Nourishing Instant Pot Chicken Soup (From Scratch)
This Instant Pot Chicken Soup will keep you warm and nourished all winter long. It makes a big batch so you can freeze any extra for later too.
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Servings: 6 people
Calories: 315kcal
Equipment
- 1 6 quart/5.6 litre Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 1 whole chicken (1.4kg or roughly 3 pounds)
- 2 carrots, chopped into chunks
- 1 celery stalk, chopped into large sections
- 1 leek top, chopped into large sections and washed well (can also use a chopped brown onion if preferred)
- 1 pink lady or fuji apple, chopped
- ½ bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), or flat leaf parsley
- 1 spent corn cob (optional)
- 4 slices of fresh ginger
- 1 star anise
- ½ tsp peppercorns
- ½ tsp coriander seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt
- 2-3 dried shiitake mushrooms (optional)
- 2 red dates/jujube (optional)
- ½ tsp licorice root (optional)
- A few pieces of dried lily bulb (optional)
- 6-7 cups water (use the amount that takes you to just under the max line on your instant pot)
- Lemon, baby spinach, soy sauce, mirin, sesame seeds, cooked rice noodles or egg noodles (all optional extras)
Instructions
- Press sauté on the instant pot and set the timer to 6 minutes.
- Dry fry the coriander seeds, star anise, ginger, and licorice (if using), and stir for a minute so the spices release their aroma.
- Add leek or onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes allowing them to brown and soften slightly.
- Pour in 2 cups of water to stop the cooking process, followed by another 2 cups.
- Add the remaining spices, and put the chicken on top, breast side up then sprinkle with the salt.
- Toss in the spent corn cob, apple and the remaining 2-3 cups of water.
- Add the coriander or parsley on top, close the lid and set to manual/pressure cook for 15 minutes.
- Press cancel on the instant pot and allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes. If the silver float valve is still raised after this time, manually release the remaining pressure by pressing the pressure release button.
- Carefully remove the chicken and shred the meat with two forks. Keep the frame to make a second batch of chicken stock. You can keep this in the fridge for a day or two or in the freezer for longer if you'll be making stock in future.
- Strain the liquid (which is now your chicken stock) through a colander into a large bowl. You can also line it with cheesecloth or a nut milk bag if you want to ensure no debris comes through. If you're having the soup now, take some of the strained carrot and the shiitake to add to it then discard the rest of the veg and spices.
- To assemble the soup add some of the shredded chicken, the reserved veg, and a big handful of baby spinach to a bowl. Pour over a couple of ladles of hot chicken broth, add a squeeze of lemon juice and follow with any seasonings and sauces you like. My go-to’s are a little soy, a dash of mirin, black pepper, a small squeeze of sriracha and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Video
Notes
To make this a classic chicken noodle soup add some cooked rice noodles or egg noodles to your bowl then add the chicken, veg and ladles of hot soup on top.
To make this on the stove top:
- Heat a large pot with a lid over medium heat. You'll need at least a 5 - 6L (6 quart) capacity.
- Dry fry the coriander seeds, star anise, ginger, and licorice (if using), and stir for a minute so the spices release their aroma.
- Add leek or onion, carrot, and celery. Cook for 3-5 minutes allowing them to soften slightly.
- Pour in 2 cups of water to stop the cooking process, followed by another 2 cups.
- Add the remaining spices, and put the chicken on top, breast side up then sprinkle with the salt.
- Toss in the spent corn cob, apple, coriander or parsley, and the remaining 2-3 cups of water.
- Completely cover the chicken with water. Depending on the size of your pot, the 6-7 cups should be sufficient. If it's not - just top it up with a little more.
- Place the lid on your pot and bring everything to a boil. Reduce heat to low, move the lid to the side a little so the pot is only partially covered, then simmer for 1 hour or until chicken is cooked through. You may want to skim the surface of the broth occasionally throughout the cooking process as scum can form there
- Remove from heat once cooked then remove chicken and shred the meat with two forks. Keep the frame to make a second batch of chicken stock. You can keep this in the fridge for a day or two or in the freezer for longer if you'll be making stock in future.
- Strain the liquid (which is now your chicken stock) through a colander into a large bowl. You can also line it with muslin or a nut milk bag if you want to ensure no debris comes through. I never bother with this. If you're having the soup now, take some of the strained carrot and the shiitake to add to it then discard the rest of the veg and spices.
- See the last two steps in the recipe above to assemble your soup bowl.
Nutrition
Serving: 300ml | Calories: 315kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 95mg | Sodium: 500mg | Potassium: 421mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 3918IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 2mg
