Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken

Name: Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Shredded Chicken
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 pound boneless chicken breasts; 32 ounces low sodium chicken broth; 1/3 cup onion, diced; 1 cup carrots, diced; 1/2 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

January 8, 2019 By Sandi Gaertner 32 Comments

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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!

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!

top view of a bowl of chicken vegetable soup. A blue napkin and spoon are next to the plate.

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!

Table of Contents

Is this Instant Pot 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.

A white bowl full of chicken vegetable soup. Garnished with chopped cilantro

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!

Shopping List:

Chicken breasts (boneless)
Chicken broth
Diced tomatoes
Garlic
Basil
Vegetables (look in your refrigerator)
Salt and pepper

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?

How to make Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Chicken:

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.

uncooked chicken and vegetables in an instant pot

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

What vegetables can I use in this soup recipe?

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!

adding diced tomatoes and broth to the Instant Pot

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).

a bowl of vegetable soup with a blue denim napkin and spoon

Can you male this vegetable chicken 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 Vegetable 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 vegetable 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 this flavorful Instant Pot vegetable soup recipe?

shredding chicken breasts on a cutting board

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 Instant Pot vegetable 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:

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