Making Italian chicken soup in the Instant Pot is a delicious but healthy meal option you can get on the table quickly. Loaded with tender chicken, veggies, pasta, and a savory broth, it’s simple but tasty comfort food without the guilt!
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As the New Year ushers in our fresh goals and aspirations, I know the “holiday heft” that results from eating extra cookies and treats leaves many of us looking to improve our eating habits.
Pushing the Reset button doesn’t have to be difficult, and it certainly doesn’t require us to eat cardboard-like food with no flavor.
This Instant Pot Italian chicken soup is the proof of that! This soup is pure gold, in my opinion. Really, SO good, yet SO simple! Isn’t that the way the best recipes tend to be?
I simply love making soups in my pressure cooker because it cooks everything so much faster, and I don’t have to babysit a pot while it simmers on the stove. I can go about my life while the pressure cooker does the work.
The flavors meld together quickly in the Instant Pot, and the result is a beautifully delicious soup that’s ready in a fraction of the time. In fact, it’s one of our favorite Instant Pot chicken soups!
This is perfect alongside some Instant Pot dinner rolls!
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Italian Chicken Soup
Aside from being ridiculously quick to make, it’s easy! Everything cooks together as a one-pot meal, so there’s very little clean-up when it’s all said and done.
It’s full of good-for-you stuff. Tender chicken breast chunks, carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, and kale, and a savory broth flavored with Italian seasonings. Then, the addition of some ditalini pasta rounds it out.
And–if you want to add a touch of richness to the soup, you can add in a little cream at the end. But it’s not necessary if you’re going dairy-free or want to save the calories. I’ve had the soup both ways, and it’s delicious either way.
Below, you can see what it looks like without the addition of cream.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes You’re Sure to Love:
- Instant Pot Zuppa Toscana
- Pasta e Fagioli in the Instant Pot
- Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Chicken and Barley Soup
5 Quick and Easy Instant Pot Dinners that Will Save You Time and Wow Your Family
How to Make Italian Chicken Soup in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
Making this Italian chicken soup in the Instant Pot is a cinch–it’s a true one-pot meal, which is totally my jam.
First, you’ll start by adding some olive oil to the insert pot of the Instant Pot. Use the Saute setting to heat the oil, then add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook those until the onions are beginning to soften.
Next, add in the garlic and cook it for just a minute, followed by the chicken breast pieces.
Last, add in the broth, tomatoes, seasonings, and pasta. Give everything a good stir and then lock the lid into place.
Turn off the Saute function and switch to the Manual/Pressure Cook setting to select a 4 minute cook time at high pressure.
Once the cook time has completed, allow a natural release for 15 minutes before performing a quick release of remaining pressure. After the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
Remove the chicken breast pieces and bay leaf. Toss the kale into the liquid in the insert pot and put the lid back into place, allowing the heat from the soup to wilt and soften the kale.
Meanwhile, shred or chop the chicken breast and return int to the insert pot, stirring to combine everything. If you’re using heavy cream, go ahead and stir it in now. If not, skip it! Add some salt and pepper to taste, maybe some parmesan shavings, and you’re good to go!
Notes and Adaptations for Making Pressure Cooker Italian Chicken Soup
- I like using kale in this soup, because it’s hardier than spinach and doesn’t get as mushy. But if you have a thing against kale, feel free to use spinach leaves instead.
- As mentioned above, the cream is optional. The soup is delicious without it, but it adds a little bit of richness if you want to add it. Totally up to you!
- I use ditalini pasta, but you can make substitutions if needed. Pastina, or little pasta, is commonly used in Italian soups. Technically, ditalini is a form of pastina, but it’s one of the larger shapes. Most pastina shapes are itty bitty, and I wouldn’t recommend using them in the Instant Pot due to the possibility of clogging the valve. So stick with pasta varieties that are similar in size to (or a little bigger than) ditalini–you could do elbow macaroni, small shells, farfalle, or other similar-size pasta. You can also leave out the pasta if you prefer!
Recommended Equipment
- Instant Pot – I have the DUO60 model, which I LOVE!
- Chef’s Knife and Cutting Board – For chopping veggies and kale
Did You Make It? I’d love to see your creation! Tag me on Instagram @marginmakingmom and use #marginmakingmom!
Italian Chicken Soup with Noodles
Making Italian chicken soup in the Instant Pot is a delicious but healthy meal option you can get on the table quickly. Loaded with tender chicken, veggies, pasta, and a savory broth, it's simple but tasty comfort food without the guilt!
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs olive oil
- 1/2 medium onion, diced
- 3 celery ribs, sliced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 1 Tbs minced garlic
- 1 large chicken breast, cut into four pieces (my chicken breast was about 1 lb, so if yours are smaller, you may want to use two chicken breasts, each cut into four pieces)
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 1 14.5-oz can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp basil
- 1/4 tsp rosemary
- 1/4 tsp oregano
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 cup ditalini pasta
- 2 cups chopped or chiffonade kale
- Optional: 1/4 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In the insert pot of the Instant Pot, add olive oil. Use the Saute setting to heat the oil. Add the onions, celery, and carrots. Cook until onions are beginning to soften, stirring occasionally.
- Add the garlic and stir for about a minute, allowing it to warm and become fragrant.
- Add in chicken breast pieces, chicken broth, tomatoes, thyme, basil, rosemary, oregano, bay leaf, and ditalini pasta.
- Lock the lid in place and set the vent to sealed. Turn off the Saute function and use the Manual/Pressure Cook setting to select a 4 minute cook time at high pressure.
- Once the cook time has completed, allow a natural release for 15 minutes before performing a quick release of remaining pressure.
- After the pressure has released and the valve has dropped, carefully remove the lid.
- Remove chicken breast pieces and bay leaf. Add the kale to the insert pot and replace the lid, allowing the heat of the soup to wilt the kale.
- While the kale is wilting, shred or chop the chicken breast. Return chicken to the insert pot and stir to combine.
- If using, stir in heavy cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- I like using kale in this soup, because it's hardier than spinach and doesn't get as mushy. But if you have a thing against kale, feel free to use spinach leaves instead.
- As mentioned above, the cream is optional. The soup is delicious without it, but it adds a little bit of richness if you want to add it. Totally up to you!
- I use ditalini pasta, but you can make substitutions if needed. You could do elbow macaroni, small shells, farfalle, or other similar-size pasta. You can also omit the pasta if desired.
Did You Make It? I love to see these recipes in action! Tag me on Instagram @marginmakingmom and use #marginmakingmom so I can see your creation!
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Instant Pot DUO60 6 Qt 7-in-1 Multi-Use Programmable Pressure Cooker, Slow Cooker, Rice Cooker, Steamer, Sauté, Yogurt Maker and Warmer -
Gorilla Grip Original Reversible Cutting Board (3-Piece) BPA Free, Dishwasher Safe, Juice Grooves, Larger Thicker Boards, Easy Grip Handle, Non Porous, Extra Large, Kitchen (Set of Three: Black) -
Mercer Culinary Millennia 8-Inch Chef's Knife
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 388Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 927mgCarbohydrates: 8gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 61g
Nutritional information is provided for informational purposes only and is not guaranteed for accuracy.
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What size of canned tomatoes did you use?
Hi Lisa–14.5 oz is the size can I used. Thanks for asking–I’ll update the recipe for clarity! 🙂