Instant Pot Chicken Rice Soup is a delicious, nutritious, comforting soup that has tender juicy chicken, rice, fresh vegetables, and a flavorful broth. Perfect for soup season in cooler weather, or any night of the week you want a quick dinner. Homemade Chicken and Rice Soup is fresh and flavorful. This Instant Pot Chicken Soup with rice is total comfort food!
Instant Pot Chicken Rice Soup
If you are wanting a delicious soup to make in your Instant Pot, I highly recommend this pressure cooker chicken and rice soup recipe. This is a hearty soup with simple ingredients, and great flavor.
This is one of my favorite recipes, especially when I need a comforting soup on chilly days, or when not feeling well. This is the soup I make for our grandchildren, and the soup that I take to friends and neighbors who need a bit of comfort.
Why You'll Love This Pressure Cooker Chicken and Rice Soup
• This chicken soup recipe is delicious and nutritious.
• It is an easy recipe to make with wholesome, common ingredients.
• Versatile, as you can add different vegetables or use a different variety of rice to your taste.
What Goes Into This Chicken Rice Soup
Olive Oil - You can use olive oil, or a mix of olive oil and butter to sauté the veggies.
Onion, Carrot, Celery - This mix of fresh veggies is the perfect base for a flavorful chicken broth.
Bay Leaf - I always add one or two bay leaves to a pot of soup like this. They add an aromatic flavor that is delicious.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Thighs - Chicken thighs are tender and juicy. You can also substitute with boneless skinless chicken breasts.
Garlic - Minced garlic adds a savory flavor to soups. Use Garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic.
Herbs - Both fresh herbs and dried herbs will work. This chicken rice soup recipe calls for dried thyme and Italian seasoning for great flavor.
Salt & Black Pepper - Enhance the flavors with these essential spices.
Rice - I use long grain white rice. It does cook up soft, and that is how we enjoy it.
Chicken Broth - You can use homemade or store-bought chicken stock in this easy chicken and rice soup.
Fresh Parsley - Add some chopped fresh parsley after cooking for extra herby flavor.
Fresh Lemon Juice - Adds a bit of a bright flavor. Add after the soup cooks.
Simple ingredients that make a great tasting soup!
What Kind of Rice Can I Use?
- Types of Rice that can be used in this soup: You can use white, Jasmine, or brown rice in this soup recipe.
- This recipe as written calls for white rice.
- Brown rice needs a longer cooking time, but you can use a quick cooking brown rice (or parboiled brown rice), or add cooked brown rice after the soup is finished pressure cooking.
- You can use regular brown rice if you use whole chicken thighs or whole chicken breast so they withstand the longer cook time that the brown rice needs (12 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release). Also, the veggies will need to be cut larger as they will be very soft or mushy. As the brown rice cooks and releases its starches, it creates a creamy texture in this soup that is very nice.
- You can also use a wild rice blend. The cook time may be a little longer (I personally haven't tested this yet).
Do You Cook the Rice Before Adding to the Soup?
• Use uncooked rice for this recipe. White rice cooks in the same amount of time as the chicken and veggies.
• If you want to use cooked rice, simply add it after the soup has pressure cooked.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken?
- Yes, you can use frozen raw chicken breasts or thighs. Add them after sautéing the vegetables. Frozen chicken doesn't sauté well, so you will just add them in.
- If using frozen chicken, cooking time will be 12 minutes cook time, 10 minutes natural pressure release. Then shred chicken and add it back in to the pot.
- I recommend using brown rice (since it requires a longer cooking time) if you are going to use frozen chicken. Otherwise, you can add cooked rice to the soup after pressure cooking the soup.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Rice Soup
• Prep all of the ingredients; chop the veggies, cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces, measure out the spices, broth, etc. If you want to be able to feel chunks of carrot or celery in the soup, dice them larger.
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Turn on the Sauté mode. When hot, add the oil, onion, bay leaf, and celery. Cook for about 4 minutes until the vegetables start to soften.
