Description
This Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup is a hearty, nutritious, and flavorful meal perfect for any day. Packed with fresh vegetables, tender chicken breasts, and a blend of aromatic herbs, it's a comforting soup made quickly using the convenience of an Instant Pot. The addition of a creamy starch slurry at the end creates a satisfying texture without heavy cream, making it light yet fulfilling.
Ingredients
Soup Base
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 sweet onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- 4 cups chicken broth (regular sodium)
Vegetables
- 4 stalks celery, cut into ½-inch pieces
- ¾ pound carrots, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 1 medium zucchini, cut into ½-inch slices
- 1 yellow squash, cut into ½-inch slices
Protein
- 1 pound chicken breasts, cut into 4-ounce portions
Seasonings
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon dried rosemary
- ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
- ¼ teaspoon paprika
- ½ - 1 ½ teaspoons salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Thickening Slurry
- ½ cup almond milk (or milk/cashew milk), warm
- 3 tablespoons tapioca starch (or corn starch)
Instructions
- Saute the Onion: Set your Instant Pot to the sauté function. Add olive oil, then the finely diced onion and crushed garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant, then add chicken broth. Scrape the bottom of the pot thoroughly to loosen any stuck bits, which helps prevent burning during pressure cooking.
- Add Veggies, Chicken, and Seasoning: Add celery, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, and yellow squash to the Instant Pot and stir gently to combine. Place chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk together dried thyme, rosemary, tarragon, paprika, salt, and pepper, then add this seasoning mix to the pot evenly.
- Pressure Cook: Seal the Instant Pot's pressure release valve and set the cooker to high pressure for 8 minutes. After the cooking cycle completes, allow the soup to naturally release pressure for 10 minutes (10 minute NPR) before carefully turning the valve to release any remaining pressure. Once safe, open the lid and shred the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces within the soup.
- Make the Slurry: While the soup is cooking, whisk together the warm almond milk and tapioca starch in a small bowl until smooth, forming a slurry. Add this slurry into the pot and stir well to thicken the soup slightly, creating a creamy consistency without heavy cream.
- Serve: Ladle the chicken vegetable soup into bowls and serve warm, accompanied by crackers or bread for a wholesome meal. Enjoy your nourishing and comforting soup!
Notes
- To make the soup gluten-free, ensure the chicken broth and starch are gluten-free.
- For a richer texture, substitute almond milk with whole milk or cashew milk.
- You can adjust the salt according to dietary preferences.
- Shredding the chicken directly in the pot makes serving easier and allows the flavors to meld.
- Use fresh herbs if available, but dried herbs work well in this recipe.
