Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup: Quick & Easy Recipe

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 3 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil); 1/2 cup onion (minced); 1/2 cup celery (chopped ); 1 cup carrots (thinly sliced); 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or thighs (cubed); 1/2 cup dry white wine (or additional stock); 4 cups chicken stock; 2 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary (minced); 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon pepper; 1 1/2 cups egg noodles; 1-2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (optional)

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This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup recipe delivers a comforting soup made with a rich broth, tender chicken, and perfectly cooked noodles in record time.

Bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup next to Instant Pot.

Whether you are feeling under the weather or craving comfort, nothing hits the spot quite like a bowl of Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup.

And this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is the recipe I turn to when I want to deliver a cozy soup FAST.

Made with tender veggies, plump, juicy chicken, and a rich broth seasoned with thyme and dry wine, this soup cooks in less than 30 minutes, yet it lacks nothing in terms of flavor. In fact, I rank this soup as one of my all-time favorite soups EVER. It is just so good!

Just like my recipes for Instant Pot Chicken & Dumplings and Instant Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup, this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup tastes as though has simmered for hours and came straight from your grandparent's kitchen. Yet this hearty, soul-satisfying soup is a simple 30-minute meal perfect for any night of the week.

Notes on Ingredients

Ingredients for chicken noodle soup labled on counter.

Chicken: Use either boneless, skinless chicken thighs or chicken breasts for this chicken noodle soup.
Chicken Stock/Broth: Use low-sodium store-bought or homemade chicken stock. This is a great time to use instant pot chicken stock if you have it on hand.
White Wine: Adding a dry white wine, such as Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, or Pinot Grigio, adds an amazing depth of flavor to this otherwise simple soup. While it does not need to be an expensive bottle of wine, I do recommend using a wine worth drinking for the best results. And if you don't care to cook with alcohol, omit the wine and use additional chicken stock.
Onion: For best results, use a white or yellow onion, not a sweet or red onion.
Celery: Celery will add a nice fresh, classic flavor to this chicken noodle soup. I recommend chopping up the leaves of the celery as well as the ribs, as they add a nice fresh flavor to the soup.
Carrots: Be sure to slice your carrots into coin slices that are no thicker than ½-inch, so that they cook up perfectly in the allotted cooking time.
Egg Noodles: The cooking time for this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is based on using regular or whole wheat egg noodles. Keep in mind that if you use another type of noodles the timing may change.
Thyme: Fresh sprigs of thyme add a slightly floral taste to the soup, making it taste as though it came from a high-end restaurant. If you don't have fresh thyme, you can use dried thyme leaves, not ground thyme, as the flavor is not the same.
Rosemary: Minced fresh rosemary leaves or dried rosemary adds a nice earthy flavor to the soup and pairs really well with the chicken and thyme.
Lemon Juice: To add brightness and a pop of flavor to Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. It will take your soup to next level of deliciousness.

How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

While this is an incredibly simple recipe, if you are unfamiliar with cooking in an Instant Pot or the functions of your Instant Pot, be sure to start with How to Use an Instant Pot for the best results on this and future recipes. You will find the full recipe in detail in the recipe card below.

Turn the instant pot to saute, add in the butter, and let the butter melt.
Once the butter has melted, add in the onions, celery, and carrots. Saute this mixture for a couple of minutes, allowing the onions to begin to just soften.
Add in the cubed chicken, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and saute the chicken with the vegetables, allowing it to brown slightly on all sides, stirring often. We aren't looking for a golden brown color or a hard sear. Instead, you just want to saute your chicken, just until it is a pale white on all sides. The chicken will finish cooking under pressure.

Side by side photo showing instant pot with chicken and vegetables before and after sauteeing.

With the saute function still going, add in white wine and use a wooden spoon or spatula to scrape up browned bits on the bottom of the inner pot. This is a crucial step to help to prevent a burn warning and it also adds additional flavor to your soup.
Allow the alcohol to simmer for 1-2 minutes, to slightly reduce and intensify in flavor. Then hit cancel on the pressure cooker to turn off the saute function.
To the inner pot, add the chicken stock, thyme, rosemary, and season with another pinch of salt and pepper.
Add the noodles to the inner pot and gently push them down into the liquid until just submerged. This will help them to cook evenly in the soup.

Side by side picture of instant pot before and after submerging noodles into broth.

Place the lid on the Instant Pot, seal the lid, and set it to cook on HIGH pressure for 3 minutes. Because of the pressurized cooking, it only takes 3 minutes for the chicken and noodles to be perfectly cooked and the soup to develop a rich, delicious flavor.
Once cook time has elapsed, let the Instant Pot release pressure for exactly 5 minutes. This will ensure that the noodles have finished cooking, but will not be overcooked.
After 5 minutes have passed, use caution to do a quick release of the remaining pressure. To do this, use a long wooden spoon or spatula of some sort and slowly push the venting knob from the sealed to the venting position. Be sure to stand back to prevent yourself from coming in contact with hot liquid or steam.
Once the pressure has been released, open the lid. Remove the sprigs of thyme and stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Chicken noodle soup cooked in inner pot of instant pot.

Serving Suggestions

Nothing pairs better with chicken noodle soup than bread of some sort. I love to serve this Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Homemade Whole Wheat Rolls, sliced Whole Wheat Dutch Oven Bread, or Homemade Biscuits.

If you want to round out the soup with salad, I suggest pairing this soup with a Caesar Salad or a simple tossed salad served with creamy ranch dressing.

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Served in White Bowl

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Video

If you learn better through video, watch me prepare this easy, cozy soup in my kitchen.

Recipe FAQs

Is it necessary to saute the vegetable first?

While you can skip sauteing the vegetables, this extra step helps to develop really great flavor in this chicken noodle soup. It only takes a few minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up, and just a few minutes for the vegetables to begin to soften and render out their juices.

Can this chicken soup be made with pre-cooked chicken?

If you are using leftover cooked chicken, there is no need to sear the meat. Simply add cubed or shredded chicken right into the pressure cooker after the cooking process. Place the lid back on the inner pot for 5 minutes to let the meat warm through before serving.

More Favorite Instant Pot Chicken Recipes

If you tried this recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, please leave a comment and review below. I love to hear from you!

This post was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2023.