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Four minutes. That is the whole cook time. Instant pot chicken noodle soup goes from raw chicken and dry pasta to a finished bowl faster than the stovetop version takes to come to a simmer, and the pasta cooks right in the broth.
The trick is slicing the chicken thin instead of leaving the thighs whole. Because the pieces are only about a quarter inch thick, they cook through in the same four minutes the fusilli needs. Nothing is added twice, nothing is fished out and shredded.
Quick Breakdown
Why You’ll Love This Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Twenty five minutes, all in. Including the time it takes to come up to pressure.
- One pot, one wash. The pasta never sees a separate pan.
- Bone in thighs. The bones go straight in, so the broth tastes like it simmered for hours.
- Quick release. No waiting around for a natural drop.
- Cheap. Thighs, two carrots, two celery sticks and a bag of pasta.
Ingredient Notes
- Bone in, skinless chicken thighs. One pound, roughly four or five. The bones are the reason the broth has body, so do not swap to breast here.
- Fusilli. Two cups dry. Spirals hold onto the broth better than egg noodles and they do not go slimy under pressure.
- Chicken broth. Six and a half cups. That looks like a lot until you remember the pasta drinks most of it.
- Carrots and celery. Two of each, sliced. Standard, and worth not skipping.
- Garlic powder. One teaspoon. Fresh garlic can turn slightly bitter at pressure, so powder is the safer choice.
- Thyme or parsley. Half a teaspoon dried, added before sealing.
There is a reason this is the standard thing to eat when you feel rough. Cleveland Clinic’s dietitians note that soup is more filling than plain water because it carries calories, protein and electrolytes as well as fluid, which is exactly what a cold takes out of you.
Which Pasta Survives Four Minutes at Pressure
Pasta shape matters more here than in almost any other soup, because you cannot taste and adjust halfway through. Here is what happens to the common options.
| Shape | At 4 minutes high pressure |
|---|---|
| Fusilli | Firm, holds its spirals, best all round |
| Small shells | Very good, slightly softer |
| Egg noodles | Often mushy, drop to 3 minutes |
| Spaghetti, snapped | Clumps together, not recommended |
| Wholewheat shapes | Fine, add a minute |
Still, the safest habit is to check the box. If your pasta says eleven minutes on the stove, four at pressure is about right. If it says seven, go down to three.
How To Make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
1. Soften the vegetables. First, set the pot to Sauté, heat the olive oil, and cook the diced onion, carrots and celery for two or three minutes.
2. Slice the chicken and load the pot. Next, carefully cut the bone in thighs into thin strips, working around the bones. Add the sliced meat and the bones themselves along with the broth, salt, pepper, thyme and the dry fusilli. Stir so most of the pasta sits under the liquid.
3. Pressure cook. Then close the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
4. Quick release. After that, turn the valve to Venting straight away and let the steam out fully before opening.
5. Rest and tidy. Finally, stir and leave it alone for three to five minutes to thicken. Fish out the bones and shred any meat still clinging to them back into the pot.
Why the Pasta Goes In Raw
Cooking pasta separately and adding it at the end is the safer route, and plenty of recipes do it. However, you lose the starch. When the fusilli cooks in the broth it releases starch straight into the liquid, and that is what gives this soup its slightly silky body without any cream or flour.
The trade off is that leftovers keep softening. Meanwhile, if you know you are cooking for the week rather than for tonight, cook the pasta on its own and combine bowl by bowl.
Our creamy chicken noodle soup takes the opposite approach on the stove, and the difference in texture between the two is worth tasting side by side.
Tips for the Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slice the chicken about a quarter inch thick. Thicker pieces will not be safe in four minutes.
- Push the pasta under the liquid before sealing. Exposed spirals cook unevenly.
- Quick release the moment the timer ends. Every extra minute at heat softens the pasta further.
- Taste before serving. Broths vary wildly in salt and this one usually wants a little more.
- A squeeze of lemon at the table brightens the whole bowl.
- Count the bones out as you count them in, so none end up in a child’s dish.