• Add the chicken and cook a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
• Add the garlic and stir.
• Add a splash of the broth and stir to moisten and keep the contents from scorching.
• If the bottom of your pot has browned bits on it, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and get them all up (called Deglazing - this prevents the burn error). Use a little more broth if needed.
• Pour in the remainder of the chicken broth.
• Add the carrots to the pot.
• Add the spices to the pot, then add the uncooked rice and stir well.
• Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position, if not self-sealing.
• Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 3 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
• When the cook time has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (5 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release valve to the Venting position to quick release the remaining pressure/steam.
• When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid, turn off the pot, and discard the bay leaf.
• Add the chopped parsley and stir.
• If using the lemon juice, add and stir. Taste the soup and adjust salt, if needed, then serve.
Instant Pot Cabbage Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Tortellini Soup
Instant Pot 15 Bean Soup
Instant Pot Split Pea Soup
Instant Pot Albondigas Soup
Leftovers and Storage
• Keep leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat leftover soup on the stovetop or in the microwave. If too thick, you may need to add a little water when reheating.
• I don't recommend freezing soup with rice in it.
Recipe Notes and Tips
• Leftover rotisserie chicken or leftover cooked chicken meat can be used to make this Instapot chicken rice soup. If using precooked chicken, you will add it at the end.
• You can add other veggies to this soup, like root vegetables (diced turnip, rutabaga, parsnips, sweet potatoes), or broccoli, bell peppers, mushrooms or frozen mixed vegetables.
• If you want a creamy soup, after pressure cooking you can add some heavy cream and/or cubed cream cheese that has been slightly warmed.
You Might Also Like These Easy Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Instant Pot Creamy Italian Chicken Breasts
Instant Pot Shredded Chicken
Instant Pot Crack Chicken
If you liked this Instant Pot chicken and rice soup, let me know! You can leave a comment below with a star rating.
Instant Pot Chicken Rice Soup is a comforting, flavorful chicken soup made with simple ingredients.
- 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 1 Yellow Onion
- 1 lg Bay Leaf
- 3 ribs Celery, chopped
- 3 med Carrots, chopped
- 1 lb Chicken Thighs, cubed
- 3 cloves Garlic, pressed
- 5 cups Chicken Broth
- ½ teaspoon Dried Thyme Leaves
- ½ teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (or ¾ teaspoon table salt)
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ½ cup White Rice
- ¼ cup Fresh Parsley, chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice (optional)
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Prep all of the ingredients; chop the veggies, cube the chicken into bite-sized pieces, measure out the spices, broth, etc.
-
Turn on the Sauté setting. When hot, add the oil, onion, bay leaf, and celery. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables start to soften.
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Add the chicken and cook a couple of minutes, stirring frequently.
-
Add the garlic and stir. Add a splash of the broth and stir to moisten and keep the contents from scorching. If the bottom of your pot has browned bits on it, use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom and get them all up (called Deglazing - this prevents the burn error). Use a little more broth if needed.
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Pour in the remainder of the chicken broth and add the carrots to the pot.
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Add the spices to the pot, then add the uncooked rice and stir well.
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Close the lid and set the steam release knob to the Sealing position, if not self-sealing.
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Press the Pressure Cook/Manual button or dial, then the +/- button or dial to select 3 minutes. High Pressure. The pot will take several minutes to come to pressure.
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When the cook cycle has finished, turn off the pot and let it sit undisturbed for 5 minutes (5 minute natural release). Then turn the steam release knob to the Venting position to release the remaining steam/pressure.
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When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid, turn off the pot, and discard the bay leaf.
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Add the parsley and stir.
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If using the lemon juice, add and stir. Taste the soup and adjust salt, if needed.
*Chicken breasts can be used.
See the post for details on the rices and chicken that can be used.
Resources to Make This Recipe and More
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Shay
I made this soup today and it was a hit! The kids and hubby all liked it. Using chicken thighs made it better because they didn't dry out. I might try this with chicken breast though because we have some in the freezer.