Only 10 minutes of active prep time for this comforting Chicken and Rice Soup! It's a breeze to make in the Instant Pot. 241 calories and 5 Weight Watchers Freestyle SP
Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe {Instant Pot}
Chicken and rice soup is one of those meals that I crave when the temperatures drop or when one of the season's pesky colds or coughs takes hold. No matter how much hand washing and Vitamin C popping we do, at least one virus manages to sweep through the family each year. Homemade soup recipes are the best tonic as soon as the sneezing and sniffling starts.
Out comes the Instant Pot for some chicken rice soup love! And why do I like making this soup in the Instant Pot as opposed to using the stovetop?
Two words...chopping chicken. We all have those tasks in the kitchen that we despise, right? One of mine is cutting up chicken to be sautéed. It's a completely irrational pet peeve and usually I just suck it up and do it anyways, but if I have an option to avoid it, I'm definitely taking the easy route!
Putting the chicken breasts in whole (then shredding) and having the option to use frozen chicken breasts (more on that in a moment) makes my life a whole lot easier. Plus, it means I can make this soup for dinner, even if I haven't remembered to defrost some chicken breasts earlier in the day.
How to make chicken and rice soup in the Instant Pot:
- Either frozen or defrosted chicken breasts can be used in this creamy chicken and rice soup. If using frozen chicken, it will take slightly longer for the Instant Pot to come to pressure.
- Start by using the Saute mode on your Instant Pot to soften the onions, carrots and celery. Next, add the garlic and herbs.
- Pour in the chicken broth, and add the chicken breasts and rice before sealing your pressure cooker and setting it to HIGH pressure.
- Once the cooking time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes, then use the quick release.
- Shred the chicken, stir in the parsley, season well with salt and pepper, and serve it up!
Do you cook rice before adding to soup?
- Nope! The uncooked rice is added at the same time as the broth and raw chicken breasts.
- This is a huge timesaver, especially since this recipe calls for brown rice. If you had to cook the brown rice ahead of time, that would require an additional 40 minutes or so. Another win for pressure cookers!
- Brown rice and chicken breasts have very similar cooking times when prepared in the Instant Pot, so the timing works out perfectly. I suggest sticking to brown rice in this recipe because white rice would become very overcooked.
- As the brown rice cooks and releases its starches, it produces a wonderfully creamy texture in this soup. Creamy without the cream!
Other healthy Instant Pot soups:
Instant Pot Lentil Soup with Sweet Potatoes {Cookin' Canuck}
Vegan Instant Pot Mushroom Soup {Cookin' Canuck}
Instant Pot Lebanese Chicken Soup {The Lemon Bowl}
Chicken Tortilla Soup {Add a Pinch}
Printable Recipe
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Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ½ yellow onion chopped
- 1 large carrot cut into thin half-circles
- 1 large stalk celery diced
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ¾ teaspoon crushed dried rosemary
- 5 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ cup brown rice uncooked
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground pepper
- ¼ cup minced flat-leaf parsley
- salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion, carrot and celery. Saute the vegetables, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary. Cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
- Add the chicken breasts, brown rice, salt and pepper to the Instant Pot.
- Put the lid on the Instant Pot, close the steam vent and set to HIGH pressure using the manual setting. Set the time to 13 minutes. It will take the Instant Pot about 15 minutes to reach pressure.
- Once the time is expired, use natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
- Transfer the chicken breasts to a cutting board, shred with 2 forks, then transfer back to the Instant Pot. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
monica
I omitted rosemary and used frozen chicken breast and wild rice as well as brown rice. doubled the recipe and set my instant pot for 18 min. this turned out delicious!! will make again for sure.
Stephen Surfaro
Hi Dara, this looks like a great recipe, and I've been looking for a way to use brown rice. BTW for some of your readers, I'd recommend using Nishiki Premium Brown rice available on Amazon, but I'm not sure of the cooking time with the stock. If you want to cook the brown rice separately, it is 23 min on high pressure. Nishiki White Rice is also available, but I would recommend cooking it separately (8 min on high). I have found I can't go back to any other rice - I've even stopped ordering Chinese take out as the rice is always of poor quality. I'll let you know how I do with the Nishiki brown rice and your recipe!
Cameron
This is the best recipe to show off the power of the Instant Pot that I've found to date. Frozen chicken and uncooked rice, it just seems to easy to be true. I also made some minor modifications, added some frozen peas and corn, and used a basmati rice and lentil mix that I had handy. Even with my changes, the recipe proved foolproof.
I'll be making this one again soon.
Ceci
Made this today and it is awesome. I did add a chopped, peeled apple (something I learned from Pioneer Woman) and a peeled, chopped jersey sweet potato because I had one. I added a little more broth. Will add this recipe to my favorites.
Dara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Ceci! I'll have to try the apple trick next time I make it.
Lisa
Can you use instant brown rice or would that overcook?
Dara
Hi Lisa, I would be concerned that the rice would become quite mushy.
Jennifer W
I'd just cook it up and add to each bowl.
Dale
I was just given an insta pot because, for some reason (which I CAN'T BELIEVE WHY) my friend said that it's collecting dust! Any way her loss is my gain! I just made this soup from frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs. My family is going crazy over it. Thank you so much for sharing.
Dara
That's great to hear, Dale! I hope you enjoy your new Instant Pot (lucky you!)
Susan Lee
I made the recipe one and a half times the amount, so I could give half to a friend who is feeling under the weather. Just waiting on the 10 minutes natural release now. I’ll post on Instagram, so you can see the end result. (#COOKINCANUCK)
Cynthia R
I received an Instant Pot for my birthday and this was the first recipe I tried. Holy cow, it was amazing! Definitely a keeper.
Dara
You're going to love your Instant Pot! So glad the recipe was a winner for you.
Zach
I used extra carrots and celery, and added three small yukon gold potatoes. Delicious recipe.
Dara
Thank you, Zach!
Rachel
I must admit, I didn't think this would be that great, but it was actually REALLY good. My husband and I both had 2 helpings!
Don, D
Hi Dara. Used Instant Pot for the first time Sunday 30, 2018. Selected Chicken Rice soup . Made few changes, use natural herbs from garden , two carrots two celery . One word to describe recipe ( Awesome) Looking for another great recipe. Thank You
Dara
I'm so glad you enjoyed it, Don!
Cruz
I’m new to the instapot. I have a crockpot version. After you add all the ingredients, do you leave it on the sauté setting or switch to the soup setting?
Dara
You switch to the Manual/Pressure (it's different depending which Instant Pot you have) setting and cook on high pressure.
Barbara
Has anyone tried quinoa instead of rice?
DebS
I thought the same thing! Did you try with quinoa?
judith judge
can you use rotierie chicken and maybe ad dit at the end
Dara
Judith, that should work. I hope you enjoy the soup!
Leah
Delicious and fragrant soup!! I made it with 1 1/2 times most of the ingredients. I added a handful of spinach at the end with the parsley. I cooked mine on high 20 minutes to allow for the extra food. I will definitely make this again maybe as soon as this pot is done! Thank you for making this easy. Love it.