instant pot chicken noodle soup

Feb 17

Feb 17 instant pot chicken noodle soup

I swear. The start of 2018 has been pretty rough. It's one of the worst winters Pittsburgh has seen in years (W.T.F?!), our family has experienced a(another) tough loss, and I've been sick for the better part of the year.

Dammit.

However, a little bright spot in my life is the fact that I finally broke down and purchased an Instant Pot. It's seriously one of the best investments I've ever made. It's replacing my slow cooker and rice maker - and it's got a pressure cooker. I've made several meals in it and in a shorter amount of time. Will it replace my love of slaving over a hot stove to make a kick ass meal full of love, blood, sweat, tears, and occasionally explicatives? No way...at least on weekends. Weeknights are another story.

Anyhow, this is the first recipe I made in my Instant Pot. After just returning for an emergency trip to Texas, sick as a dog, and with the Man Friend out of town, I had no desire to go to the grocery store. I was exhausted, feverish...and hungry. I managed to get this thing done in less than an hour. And it turned out amazing.

prep time: 15 minutes | cook time: 3-5 hours

experience level: easy-peasy | specialty: soups & stews

step 1: cook chicken

2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup water

Cook on HIGH PRESSURE for 10 minutes, turn off pot then quick release. Remove from pot and set aside to shred or cube. If the meat isn’t cooked through, it’s not a huge deal, because you’ll cook it again when you make the soup.

step 2: the soup business

1 tbsp olive oil
2 large carrots, sliced thin
3 ribs celery, sliced thin
1/2 large yellow onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tub Knorr chicken stock concentrate + 4 cups water OR 4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 ounces angel hair pasta, broken into thirds

Choose the SAUTE setting and wait until it says “HOT.” Warm the oil, then add the carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes, then stir in the garlic. Cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock concentrate and water/broth and whisk until dissolved. Stir in seasonings and add the chicken.

Choose the HIGH PRESSURE setting and cook for 10 minutes, turn off pot and then quick release. Remove the lid and set to SAUTE. Stir in noodles and cook for 3-5 minutes, until the pasta has softened.

I recommend adding more salt, but by the bowlful instead of during cooking (it can get super salty FAST).