Making It Ahead Without Soggy Pasta
The honest limitation of cooking pasta in the broth is that it never stops drinking. A bowl eaten straight from the pot is perfect. The same bowl on Thursday is closer to a very good stew, and some people love that while others feel cheated.
If you are cooking for the week, there is a simple workaround. Run the recipe exactly as written but leave the fusilli out, which drops the cook to the same four minutes and gives you a clean, brothy base. Boil pasta separately, keep it in its own tub, and put a scoop in each bowl before you ladle the soup over.
Because the starch is what gave the original its body, you will notice the broth is thinner this way. A tablespoon of the pasta cooking water stirred back in fixes most of that.
Otherwise, portion it hot into containers and cool them quickly rather than leaving one big pot on the counter. Spreading the heat out matters more than people think, and it also stops the pasta sitting warm and soft for hours.
Storage and Reheating
- Fridge. Cool completely, then keep in an airtight container for up to four days.
- Freezer. Individual portions for up to two months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
- Reheating. Gently on the stove or in the microwave, with a splash of broth or water to loosen it.
- Expect thickening. The pasta drinks broth overnight, so leftovers are always closer to a stew.
- More on freezing. Our guide to freezing soup properly covers portioning and headspace.
Variations and Substitutions
- Greens. A handful of baby spinach stirred in after the release wilts in seconds.
- Frozen peas. Same timing, and they keep the colour bright.
- Boneless thighs. Work well and save the fishing about, though the broth is thinner.
- Richer and creamier. Stir in half a cup of cream at the end, or try our crack chicken noodle soup for the fully loaded version.
- Gluten free pasta. Drop to three minutes and accept a softer bite.
- Rice instead. Half a cup of long grain white rice, same four minutes.
What to Serve With Chicken Noodle Soup
Bread, and not much else. Warm soft dinner rolls torn apart at the table, or a slab of cheesy garlic bread if the soup is doing all the work for dinner.
For example, a simple green salad on the side turns a starter portion into a proper meal without adding anything heavy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Basics
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?
Yes, sliced just as thinly. Because breast has no fat or bone, the broth will taste noticeably plainer, so use a stronger stock to compensate.
Do the bones really need to go in?
They are what gives the broth its body in such a short cook. If you use boneless thighs the soup still works, it just tastes lighter.
Why is my pasta mushy?
Either the shape was too delicate or the pressure was released slowly. Quick release immediately and stick to sturdy spirals or shells.
Can I halve or double it?
Both work. Keep the four minutes the same and scale the liquid with the pasta, since the ratio matters more than the volume.
Storage and Serving
Why has my soup turned into a stew overnight?
The pasta keeps absorbing broth in the fridge. Add half a cup of stock when reheating and it comes straight back.
Can I freeze it with the pasta in?
You can, though the spirals soften. Instead, freeze the broth and chicken alone and boil fresh pasta on the day if texture matters to you.
Is it safe to cook raw chicken with the pasta?
Yes, provided the slices are thin. Pressure cooking holds everything well above a safe temperature for the full four minutes.
Can I add potatoes?
Yes, cut small. Of course you may want to drop the pasta to one cup, otherwise the bowl becomes very starchy.
Ingredients
- 1 lb skinless, bone-in chicken thighs about 4 to 5 thighs
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion diced
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 2 carrots sliced
- 2 stalks celery sliced
- 6 1/2 cups chicken broth
- 2 cups dry fusilli pasta
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried thyme or parsley
Instructions
- Set the Instant Pot to Saute. Heat the olive oil and add the diced onion, carrots and celery. Saute for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly softened.
- Carefully slice the bone-in chicken thighs into thin strips, being mindful of the bones. Add the sliced chicken along with the bones, chicken broth, salt, pepper, thyme and fusilli pasta to the pot. Stir everything together, making sure most of the pasta is submerged.
- Close the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 4 minutes.
- When the cooking time is complete, perform a quick release by carefully turning the valve to Venting. Open the lid once the pressure has fully released.
- Stir the soup and let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Remove the bones from the soup and shred any meat that has come loose back into the pot.
