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 Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup is a delicious meal made with onions, celery, carrots, chicken, garlic, broth, and white rice. This soup is quick and easy to make and perfect for a healthy weeknight meal. This gluten-free soup will be a family favorite in no time.

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

Making instant pot chicken and rice soup from scratch is so much tastier than buying it at the grocery store. It’s also much healthier since there are no added preservatives or ingredients. You know exactly what is going into your food, and that makes it the best by far. This 30-minute weeknight meal has simple ingredients and bold flavors! 

Set the Instant Pot to sauté mode and add the butter.

When the butter is melted, add the onion, celery, and carrot to the pot.

Sauté until the carrots are softened, then add the garlic and cook for an additional minute.

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with the spoon.

Add the water.

Place the chicken breast in the pot.

Season with salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the vent.

Set to pressure cook for 20 minutes.

When the cook time is up, allow the pot to naturally release pressure for five minutes, then do a quick release to remove remaining pressure.

Remove the chicken from the pot and chop into small pieces.

Turn off the Instant Pot and add the rice.

Stir to mix.

Place the lid on the pot and allow the rice to cook for five minutes, then add the chicken back to the pot.

Stir before serving.

Expert Tips 

Here are some tips that will help you make the best chicken soup you’ve ever tasted. 

• White rice will get mushy if it’s cooked too long, so make sure to add it after you’ve cooked the chicken.  
• Use brown or wild rice if you want to cook it at the same time as the chicken. 
• Check the rubber seal on the lid for tears before sealing. This can prevent the pot from building pressure. 
• Set the vent knob to the sealed position before starting the pressure. If it’s set to vent, the pressure will escape, and the food won’t cook.  

Variations 

While this soup is delicious exactly as it is, you can change it according to your tastes and preferences or what you already have in your pantry. Here are some suggestions you may enjoy: 

• Use chicken thighs or a whole chicken instead of chicken breasts.  
• Add other vegetables like spinach, asparagus, zucchini, yellow squash, mushrooms, green beans, peas, corn, or potatoes. 
• Cook the soup in a slow cooker or regular pot on the stove if you don’t have a pressure cooker.  
• You can use frozen chicken if you don’t have thawed chicken and cook for 5 more minutes. 
• Use rotisserie chicken and reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes since the chicken is already cooked. 

How to Serve 

This tasty instant pot chicken and rice soup pairs with side dishes like sheet pan garlic potatoes and green beans, puff pastry asparagus, or roasted carrots and mushrooms. 

How to Store 

Refrigerator: Store rice and chicken soup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days. 

Reheat: When you’re ready to eat it, scoop some soup into a bowl and reheat it in the microwave. You can also pour it into a pot and heat it up on the stove. 

Freeze: If you have a lot of leftover chicken and rice soup, you can freeze it for later. Scoop two cups of soup into a quart-size freezer bag, label and date it, and lay it down in the freezer. Continue to do this until all the soup is in bags. When they’re frozen, you can turn them upright to save space. 

 

FAQs 

Can you cook the rice at the same time as the chicken? 

You can cook the rice with the chicken if you’re using brown or wild rice. White rice will cook too quickly and become mushy. 

How can I make instant pot chicken and rice soup creamy? 

If you’d like to make this soup creamy, stir in ¼ cup of heavy cream after the soup has finished cooking. 

What kind of rice can I use in instant pot chicken soup? 

You can use white, brown, or wild rice in this instant pot chicken soup.