My Grandma’s homemade Instant Pot Chicken Soup is a warm, nourishing soup perfect for cold winter days or when you’re feeling under the weather. Use a whole chicken or any bone-in chicken parts and fresh vegetables.
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❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
When I shared my Grandmother’s homemade chicken soup recipe on my blog, I didn’t expect such a massive outpouring of emails, notes, and ratings. That chicken soup-from-scratch recipe has been getting rave reviews everywhere.
My Grandma’s chicken soup is made on the stovetop and takes 2-3 hours to reach full flavor. While the soup’s aroma was phenomenal, my busy lifestyle doesn’t always allow me to simmer it for hours on the stove.
I have transformed the recipe so I can easily make the chicken soup in the Instant Pot. When you make chicken soup in a pressure cooker, the flavors combine even more, making it out-of-this-world amazing. The chicken is fall-off-the-bone tender!
Our family loves chicken soup…for more delicious chicken recipes, check out the best homemade chicken recipes on my blog.
A Note From My Kitchen
Welcome to one of my favorite recipes on the blog. My grandmother’s chicken soup has been a source of wonderful memories for most of my life. Over the years, it has become a viral sensation, bringing joy to thousands of people.
When testing to make an Instant Pot version of her soup, it took several tries to get the right balance of chicken and flavor from the vegetables. For me, the sweet spot was adding an equal amount of celery and carrots. Parsnips and rutabagas add more sweetness, and they are delicious add-ins I recommend you try.
Ingredient Notes and Easy Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Whole Chicken – I typically buy organic chicken. Make sure to remove the giblets bag before you cook this recipe. I made the mistake of forgetting once, and so on. The chicken should be on the smaller side to fit in the Instant Pot along with the vegetables. Swap bone in chicken parts if you don’t have a whole chicken.
- Parsnips – (Optional) Similar in flavor to a carrot but a little sweeter. These are optional but add great flavor!
- Onions – Use yellow onions.
- Celery – Use as much as you like
- Carrots – I love to use a lot of carrots for flavor.
- Garlic – Minced fresh or jarred garlic is okay to use.
- Chicken Broth – This gives a boost of flavor.
- Parsley – fresh parsley is delicious; I often use fresh dill instead for a bit of extra flavor.
This soup is also healthy because it is made with chicken bones, which yield a savory bone broth rich in minerals! If you want a heartier Instant Pot Chicken recipe, try this homemade Gluten-Free Chicken Stew recipe.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Soup (Step-By-Step)
Are you ready to try this easy Instant Pot chicken soup recipe?
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This is a dump-and-go, aka an easy, minimal prep soup recipe. There is no need to use the fancy Instant Pot sauté button. I dump all of the ingredients into my Instant Pot.
I used an 8 Qt Instant Pot, which I think you need for this homemade chicken soup recipe.
Step 1: Add your chicken, vegetables, and seasoning to the Instant Pot. Don’t forget to remove the giblet bag! Many ask if you need to rinse the chicken before adding it to the Instant Pot. You do not need to rinse the chicken.
Step 2: Add in the combination of chicken broth and water. Take note of the fill line!! You do not want to overfill your Instant Pot!!
Step 3: Seal your Instant Pot and set it to Soup/Broth. Add extra time to your model so this soup cooks for 40 minutes.
Allow the Instant Pot to depressurize, or use the quick-release feature if your model has it.
Step 4: Check the internal temperature with a digital meat thermometer to ensure your chicken is at 165º F.
Tips For Success:
- Make this Instant Pot Whole Chicken Soup recipe with a good-quality chicken broth. Try not to use bouillon because many are not gluten-free.
- If you don’t have a whole chicken, you can use chicken legs, a half chicken, or even chicken breasts.
- Ensure enough water is added for the Instant Pot’s size.
Frequently Asked Questions:
This chicken soup recipe does NOT have to be made in an Instant Pot… feel free to make it in a slow cooker or on the stovetop. Use what you have! Here are the directions to make my Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup on the stove.
I would not cook noodles with soup, especially gluten-free noodles. They will turn to absolute mush over the 40-minute cooking time. Cook the noodles separately.
Store this soup in your refrigerator in an airtight container. I like to store my chicken and soup separately. It will keep up to 5 days.
You may also love this Chicken and Rice Soup with Mushrooms.
More Gluten-Free Instant Pot Recipes:
The Instant Pot has become a great way to get dinner on the table quicker. Here are more delicious recipes you can make in the Instant Pot.
- This Vegetable Soup With Shredded Chicken is hearty enough to make a great meal!
- My family loves this simple Instant Pot Creamy Tuscan Chicken Pasta, even my picky eater.
- This is my Grandma’s homemade Cabbage and Meatballs recipe, but made in an Instant Pot. Instant Pot Unstuffed Cabbage Rolls Meatballs.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 pound whole chicken Find a small chicken that fits in your IP.
- 5 chopped carrots *You can use a combination of carrots and parsnips if you prefer
- 2 chopped stalks celery
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 diced onion
- 2 teaspoons dried basil
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 1 quart chicken broth
- water to get to fill line
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
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Instructions
- Add 5 chopped carrots, 2 chopped stalks celery, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1 diced onion, and 2 pound whole chicken to the Instant Pot.
- Add 2 teaspoons dried basil, 2 teaspoons dried thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and 1 quart chicken broth to the Instant Pot. Add water the rest of the way to the fill line.
- Close the Instant Pot and be sure the lid is locked. Choose Soup/Broth and extra time (it should read 40 minutes.)
