Pioneer Woman chicken noodle soup from The Pioneer Woman site pressure cooks raw chicken breasts with stock, carrots, celery, and fresh herbs in an Instant Pot. And the pot serves 4 to 6 at approximately 430 calories per serving in about 1 hour, since the pressure cooker handles most of the work.
Most stovetop versions simmer chicken for 30 to 45 minutes, but this recipe pressure cooks the breasts for just 10 minutes on high. So the meat stays tender enough to shred cleanly with two forks, and the broth picks up flavor from the raw chicken cooking directly in the liquid.
Adding the egg noodles on sauté mode after the pressure cook is the step that keeps them from turning to mush. And if you cook noodles under pressure with the chicken, they absorb too much liquid and dissolve into a starchy paste instead of holding their shape.
Source: The Pioneer Woman (thepioneerwoman.com)
Pioneer Woman Chicken Noodle Soup
Course: ChickenCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes50
minutes430
kcalButter, onion, carrots, celery, and garlic sauté first before raw chicken breasts pressure cook with stock, water, and fresh thyme and oregano for 10 minutes. Then shredded chicken goes back in after the noodles boil on sauté mode until tender.
Ingredients
- For the soup base:
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
- For finishing:
6 oz. extra-wide egg noodles
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Directions
- Sauté the aromatics: Set the Instant Pot to sauté, add the butter, then cook the onion, carrots, and celery for 3 minutes.
- Add the seasonings: Then stir in the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook 1 more minute.
- Add the liquids and chicken: Once fragrant, add the bay leaf, chicken breasts, stock, and 2 cups of water.
- Pressure cook: Then cover, lock the lid, seal the steam handle, and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.
- Natural release: When the timer finishes, let the pot rest for 10 minutes before manually releasing the remaining pressure.
- Remove the chicken: Once the lid is off, pull out the bay leaf and transfer the chicken to a cutting board.
- Shred the meat: Then shred the breasts with two forks while the pot switches modes.
- Cook the noodles: Meanwhile, set the pot back to sauté, bring the broth to a boil, and add the egg noodles.
- Boil until tender: Then cook 5 to 7 minutes until the noodles are tender.
- Return the chicken: Once the noodles are done, stir the shredded chicken back in gently.
- Serve: Then ladle into bowls and garnish with chopped parsley if desired.
FAQs
Can I make this on the stovetop without an Instant Pot?
Sauté the aromatics the same way in a large Dutch oven, then add the chicken, stock, and water. And bring everything to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook covered for about 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
Then shred the chicken, return it to the pot, and add the noodles for another 7 to 10 minutes on the stovetop. Since stovetop simmering takes longer, budget about 1 hour and 15 minutes total compared to the Instant Pot’s 1 hour.
Why does the recipe use both stock and water?
Four cups of stock gives the broth a concentrated chicken flavor, and the 2 cups of water keep it from tasting too salty or heavy. Since the raw chicken also releases its own juices during pressure cooking, the combined liquid has plenty of depth.
And using all stock would make the soup taste over-seasoned once the noodles absorb some of the liquid. So the water acts as a buffer, which is the same reason the pioneer woman white chicken chili splits its broth between flavored stock and a cornmeal slurry instead of using all stock.
Can I make this ahead of time?
The source page warns that noodles soak up the broth if the soup sits too long, so cook them separately if you plan to store it. And the broth with chicken keeps in the fridge for up to 4 days or freezes for up to 3 months without the noodles.
Then boil fresh noodles on the stovetop and stir them in right before serving each portion. Since 6 ounces of egg noodles take only 5 to 7 minutes, adding them fresh is faster than reheating soggy ones.
Can I use chicken thighs instead of breasts?
Boneless thighs pressure cook in the same 10 minutes and shred even easier since the higher fat content keeps the meat tender. And the darker meat adds a richer flavor to the broth, which some people prefer over the leaner taste of breast meat.
But thighs release more fat into the liquid, so you may want to skim the surface before adding the noodles. Since the fat floats to the top during the 10-minute natural release, a quick pass with a spoon takes care of it.
What other noodles work besides extra-wide egg noodles?
Any short pasta like rotini or small shells holds up well on sauté mode without overcooking. And the source page is inspired by the same approach as Ree’s homemade chicken and noodles, so a thicker homemade noodle works if you want a heartier texture.
But thin noodles like angel hair or vermicelli overcook in the residual heat and turn mushy within minutes. And for a similar one-pot approach to comfort food, the pioneer woman salisbury steak builds its entire meal in a single skillet too, so both recipes keep cleanup to one dish.
