This easy recipe for Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup is perfect for a weeknight dinner! From fridge to table in under an hour & loaded with veggies.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
It's comfort in a bowl! If you love my Cracked-Out Chicken Chili or this Marry Me Chicken Soup, you're going to love this recipe.
This will become a go-to when you need a hearty chicken soup. This chicken and rice soup is made in the Instant Pot, making it super simple to whip up in under an hour.
It's also a soup that's loaded with nutrition. You'll get veggies, hearty chicken stock, savory chicken, and perfectly cooked rice in each bite. You can feel good about serving this one for dinner by itself - it's a whole meal in one recipe.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- chopped veggies - I use a combo of 1 chopped onion, 1 cup of chopped celery, and 1 cup of chopped carrots in my soup. I recommend chopping these into bite-sized pieces (around ½-1").
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic - This is equivalent to roughly 2 minced garlic cloves.
- seasonings - In this recipe, you'll use a combo of 2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 2 bay leaves.
- ⅔ cup uncooked rice - I recommend using long-grain white rice in this recipe. For brown rice, you'll need to adjust cooking times (see variations below).
- 1.5 lbs chicken - I used boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my recipe. If you want to use bone-in chicken, no problem - no need to adjust cooking time, you'll just need to make sure to remove any bones and shred the chicken before serving.
- 5 cups chicken broth - If you happen to have chicken stock on hand, use that instead...much more flavor!
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley - This will be used at the end to give your soup a fresh note.
Recipe Variations & Additions
- Want a creamy chicken soup? Add either 8oz of cream cheese (for thicker soup) or 1 cup of half and half (for thinner soup).
- Feel free to use rotisserie chicken and shred the meat instead of cooking chicken from scratch.
- Want to use brown rice? No problem! Just adjust your pressure cooking time to 13 minutes. (Note: with this method, your veggies might be a little softer.)
Need another great weeknight Instant Pot dinner? Try this Cheesy Chicken and Rice Casserole or Instant Pot Crack Chicken!
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
- Set your Instant Pot to Sauté mode and give it a few minutes to heat up. Once it's warm, add the 2 tablespoon of butter and let it fully melt, creating a base for the vegetables.
- Next, add the 1 chopped onion, 1 cup chopped celery, and 1 cup chopped carrots to the melted butter. Stir occasionally and let the vegetables cook for about 3-5 minutes, until they begin to soften and develop a light golden color. This browning helps build flavor for the soup.
- Stir in 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, ⅔ cup uncooked rice, and seasonings (2 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoon black pepper, 1 teaspoon ground thyme, 1 teaspoon oregano, and 2 bay leaves). Cook for about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the seasonings are well incorporated.
- Pour in 5 cups of chicken broth, then carefully add 1.5 lbs of raw chicken breasts to the pot, making sure they are submerged in the liquid. Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, ensuring the sealing ring is in place, and turn the valve to the Sealing position. Select Manual (or Pressure Cook), set it to High Pressure, and adjust the cooking time to 7 minutes.
- Once the pressure cooking cycle finishes, carefully perform a quick release by turning the valve to Venting. Allow all the steam to fully release before opening the lid.
- After the pressure is released and the lid is removed, use two forks to shred the cooked chicken directly in the pot. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, combining everything thoroughly.
- Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with freshly chopped parsley before serving.
Alternate Directions: Slow Cooker
To make this recipe in the slow cooker (Crock Pot), add all ingredients except for rice to the slow cooker. Set Crock Pot to 6-8 hours on low. About 2 hours before serving, add rice.
Alternate Directions: Stove Top
To make this recipe on the stovetop, melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add veggies; saute for 3-5 minutes.
Add garlic, seasonings, and rice, and saute for another minute or two. Finally, add chicken and stock; cook over medium-low heat for 2-3 hours. Thirty minutes before serving, turn the heat up to medium and add rice.
Helpful Tips & Tricks
- I recommend cutting the chicken breasts in half. This ensures they'll cook through during your pressure cooking time.
- Frozen chicken is also fine in this one - just make sure it's divided into smaller pieces before adding to the recipe.
- This soup is a meal on its own - no need to pair with a side item to have a great weeknight dinner. However, garlic bread or a simple salad will complement the soup if you need a little extra!
- Make sure to rinse your rice before adding to the soup. This will get rid of any dirt or debris and will take a little bit of starch out of the rice, making it less sticky.
- If needed, you can add 1-2 cups of water to the soup to thin it.
- Leftover soup should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy your soup within 3-4 days.
- This soup freezes wonderfully! Make as directed and place in a gallon-sized freezer bag. (I also love using Souper Cubes for single-serve frozen portions.) Freeze for up to 6 months.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Let me know what you think of this recipe! Leave a comment or rating ⭐️ below. You can also show off your recipe on 📸 social media - just tag me @lambertslately.
Instant Pot Chicken & Rice Soup
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 onion chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup celery chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 cup carrots chopped into bite-sized pieces
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground thyme
- 1 teaspoon oregano
- 2 bay leaves
- ⅔ cup white rice
- 1.5 lbs boneless, skinless chicken breasts halved
- 5 cups chicken stock or broth
- ½ cup chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Turn your Instant Pot to saute mode and allow it to warm. Add butter.
- Add onion, celery, and carrots to the melted, bubbly butter. Allow them to brown for 3-5 minutes.
- Add garlic, rice, and seasonings. Cook for about a minute, until fragrant.
- Add chicken broth and chicken; lock the lid onto the Instant Pot. Press the manual button, select high pressure, and set the timer for 7 minutes.
- Allow the pressure cook cycle to complete. When the cook cycle is over, quick release the pressure by turning the valve on top of the Instant Pot to venting.
- Once the cook cycle is over and the pressure is released, use two forks to shred the chicken. Stir the soup well.
- Serve garnished with fresh parsley.
Notes
- Make in the Slow Cooker: Add all ingredients except rice; cook on low for 6-8 hours. Add rice about 2 hours before serving.
- Make on the Stovetop: Sauté veggies, garlic, seasonings. Add chicken and stock; simmer 2-3 hours. Add rice 30 minutes before serving.
- Cut chicken breasts in half to ensure even cooking.
- Frozen chicken works if divided into smaller pieces.
- Rinse rice before adding to reduce starch and debris.
- Add 1-2 cups of water to thin soup if needed.
- Serve alone or with garlic bread or salad.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze up to 6 months in freezer bags or Souper Cubes.
Nutrition Facts
Leslie Lambert is a lifestyle writer and content creator specializing in home organization, family recipes, and intentional living. With 16 years of experience in blogging and digital storytelling, she helps busy women create calm, purposeful homes they love.
