Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken

I feel like my Instant Pot is becoming more and more useful as a timesaver for our family. This easy  Instant Pot Vegetable Soup recipe with lots of shredded chicken is no exception.

Full of hearty shredded chicken and your favorite fresh vegetables, my grandmother's vegetable soup recipe is just as good when made in my pressure cooker!

This homemade chicken vegetable soup recipe is special. It is hearty enough for a meal, yet it is comforting too. I remember my grandmother telling me this is a great soup for using up vegetables that may go bad.

A long time ago, you never wasted food. This chicken tomato vegetable soup recipe is perfect to prevent food waste. Open your refrigerator up. What vegetables will go bad soon? Use those in this recipe. The flavor of the soup will carry through with any vegetables you have on-hand."

You will find this chicken soup perfect for those cold days, or when you need a hearty lunch. This soup is also low calorie, so there is no guilt if you enjoy that second bowl!

Don't forget to check out all of my gluten free soup recipes on the blog...if you love chicken soup as we do, you want to try all of the variations!

Is this vegetable soup healthy?

Absolutely, just don't tell your kids!! This soup is filled with foods that are full of rich nutrients, and it also has wholesome ingredients. Broccoli has fiber, vitamins A, C, K, and B6, as well as potassium and folate.

Carrots are known to have lots of beta-carotene, vitamin A, and potassium. Peas are loaded with riboflavin, copper, and protein just to name a few things. 

Grandma's chicken tomato vegetable soup is naturally gluten free (YAY!), paleo, whole30, keto, and perfect for anyone with food allergies. It is comfort food in a bowl! Just add gluten free crackers!

This pressure cooker vegetable soup can be made easily in either a pressure cooker or an Instant Pot. Each has slightly different operating instructions so the most important thing is to read the directions of the pressure cooker brand you choose to use.

I have used both the Instant Pot and the Corsori pressure cookers. Both are easy to use and have a ton of safety features in place, so don't let it intimidate you!

Are you ready to see how I made my grandmother's vegetable soup in the pressure cooker?

Recipe step by step instructions:

The first step is to add olive oil to the Instant Pot and sauté the onions and garlic on the Sauté setting for 5 minutes.

Add the vegetables and raw chicken breasts to the Instant Pot. I used fresh peas, carrots, and broccoli.

Vegetable ideas:

I love to call this compost soup. I look for the vegetables that may spoil soon that are in my refrigerator. More fun vegetables to use include:

• Green beans
• Corn
• Cauliflower
• Parsnips
• Potatoes (sweet and white varieties)
• Any other delicious veggies you have on-hand!

Add a can of unsalted diced tomatoes, chicken broth, and seasonings. Now you want to seal up by turning the lid pressure lock on. your Instant Pot, make sure it is locked properly and cook on the Soup setting (for Instant Pot).

Can you make this soup without chicken?

You can easily omit the chicken in this recipe. Just add extra veggies so you don't have a ton of broth with no veggies.

Can you make this soup stovetop?

Yes! You can definitely make this soup on the stove. I brown the onions and vegetables for 5 minutes, then literally dump the raw chicken breasts and broth/water/seasonings into the pot. Cover and bring to boil. Once the soup is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 30 minutes.

Remove the chicken and shred it. Add it back to the soup and serve hot.

Can I make soup in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can make chicken and vegetable soup in the slow cooker. Saute garlic and onion in olive oil for approximately five minutes or until the onions are fragrant and translucent. Then add them and the rest of the ingredients to the slow cooker.

Cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 4-5 hours. Right before serving, shred chicken. It is easiest if you can remove the chicken from the slow cooker to shred it, but do whatever works most comfortable for you.

What to serve with soup?

• Simple Gluten Free Cornbread
• Gluten Free Grilled Cheese Sandwich With Brie, Apples, And Bacon
• Gluten Free Pepper Jack Grilled Cheese

How do you shred chicken?

I use two forks to shred chicken. The photo above is from a different recipe, but it shows you how to pull apart the chicken. If you prefer, these Meat Claws can shred your chicken even faster with less work. I am planning to get a pair soon to try them out.

Another option for shredding chicken is to place the cooked breasts into your stand mixer. Use the paddle attachment on low speed, and it will shred it up rather quickly.

Can I freeze the soup?

Yes, you can freeze shredded chicken vegetable soup. The soup will last approximately 6-8 months in the freezer without affecting the taste. There are a couple of options on how to store the vegetable soup in the freezer.

I like to use freezer bags and fill them ⅔ full of the soup. Make sure to get all the air out of the bag. Lay the bag flat in the freezer until it is frozen. Then you can stand the freezer bag up to make more room in the freezer.

Another option is to use an air-tight plastic or glass container. I think it freezes easier in a glass container over plastic because you can heat it right in that bowl. But, choose the method you prefer.

To thaw the soup, set it on the counter or in the refrigerator until it is softened. Then you can heat it back up in a pot on the stove or in the microwave.

More Delicious Soup Recipes to Try:

• Grandma's Chicken Soup from Scratch
• Shredded Chicken Taco Soup
• Corn and Potato Chowder

If you love chicken as much as we do, don't forget to check out all of my Gluten Free Chicken recipes!

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📖 Recipe

Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken

Sandi Gaertner

A flavorful hearty chicken vegetable soup that is made in an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.

4.67 from 68 votes

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Total Time 30 mins

Course Gluten Free Soup Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 161 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Instant Pot

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ▢ 1 pound boneless chicken breasts * see note
• ▢ 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth
• ▢ ⅓ cup onion diced
• ▢ 1 cup carrots diced
• ▢ ½ cup peas
• ▢ 1 cup broccoli
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic
• ▢ 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
• ▢ salt and pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoons fresh basil (or 2 teaspoons dried basil)
• ▢ 3 cups water
• ▢ 1 tablespoon olive oil

Instructions

 

• Add olive oil, garlic, and onion to the Instant Pot. Cook on sauté for 5 minutes.
• Add raw chicken, vegetables, diced tomatoes, seasonings, broth, and water.
• Close and lock the Instant Pot and cook on the soup setting.
• When the Instant Pot signals it is finished cooking, allow the Instant Pot to depressurize.
• Open the Instant Pot carefully and remove the chicken breasts. 
• Shred the chicken and add it back to the soup.
• Serve hot, garnish with fresh cilantro or basil.

Video

Notes

1. Feel free to use any vegetables you have on-hand for this recipe.
2. You can use different cuts of chicken if you like, you just won't have the shredded chicken.

To make this recipe stovetop:

1. add the oil and onion to the soup pot. Cook for 2 minutes and add the rest of the vegetables. 
2. Cook the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add the chicken (whole breasts), broth, and the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Cover and bring to a boil.
4. Boil for 15 minutes and reduce the temperature to low.
5. Simmer an additional 15-20 minutes
6. Remove the chicken breasts to a cutting board and shred the meat. Add it back to the soup.
7. Serve hot.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 161kcalCarbohydrates: 8gProtein: 16gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 161mgPotassium: 435mgFiber: 2gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 2945IUVitamin C: 20mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 1mg

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