- When the Instant Pot is done, do NOT just open the Instant Pot. You need to let the Instant Pot depressurize according to the directions. Some models of pressure cooker have a quick release. Please follow your brand of Instant Pot or pressure cooker directions to use the quick-release option.
- To ensure your chicken is cooked, make sure the chicken is at an internal temperature of 165º F
- Serve this soup hot. Optional add rice or gluten free noodles.
- Note: The chicken will be fall off the bone soft. I recommend lifting the chicken out of the Instant Pot with a pair of tongs and a large spatula under the chicken. Lift it out of the soup onto a large plate. Do this carefully because the soup will be very hot.
Video
Notes
- 1. Note, you can make this chicken soup stovetop in a pot by following my Grandma’s chicken soup recipe.
- The real benefit to this soup is using the bones so the nutrients can cook into this soup. You can use boneless chicken, you just won’t get the same depth of flavors and nutrients.
- This soup will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 4 months in the freezer.
- Add chicken meat to the soup.
- Use the chicken to make chicken salad.
- Shred the chicken and include it in tacos, enchiladas, or on top of nachos.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older January 2019 post with more recipe details.
I truly hope you enjoy this recipe. I have been testing and creating gluten-free recipes for over 15 years. Creating gluten-free recipes that do not taste gluten-free is my goal for every recipe. Sometimes I only have to test a new recipe a couple of times, and others it takes multiple times. I do this so you get reliable, delicious results every time!
I just ran across this recipe and I’m excited to try it! Thank you for the detail! I read the reviews and I’m sorry for the negative. We are SO lucky to be able to google and get whatever we want and whenever. I love that there is so much detail and info about your grandma making it and that we can also skip to recipe. Thank you for taking the time to put yourself out there on the internet so we don’t have to! 🙂 And for responding to every single message!
Thank you so much, Katie. I truly appreciate your kind words. I hope you enjoy my grandmother’s recipe (IP version.)
Made this soup last week and it was so easy and delicious I am making it again today. Thank you!
I am really glad you loved it enough to make it again! Thank you, Mary!
I didn’t make it yet I have everything in the pot but my pot doesn’t have a soup button it just a pressure button I guess that’s what I push yes thanks for the recipe
Hi Kat, what brand do you own?
I have an Instant Pot Duo crisp air fryer. No soup button. Do I just use manual setting?
Hi Rosanne, I have no experience with the duo, so I don’t know how to advise you. You can make it in a soup pot: https://www.fearlessdining.com/grandmas-homemade-chicken-soup/
The Soup button is just a pre-set, it’s still a pressure cook setting. It’s basically just a suggestion of what temp and time and temp to cook soup (it suggests 30 mins at High Pressure). So using the soup button and changing the time or using the pressure button and choosing your time is the exact same thing.
Hi Shannon, thank you so much for clarifying.
Fantastic dump and go recipe for the IP! Absolutely delicious and it reminded me of Chicken Soup from the Jewish Deli I used to go to in college. I used a whole 4lb chicken and a mixture of parsnips and carrots. I also added a bay leaf to the pot. I did do a 30 minute natural release and I added salt and pepper to taste after adding some pulled chicken back to the soup. My husband loved it! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I am so glad you loved this soup recipe. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know! I love adding parsnips as well!
How can you write a recipe for the IP w/out including natural or instant release? You don’t have to warn people not to just “open it up” since of course it won’t open under pressure. Guess I’ll check out other recipes to find the release method. FYI, you might wanna include this info. Thanks.
Hi Barb, I agree opening an Instant Pot is important to do it right. There are several manufacturers and often the directions vary slightly. Do you think having just one set of manufacturer directions is enough?
Too much talking…. To save time using an Insta pot you don’t have to waste time reading a message
Hi Linda, I am really sorry to inconvenience you with talking in a well-tested, delicious recipe that I provided to you for free. It also sounds like you missed the giant “Jump to Recipe” button at the very top of my free recipe, so you could by-pass all of my talking. You probably wouldn’t have even found my recipe if I didn’t include all of those things that Google requires in order to even show up in search results. There are people, with feelings behind the free recipes and being a little nicer goes a long way for karma.
Making it right now, but quick question.
Do I let it do a slow depression or should I do a quick release?
I let it go slowly, but you can do a quick release if you are familiar with how to do it safely with your brand of pressure cooker.
This was absolutely delicious and so easy! I used the frozen chicken legs and beef bone broth. Added some ginger as well. The meat fell right off the bone and it was so tender. I’d say be careful releasing the pressure- it might splatter your kitchen if you do it too soon. Just caught Covid and thank goodness for this soup I can survive for a few days! Thank you ❤️
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know you loved the recipe. I will have to add some ginger next time! I hope you feel better soon.
It’s in the pot right now! I LOVE that there is no sautéing the veggies nor precooking the chicken!
I am so glad you are enjoying the recipe!!
This is such a wonderful and versatile recipe. I have made it from whole fresh chickens, whole frozen chickens, Costco rotisserie chickens, and random pieces of chicken. It always turns out wonderful. My family loves it, especially the leftovers, too!
I am so glad you love this Instant Pot version of my Grandma’s soup. Thank you so much for coming back to let me know. Have a great weekend.
Turned out perfectly. Absolutely delicious, thank you!
I am so glad you loved this Instant Pot version of my Grandma’s soup!
I can’t have chicken broth/stock. Would I just use water?
You can definitely use water, but you will need to up the quantity of veggies, garlic, and seasoning.