42 min
Instant Pot Mild Curry Chicken and Rice with Sweet Peppers
One pot turns chicken thighs, basmati rice, sweet peppers and peas into a gently spiced family dinner with fluffy grains instead of mush.
Instant Pot Family Dinners
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
A clear, savory broth, tender chicken, vegetables and egg noodles come together without sacrificing the noodles to the pressure cycle.
Directions
Soften the vegetables
Select Sauté, add olive oil, onion, carrots and celery, and cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
Deglaze and add chicken
Pour in 1 cup broth and scrape the base clean. Add the remaining broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt and chicken. Cancel Sauté.
Pressure cook
Lock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully vent the remaining pressure.
Shred safely
After the float valve drops, remove the bay leaf and transfer chicken to a clean board. Confirm it reaches 165°F, then shred or chop it.
Cook noodles uncovered
Select Sauté and bring the soup to a lively simmer. Add egg noodles and cook uncovered according to package timing, usually 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often. Cancel Sauté as soon as they are tender.
Finish the soup
Return chicken to the pot, stir in lemon juice and parsley, and taste for salt. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.
Why this works
Why it worksPressure extracts flavor from chicken and aromatics quickly, while cooking noodles afterward keeps them springy.
Why it worksThighs tolerate the pressure-and-release cycle and remain juicy when shredded.
Why it worksA small amount of lemon brightens the broth without making it taste lemony.
Useful kitchen gear
Tools that make this easier.
Compare the function and specifications first; skip anything your kitchen already handles well.
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Compare on Amazon6-quart electric pressure cookerThe recipe timing, minimum liquid, and family-size yield are written around this common capacity.See current options →
Compare on AmazonInstant-read thermometerVerify chicken, pork, meatballs, and meatloaf safely instead of relying only on programmed pressure time.See current options →
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Swaps & notes
Easy swaps
- Use 3 cups shredded rotisserie chicken: pressure-cook only the broth and vegetables for 3 minutes, quick release, then add chicken with the noodles.
- Substitute small pasta shapes, following their package timing on Sauté.
- For gluten-free soup, use gluten-free noodles and add them after pressure cooking as directed.
Cook notes
- Do not pressure-cook egg noodles; they foam, overcook and continue absorbing broth in storage.
- Keep the total pot contents below the maximum-fill line.
- If using salted broth, wait until the end before adding additional salt.
- Written for a 6-quart electric pressure cooker; follow the minimum-liquid, fill-limit and release instructions for your exact model.
- Never force the lid. Open only after pressure is fully released and the float valve has dropped.
Storage
For best texture, refrigerate noodles separately from broth for up to 4 days. Freeze the chicken-and-vegetable broth without noodles for up to 3 months, then cook fresh noodles when reheating.
Questions
Can I use chicken breasts?
Yes. Use the same timing for average-size breasts and verify 165°F. Very large breasts can be halved lengthwise.
Why did the noodles absorb all the broth?
They continue drinking liquid as they sit. Store noodles separately or add 1 to 2 cups broth when reheating leftovers.
Can I quick-release immediately?
A 10-minute natural release keeps the chicken tender and reduces vigorous sputtering from a full pot of hot broth.
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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
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1. Soften the vegetablesSelect Sauté, add olive oil, onion, carrots and celery, and cook for 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
2. Deglaze and add chickenPour in 1 cup broth and scrape the base clean. Add the remaining broth, thyme, bay leaf, salt and chicken. Cancel Sauté.
3. Pressure cookLock the lid and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully vent the remaining pressure.
4. Shred safelyAfter the float valve drops, remove the bay leaf and transfer chicken to a clean board. Confirm it reaches 165°F, then shred or chop it.
5. Cook noodles uncoveredSelect Sauté and bring the soup to a lively simmer. Add egg noodles and cook uncovered according to package timing, usually 6 to 8 minutes, stirring often. Cancel Sauté as soon as they are tender.
6. Finish the soupReturn chicken to the pot, stir in lemon juice and parsley, and taste for salt. Let stand 2 minutes before serving.