Pressure cooker chicken and rice with cream of chicken soup

This easy instant pot chicken soup is loaded with fresh veggies, perfectly cooked rice, and tender shredded chicken, all in a super creamy base with just a hint of cheesy Parmesan flavor. Everything cooks all in one pot which makes it simple to throw together and really amps up the delicious made from scratch taste.

You Will Love This

• This instant pot chicken soup is scratch made comfort food at it's finest. It's creamy and loaded with plenty of vegetables, tender white rice, and juicy shredded chicken. Chicken noodle soup is great when you're sick, but I have no doubt that you'll be craving a bowl of this chicken rice soup next time you're feeling under the weather - and likely throughout the year!
• If you loved this chicken and rice soup, be sure to check out my Instant Pot Chicken Chili, my 20 Minute Instant Pot Taco Soup, or my Easy One Pot Creamy Chickpea Soup!

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Butter - If you don't have butter on hand, you can use olive oil in it's place but I prefer the flavor and texture that unsalted butter offers. I like to use unsalted so I can control the sodium and season the soup to taste.
• Onion, Celery, Carrot - This trifecta of veggies is the base of aromatics that really develops the flavor of this soup. To save time, check your grocery store for a pre-chopped mirepoix.
• Garlic - I like to use freshly minced garlic for this recipe but you could use garlic paste (typically 1 teaspoon per clove you're replacing) or even garlic powder (typically ⅛ teaspoon per clove you're replacing) in its place.
• Dried Herbs - Dried oregano, dried thyme, and dried sage and my favorite herbs to use in this soup. If you're out of one, just add more of the other. You could also substitute Italian seasoning for all three.
• Flour - Stick with all purpose flour for this chicken soup recipe for the best flavor and texture.
• Chicken Breast - Boneless, skinless chicken breast is going to work best for this soup. If you use a cut like chicken thighs or bone-in chicken, it will take longer to cook and the rice will end up being mushy.
• Rice - Long grain white rice works best in this instant pot chicken soup. I have not tested it with other types of rice. If you're using another type of rice like brown rice or a wild rice blend, I'd recommend cooking it separately according to package directions and then adding it into the soup along with the heavy cream and Parmesan cheese.
• Chicken Broth - You could also use veggie broth in place of the chicken broth.
• Heavy Cream - If you don't have any heavy cream on hand, you could use half and half or even whole milk but the texture will be slightly less creamy.
• Parmesan Cheese - The shredded Parmesan adds a delicious salty nutiness. You could use other cheeses like Gruyere, gouda, or even Havarti.

Instructions

Use the sauté setting on your instant pot to melt the butter and then sauté the onion, celery, carrot, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper for about 5 minutes.

Add garlic, oregano, and thyme and cook for a minute.

Stir in flour and cook for another minute.

Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pan and scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom.

Add chicken breast, rice, and broth to the pot.

Gently stir to combine all ingredients.

Seal the instant pot lid and cook on high pressure, setting the timer for 10 minutes.

Use two forks to gently shred the chicken.

Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and shredded chicken.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Garnish and enjoy!

Tips

• Salt moderately and often! The ingredients in this dish are SO simple that salt is going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of all the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to add a couple pinches of salt and pepper each time you add new ingredients to a dish. This helps to season each ingredient and layer the flavors.
• Pressure cooking can be intimidating but once you give it a try you'll realize how easy it can be! The instant pot really makes the process fool proof and this recipe is so easy - it's perfect for first time instant pot users or novice home cooks!

FAQ

Can you put raw chicken straight into soup?

Yes! The best part about this chicken and rice soup is that it all cooks together in the instant pot! You can add the raw chicken right to the pot, seal everything in it together and let it cook. The chicken will become perfectly tender and juicy right along with all the other ingredients.

Do you cook rice before adding it to soup?

Nope! In this chicken and rice soup recipe, you can add uncooked rice right into the instant pot and it will come out perfectly cooked along with the tender veggies and juicy shredded chicken.

How do you keep rice from getting mushy in soup?

To prevent the rice from getting mushy in your soup, don't overcook it! In this recipe, we get the veggies going for a bit before adding the rice and chicken breast. Be sure to use long-grain white rice in this recipe for the best results!

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Print

This easy instant pot chicken soup is loaded with fresh veggies, perfectly cooked rice, and tender shredded chicken, all in a super creamy base with just a hint of cheesy Parmesan flavor. Everything cooks together all in one pot which makes it simple to throw together and really amps up the delicious made from scratch taste. 

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 8 servings 1x
• Category: Main Dish
• Method: Instant Pot
• Cuisine: American

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup diced onion
• 1 cup sliced celery
• 1 cup sliced carrot
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1.5 teaspoons dried sage leaves
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 cup long-grain white rice
• 6 cups chicken broth
• ½ cup heavy cream
• ½ cup Parmesan cheese
• Kosher salt
• fresh cracked pepper

Garnish:

• fresh chopped parsley
• shredded Parmesan
• oyster crackers

1. Turn instant pot to the sauté setting and melt butter in the pot.
2. Then add onion, celery, carrot, and a couple large pinches of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes.
3. Then add garlic, oregano, and thyme to the pot. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 minute.
4. Add flour and stir until well combined. Cook for 1 minute, stirring frequently.
5. Add a splash of broth to deglaze the pan and scrape all the yummy bits off the bottom.
6. Add chicken breast, rice, and broth to the pot. Gently stir to combine all ingredients.
7. Seal the instant pot and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. It will take about 12 minutes or so to come up to pressure and then it will start cooking.
8. Allow to manually release for 5 minutes, then hit the quick-release valve.
9. Use two forks to gently shred the chicken.
10. Stir in heavy cream, Parmesan cheese, and shredded chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
11. Garnish and enjoy!

Notes

• Salt moderately and often! The ingredients in this dish are SO simple that salt is going to go a long way in boosting the flavors of all the ingredients. A good rule of thumb is to add a couple pinches of salt and pepper each time you add new ingredients to a dish. This helps to season each ingredient and layer the flavors.
• Pressure cooking can be intimidating but once you give it a try you'll realize how easy it can be! The instant pot really makes the process fool proof and this recipe is so easy - it's perfect for first time instant pot users or novice home cooks!

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 288
• Sugar: 2.9 g
• Sodium: 829.4 mg
• Fat: 12 g
• Saturated Fat: 6.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 25.8 g
• Fiber: 1.6 g
• Protein: 18.6 g
• Cholesterol: 72.4 mg

Keywords: chicken and rice soup, chicken soup pressure cooker, chicken rice soup recipe