Name: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (Paleo, AIP, Gluten-free, hearty!)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 55 min
Ingredients: 1 Tablespoon olive oil; 2 small or one large onion (omit for VAD); 1/2 teaspoon sea salt; 6 cups water; 3 pounds chicken thighs (boneless skinless); 1 Tablespoon sea salt; 3 medium carrots (peeled and sliced, white carrots for VAD); 6 stalks celery (sliced); 8 ounces pasta; 3 cloves garlic (crushed or minced, omit for VAD); optional -- 1 teaspoon each: sage and thyme (I do not use these in the fall, but they are very nice in the winter months.); optional garnishes: 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is the most delicious Paleo & Gluten-free soup possible — with a rich delicious broth that’s made effortlessly, plus: hearty noodles, chicken that’s not over-cooked and classic veggies — all traditional, but grain-free, Gluten-free and very easy to make.

This version of Chicken Noodle Soup takes only 5 minutes to make in the Instant Pot (like this if you don’t have one yet), not including 12 minutes for cooking the noodles. So all told, less than 25 minutes cook time to make this comfort food nourishing meal.

(Also see the Notes section below the main recipe for an easy Stove Top variation.)

Honestly, when anyone tastes this soup, they will just swoon because it’s incredibly satisfying on every level, and the flavor is 10 out of 10!

This recipe is also great for AIP, VAD and even Whole30.

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Ingredients in Instant Pot Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup

I love the simple, traditional ingredients that go into Paleo Chicken Noodle Soup — that Paleo and Gluten-free eaters can now enjoy delicious pasta! This soup really highlights that!

Just see my notes below on how to have the most perfectly textured grain-free or gluten-free pasta for this soup, and in general.

Ingredients:

chicken thighs — We use 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe to make the incredibly delicious stock, that’s also full of gelatin. But after the meat cooks, we retain about one pound of it for another purpose. All of the chicken is used for the broth, but only 2 pounds (ish) are needed for the finished soup. That one pound of leftover chicken is great in the fridge for easy meat leftovers. (I shred mine and toss with a little vinaigrette, then eat with lettuce for a lovely salad. You could also use it inside tacos, with pasta, on a bowl or sandwich. I like having the leftover easy meat on hand.)
water — Whereas many soup recipes require you to first buy or make broth, this recipe shares how to make really rich and delicious broth (or meat stock) from just water, chicken and sea salt. It’s an easy process that the Instant Pot does for you! (Enjoy saving money here.)
pasta — For Paleo use Jovial’s Cassava Pasta (here); for Gluten-free and VAD, use Jovial’s Brown Rice Pasta (here): Rotelle or preferred shape
onion — (omit for VAD)
carrots — (white carrots for VAD)
celery
garlic — (omit for VAD)
olive oil and sea salt

Fresh herbs may also be used with this recipe, as a flavorful, fresh and bright garnish. My favorites are fresh mint or fresh dill, but you may also use fresh parsley.

Optional garnishes:

My favorite version of this soup is the original version with no additions, and I recommend it as-is with all my heart.

But if you prefer pizzazz or want something a little more “dialed up”, there are three great addition options for this soup that are indeed lovely:

fresh lemon juice
freshly grated ginger root — As much as I like the basic recipe for someone who’s sick, it’s true that sometimes the addition of lemon or ginger can be really nice when you don’t feel well.
dried herbs: These are lovely to add in the winter time. The best ones for this soup are sage and thyme.

I’ve included amounts and instructions in the recipe if you choose to include one or more of these.

How to make Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

The following is a quick synopsis of how to cook this soup, but the main recipe below gives all the details you’ll need.

In the IP, use the Saute button to cook onion in olive oil, with sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until tender.
Add 6 cups water and additional sea salt (amount designated in recipe below). Add whole chicken thighs (boneless skinless), then carrots and celery.
Cook in IP on High pressure for 5 minutes. Remove chicken, and roughly shred or chop into bite-size chunks.
Meanwhile, bring stock to a boil, and stir in pasta and cook, uncovered, until almost perfectly tender, about 12 minutes for both varieties (Paleo and Gluten-free).
- NOTE: Do not add pasta to IP if you want your leftovers to have al dente pasta. In this case: Cook the pasta in a separate pot of boiling water, on the stove top, and then add in only as much as is needed for the first meal. Retain the rest separately for leftovers.
Stir in chicken and optional fresh herbs. (If using, stir in optional fresh lemon juice and/or freshly grated ginger root.) Serve immediately.

How to get al dente pasta — when it’s grain-free or gluten-free

The trick to getting pasta that doesn’t fall apart — and this is especially true for cassava pasta — but all grain-free and gluten-free pasta, is to stop the cooking process a little early.

As I’ve learned from preparing certain kinds of Asian noodles, just allowing noodles to sit in hot broth will keep them absorbing water, which further cooks them.

So if you cook noodles until they’re tender, they’ll be mushy by the time you serve them.

Instead, slightly under-cook grain-free and gluten-free noodles, and then keep hot until they’re just right. Then, serve!

