and halved
6 to 8 garlic cloves minced
1 cup wild rice uncooked (see notes)
2 chicken breasts whole
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 bay leaf
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 cups chicken broth (1 quart)
2 cups water
2 eggs
½ cup frozen peas
1 lemon juiced

Instructions

Chop and prepare all the vegetables.
Put the instant pot on the saute setting and lightly drizzle the bottom of the pot with some olive oil. Saute the onion, celery, and carrot for about 5 minutes until the onions become tender.
Add the garlic and mushrooms. Give it a stir to prevent it all from sticking.
Top the veggie mixture with the wild rice, chicken breasts, thyme, bay leaf, oregano, salt, and pepper. Gently stir again. Then, pour in the chicken broth and water.
Cover the instant pot and cook it on high pressure in the “sealing” setting for 35 minutes.
After the time is up, allow it to sit for 5 to 10 minutes, then do a quick release by carefully moving the lever to the “venting” position with a kitchen towel to block the steam.
Once the pressure is fully released, remove the lid. Carefully pull out the bay leaf and chicken breasts. Throw away the bay leaf and place the chicken in a separate dish. Shred the chicken with two forks.
In a small bowl, whisk the eggs. Slowly whisk in a small ladle of hot soup broth to temper the eggs. This process warms them without cooking or scrambling them. Once the broth is incorporated into the eggs, add the mixture into the rest of the soup. Mix it in to make the broth smooth and creamy.
Top the soup off with the frozen peas (they will defrost in the soup), as well as the lemon juice and shredded chicken. Then, adjust the salt and pepper to your taste, serve in individual bowls, and enjoy!

Notes

The cook time for this recipe was developed specifically for wild rice. I don’t advise using a wild rice blend because the different grains cook at uneven times, causing the rice to get mushy. If you want to substitute the wild rice with uncooked brown rice, adjust the cooking time to 13 minutes with a 10 minute natural release. After the 10 minutes are up, do a quick release.
The eggs are a great dairy-free way to thicken the broth and make it taste a little richer. If you want, you can omit the eggs, but the broth will be thinner and less creamy.
You can store this chicken soup in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. It also freezes really well. Allow the soup to cool completely, ladle it into freezer-safe airtight containers, and store it in the freezer for up to 4 to 6 months. To reheat, place the soup in the refrigerator overnight to defrost, then place it in a soup pot to warm through just before eating.

Nutrition