Homemade chicken rice soup, full of flavor and nutrition in about 30 minutes. This recipe uses a pressure cooker, a busy cook’s best friend. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend you invest in one.
6 quart Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker or stove top pressure cooker
Ingredients
Chicken Soup
1tablespoonolive oil
2mediumcarrotspeeled and chopped small
1smallonionchopped small
2large ribs celerychopped small
2garlic cloveschopped fine
⅓cupuncooked white ricelong grain, Jasmine
6cupschicken brothpreferably homemade
1poundbone-in chicken breastskin removed, cut in half.
3fresh thyme springsor ½ teaspoon dried
1bay leaf
½teaspoonsea saltor more to taste
¼teaspoonground black pepper
Optional Garnishes
chopped fresh parsley or dill
Lemon wedgesoptional
Instructions
Turn the Instant Pot on to the saute function. Set the timer for 5 minutes. When it's hot, add the oil, then the carrots, onions and celery. Saute, stirring occasionally so it does not stick on the bottom. At the end of the saute cycle, add the garlic and stir.
Add the rice, broth, chicken breast, thyme, bay leaf and salt to the pot. Lock lid on and bring to high pressure. Set timer for 10 minutes.
When the timer beeps, hit cancel and allow pot to do a natural release cycle for 15 minutes. Next, quick release the rest of the pressure by turning the valve to open (left). When all pressure is gone and the pressure guage drops, unlock the lid tilting away from you (careful of the hot steam) and remove the chicken breast. Shred the chicken with two forks on a plate or cutting board and add back to the pot. Discard the bones. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Serve in warmed bowls and garnish with parsley or dill and lemon wedges if desired.
Notes
Stovetop Instructions
To make this on a stove top the directions are almost the same, it just takes a little longer.
Saute your veggies in a heavy pot like a dutch oven over medium heat until soft, 5-7 minutes.
Add the broth, rice, herbs and chicken, bring to a almost a boil, cover with a lid, turn heat down to a low and cook until rice is tender and chicken is done. Chicken is done when it reaches 165°F. Follow the same instructions above to finish your chicken rice soup.
For a really quick soup, skip the raw chicken, add white rice and simmer until, then add shredded rotisserie chicken or leftover chicken and heat through until hot.
One more shortcut, use frozen cooked rice for a really speedy homemade chicken rice soup.