This Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup is the ultimate cold-weather comfort. It is ultra cozy and loaded with hearty wild rice and healthy veggies like mushrooms, carrots, and celery. It’s a great way to repurpose leftover chicken (or turkey!), and it takes just 3 minutes of cooking time! You’ll have a fabulous dinner on the table in about 20 minutes flat!
Chicken and Rice Soup Recipe
After the hustle and bustle of the holidays, the last thing most people want to do is cook. Alas, we still need to put meals on the table! That’s where this chicken and rice soup recipe comes in. The best part of this recipe is the Instant Pot; it reduces the cooking time, so you can quickly get food for the whole family.
In addition to being easy to make, this recipe is one of my favorite soups. It reminds me of Panera’s chicken and wild rice soup—sans the bread bowl, of course. It’s just perfect on a cold day!
Lastly, when I meal prep for the week, this recipe tends to make it into the rotation due to the tender chicken, which gets more flavorful even the next day after cooking.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This isn’t your momma’s chicken soup! No, this chicken and wild rice soup recipe is anything but ordinary. It’s rich, healthy, and absolutely delicious, not to mention super easy to make. It’s also gluten-free because we don’t use all-purpose flour.
It’s filling without being heavy, perfect for chilly, cozy nights! And it transforms Thanksgiving leftovers or store-bought rotisserie chicken into something extraordinary. But how?
Well, this chicken and rice soup is loaded with hearty, savory mushrooms, sweet carrots, tender wild rice, and it’s flavored with rich Italian seasonings.
And because it’s made in the Instant Pot (my favorite kitchen tool for everything from chicken fajitas to cauliflower mash), it comes together in about 20 minutes!
The rice is perfectly tender, the veggies are beautiful in color, and the meat is flavorful and moist. Every bite is better than the last!
This chicken and rice soup is the best and easiest meal ever!
Ingredients
Ingredients:
This recipe is incredibly simple and forgiving. You can interchange chicken or turkey, add extra vegetables, or substitute any other rice you enjoy.
- Chicken or turkey
- Onion
- Carrots
- Celery
- Mushrooms
- Garlic
- Rice
- Chicken broth or vegetable stock
- Italian Seasoning
- Olive oil (or avocado oil)
- Salt
- Black Pepper
Substitutions:
- You can use cooked chicken or turkey, but if you want to use raw chicken breasts or thighs, that’s great! You won’t have to make any changes to the cooking time.
- You can substitute jasmine rice, brown rice, wild rice blend, or any other kind of rice. Feel free to substitute the same amount.
- Use chicken stock or Vegetable Broth interchangeably.
- The Italian Seasoning is a quick homemade blend of dried oregano, basil, thyme, parsley, rosemary, garlic powder, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.
- For a creamy soup, you can use heavy cream or coconut milk.
How To Make Chicken and Rice Soup
Step 1: Do the prep work.
As a reminder, this is an easy recipe to make. The next few steps is the majority of the leg work.
Dice the onion and mince the garlic. Slice the carrots, mushrooms, and celery into thin rounds. Don’t forget to save the scraps to make a homemade broth later!
Next, measure out the rice and transfer it to a mesh strainer. Rinse the rice well under cold water, using your hands or a spoon to mix it as it washes. Keep on rinsing the rice until the water runs clear.
Last, grab your chicken or turkey and dice it into bite-sized pieces that can easily fit on a spoon. This is where you can save more time by using already shredded chicken either from a previous meal or a rotisserie chicken.
Step 2: Saute the vegetables.
Grab your trusty Instant Pot and turn it to Saute mode. Add the oil, and saute the vegetables for about 3-4 minutes.
Step 3: Cook the soup.
Add the broth, chicken or turkey, rice, and seasonings, and give it a good stir.
Put the lid on and turn it to High pressure. Cook the soup for 3 minutes (yup, just three!!!). Trust your friend Laura – 3 minutes is more than enough time to cook the vegetables to tender perfection and make your rice nice and fluffy.
Once the cook time is over, let the Instant Pot naturally release the steam for 10 minutes (This is called a Natural Pressure Release or NPR). All that means is you do nothing, and simply wait for 10 minutes.
Once the 10 minutes is up, press or turn the steam release valve to let out any remaining steam, then carefully open the lid.
Guess what? Your soup is done! Get ready to dig in. Season generously with salt and black pepper and serve with crusty bread, crackers, or all by itself.
Slow Cooker Adaptation
Follow step 1, then mix all the ingredients together in your Crock Pot or pressure cooker and cover. Cook on High heat for 3 hours or Low heat for 5-6 hours. Season to taste and enjoy your delicious soup!
ℹ️ Expert Tips
- To ensure even cooking, try to cut all the vegetables close to the same size.
- Be sure to rinse the rice really well before cooking.
- If using raw chicken or turkey, you do not need to adjust the cooking time. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces before adding it to the Instant Pot in step 2.
- Once the cooking time is over, let the Instant Pot naturally release the steam for 10 minutes (This is called a Natural Pressure Release or NPR).
- Wait until after cooking to season with salt and pepper. The saltiness of different broths and Italian seasoning blends can vary quite a bit, plus the rice will absorb a good amount of the liquid, which all affects the saltiness of the soup.
- To store: Transfer the soup to an airtight container or bag and store it in the refrigerator. For best taste, reheat and eat the soup within 24 hours, but it will keep for 3-4 days, per USDA. Rice will continue to absorb liquid over time, so the sooner you eat it, the better it’ll taste.
More Healthy Soup Recipes
- Instant Pot Mexican Vegetable Soup. A hearty and filling vegetarian soup.
- Classic Ham & Lentils Soup. Made with leftover ham, it’s so comforting and absolutely delicious!
- Turkey Meatball & Zucchini Soup. This soup is Paleo and Whole30 compatible!
- Sausage, Spinach & Tortellini Soup. A family favorite that comes together in about 20 minutes total!
I’d love to hear about your experience making this recipe!
Please leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @cookathomemom.
Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups diced chicken or turkey cooked
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, sliced
- 1 stalk celery sliced
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 cup wild rice
- 6 cups chicken or vegetable broth
- 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning, or mix together 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley, 1/8 teaspoon dried rosemary, 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon onion powder, and 1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes.
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- First, dice the onion, mince the garlic, slice the carrots, celery, and mushrooms into thin slices. Rinse the rice well under cold water in a fine mesh strainer. Dice the chicken or turkey into bite sized pieces.
- Turn the Instant Pot to Saute mode. Add the oil, then add the onions, celery, carrots, mushrooms, and garlic. Saute for about 3-4 minutes, until the vegetables are softened slightly.
- Add the broth, rice, chicken, and seasonings. Stir, then close the Instant Pot lid. Turn to High Pressure and set for 3 minutes.
- After the 3 minutes are done, allow for a natural pressure release (NPR) for at least 10 minutes. Turn the pressure release valve to release any remaining steam, then open the lid carefully.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper and ladle into bowls to serve immediately.