This also helps when stirring in additional ingredients, so the noodles don’t fall apart: Stir in additional ingredients (garnishes) while the noodles are still a little on the firm side, and then wait a bit, and before you know it, they’ll be al dente. Now, serve!

How to store and reheat leftovers

Related to the above section about not overcooking noodles, leftover noodles left in broth will become mushy.

To avoid this, refrigerate or freeze leftovers without the noodles. If frozen, thaw overnight, and reheat on the stove top, adding freshly cooked noodles when it’s time to serve.

Print Recipe

5 from 16 votes

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (Paleo, AIP, Gluten-free, hearty!)

Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup is the most delicious Paleo & Gluten-free soup possible -- with a rich delicious broth that's made effortlessly, plus hearty noodles, chicken and veggies -- all traditional, but grain-free, Gluten-free and very easy to make.

Prep Time30

Cook Time25

Total Time55

Course: DInner, lunch, Soup

Cuisine: American, British, French

Keyword: aip, chicken noodle soup, gluten-free, instant pot, paleo

Servings: servings

Calories: 727kcal

Author: Megan

Cost: $20

Equipment

Instant Pot or similar pressure cooker

Ingredients

1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 small or one large onion omit for VAD
½ teaspoon sea salt
6 cups water
3 pounds chicken thighs boneless skinless
1 Tablespoon sea salt or Potassium Salt for more minerals
3 medium carrots peeled and sliced, white carrots for VAD
6 stalks celery sliced
8 ounces pasta : For Paleo use Jovial's Cassava Pasta; for Gluten-free and VAD, use Jovial's Brown Rice Pasta: Fusilli or preferred shape
3 cloves garlic crushed or minced, omit for VAD
optional -- 1 teaspoon each: sage and thyme I do not use these in the fall, but they are very nice in the winter months.
optional garnishes: 3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice and/or 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger root, 3 Tablespoons fresh mint, dill or parsley (mint or dill for VAD), chopped small

Instructions

Using a 6-qt Instant Pot, press the Sauté button (on high heat). Add olive oil, diced onions and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just beginning to brown in places, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add water to the 6 cup line, or 6 cups water, if you don't have that line in your IP. Also add remaining 1 Tablespoon sea salt.
Add whole chicken thighs (boneless skinless), then carrots and celery. (If using dried herbs, add sage and thyme now.)
Select Manual setting on High pressure, and set time for 5 minutes. Seal lid and close steam valve. When timer sounds and cooking is complete, allow a natural release of pressure for 20 minutes; then do a Quick-Pressure Release, according to manufacturer's instructions.
Remove chicken from the IP using tongs, and place in a large bowl to cool slightly. Take about ⅓ of the chicken, seal and store in the fridge for another purpose:
We use 3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs in this recipe to make the incredibly delicious stock, that's also full of gelatin. But after the meat cooks, we retain about one pound of it for another purpose. All of the chicken is used for the broth, but only 2 pounds (ish) are needed for the finished soup. That one pound of leftover chicken is great in the fridge for easy meat leftovers. (I shred mine and toss with a little vinaigrette, then eat with lettuce for a lovely salad. You could also use it inside tacos, with pasta, on a bowl or sandwich. I like having the leftover easy meat on hand.)
With the 2 pounds retained chicken in bowl: Use two forks to roughly shred, or I also like to use kitchen sheers to cut chicken into chunks/squares. (I prefer the texture of chicken in soup in chunks, as I think that shredded chicken in soup isn't as nice. But do whichever you prefer.)
With chicken cooling and set aside, select high Sauté setting on IP, and bring stock to a boil. Stir in pasta and cook, uncovered, until almost perfectly tender, 12 minutes for Gluten-free and 10-12 for Cassava Pasta. (This is where you need to be a little bit careful, especially with the cassava pasta. Try to stop the cooking a little before the pasta is ready. After it's done cooking, it will continue to absorb the broth and soften more, and you don't want it too soft or falling apart.) NOTE: Do not add pasta to IP if you want your leftovers to have al dente pasta. In this case: Cook the pasta in a separate pot of boiling water, on the stove top, and then add in only as much as is needed for the first meal. Retain the rest separately for leftovers.
Stir in chicken and optional fresh herbs. (If using, stir in optional fresh lemon juice and/or freshly grated ginger root.)
Serve immediately.

Notes

Stove Top Variation

Sauté onion, in large stove top Dutch oven or big shallow pot with lid, with the same directions as you see for the Instant Pot, but over medium-high heat: Add olive oil, diced onions and ½ teaspoon sea salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and just beginning to brown in places, about 5 to 8 minutes.
Add water, salt, chicken and veggies. (Make sure the water covers the meat. If not, add a bit more water to cover, or move the meat around so it's lower in the pot.) Cover pot with lid, and turn heat to high.
As soon the water begins to simmer, reduce heat to whatever temperature maintains a simmer, medium-low or low.
Simmer 15 minutes, then turn off the heat.
Proceed with recipe as it's written, starting with Step 5.

Nutrition

Paleo Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup (AIP, Stove Top Option!, Gluten-free)