My Grandma’s homemade Instant Pot Chicken Soup is a warm and nourishing soup that is perfect for cold winter days or when you’re feeling under the weather. Use a whole chicken, or any bone-in chicken and fresh vegetables.

A big bowl of chicken soup.

When I shared my Grandmother’s homemade chicken soup recipe on my blog, I didn’t expect such a huge outpouring of emails, notes, and ratings. That chicken soup-from-scratch recipe has been getting rave reviews everywhere.

The original recipe of my Grandma’s chicken soup is made on the stovetop and takes 2-3 hours to cook to full flavor. While the aroma of the soup was phenomenal, my busy lifestyle doesn’t always work to prepare it in that manner.

I have transformed the recipe so I can easily make the chicken soup in the Instant Pot. When you make pressure cooker chicken soup, the flavors combine even more to make it out of this world amazing. The chicken is fall off the bone moist!

Our family loves chicken soup…for more delicious chicken recipes, check out the best homemade gluten free chicken recipes on my blog.

Why does chicken soup make you feel better?

  1. The warm soup will help ease the pain in your throat. It is also believed that the soup has anti-inflammatory properties as well. Another reason that you feel better is that the heat from a hot bowl of soup can also aid in breaking up congestion.
  2. Many people call this Instant Pot Jewish chicken soup Jewish penicillin because it can help you feel better when you have a cold or flu. I know that when I am sick, nothing makes me feel better like a nice big bowl of yummy soup.
  3. Fresh ingredients add so much flavor to this soup. Foods like carrots, celery, and chicken.

Reader Rave

Even in rural Zambia, while working at a small mission hospital, I would make this soup every week. I would also make brown rice and keep both in the refrigerator. Whenever I needed something quick, I would heat up a bowl of this delicious soup and toss in some rice for an instant meal. Thank you. This is a wonderful recipe. Twasanta mwane means “thank you” in the Kikaonde language here in NW Zambia.” Allan., Pinterest comment

Made this last night! It was delicious! Packed full of flavor and nutrients. I didn’t have basil, so I used oregano. Husband who is a picky eater said I needed to save this recipe.”

Heather, L., Pinterest comment

Ingredient Notes:

Photos of the chicken soup ingredients.
  • One 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.
  • Parsnips are 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 are both 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 makes a savory bone broth full of nutrients! If you want a more hearty Instant Pot Chicken recipe, try this homemade Gluten Free Chicken Stew recipe.

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.
A close up of a bowl of chicken soup.

Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:

Are you ready to try this easy Instant Pot chicken soup recipe?

Chicken soup steps 1 and 2 photos.

This is a dump, aka an easy, minimal prep 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.

Two bowls of soup next to a blue napkin.

Recipe FAQ:

How long do you cook soup in the Instant Pot?

Put on the cover and lock the lid down. Press Soup/Broth and cook. When this is done, use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature of your chicken. Use the extra time so that this cooks for 40 minutes total. When it is done, your chicken should be over 165º F.

Can you make this chicken soup recipe stovetop?

This chicken soup recipe does NOT have to be made in an Instant Pot…feel free to make it in a slow cooker or stovetop. Use what you have! Here are the directions to make my Grandma’s Homemade Chicken Soup on the stove.

How do you store chicken soup?

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.

How is an Instant Pot different than a crockpot?

A slow cooker cooks your food slower, so the meats, sauces, spices, and seasonings combine to create a flavorful dish. An Instant Pot has many functions. You can use it as a slow cooker or pressure cooker. You can even saute’ foods and use them to keep food warm.

Can you cook noodles in the Instant Pot with the chicken?

I would not cook noodles in with the soup, especially gluten free noodles. They will turn to absolute mush over the 40-minute cooking time.

If you don’t have an instant pot, you can make this delicious homemade chicken soup recipe on the stovetop just like my Grandmother did. You may also love this Chicken and Rice Soup with Mushrooms.

More Gluten Free Instant Pot Recipes:

Love This Recipe?

If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Include which flour blend you used. This helps others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!

A big bowl of chicken soup.

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Sandi Gaertner
My grandmother’s homemade chicken soup recipe, made in an Instant Pot. Easy step by step directions so you can enjoy this cold and flu busting soup!
4.93 from 13 votes
dairy free allergen icon
an egg free allergen icon
gluten free allergy icon
nut free allergen icon
soy free allergy icon
a sugar free allergen icon
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Gluten Free Soup Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 8 bowls
Calories 30 kcal

*As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases.

Equipment

  • Instant Pot

Ingredients
  

  • 1 ½ pounds Chicken *See note
  • 5 carrots chopped, *You can use a combination of carrots and parsnips
  • 2 stalks celery chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion
  • 2 teaspoons basil
  • 2 teaspoons thyme
  • 1 quart chicken broth
  • water to get to fill line
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper

Instructions
 

  • Add all vegetables and a whole chicken to the Instant Pot.
  • Add seasonings and chicken broth. Add water the rest of the way to the fill line.
  • Close the Instant Pot. 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.
  • To ensure your chicken is cooked, make sure the chicken is at an internal temperature of 165º F
  • Serve hot. Optional add rice or gluten free noodles.

Video

Notes

  1. 1. Note, you can make this chicken soup stovetop in a pot by following my Grandma’s chicken soup recipe.
  2. 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.
  3. This soup will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 4 months in the freezer.

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, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 30kcalCarbohydrates: 6gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1042mgPotassium: 241mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 6393IUVitamin C: 13mgCalcium: 27mgIron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

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.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating