With turmeric and ginger, this Immunity Boosting Chicken Soup is the ultimate soothing comfort food, made in just 30 minutes in your pressure cooker! It's a delicious feel-good (or feel better!) soup for kids and adults alike.
Classic chicken noodle soup is always one of the best comfort foods. It's a hot soup that has stood the test of time for good reason.
Especially during cold season and flu season — when it seems like everyone is coming down with something — immune-healthy soups are more important than ever.
And, thanks to the Instant Pot, you can make this immune-boosting soup – with the health benefits of ginger and turmeric – in less time without sacrificing any flavor!
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❤️ Why you'll love this soup recipe
I've tweaked my classic chicken soup recipe so many times over the years. But this version is my absolute favorite.
This dish is:
- A delicious healthy chicken soup recipe that has the heartiness of a pasta and soothing warm comfort of soup
- Packed with healthy protein
- Full of healthy (and yummy!) antioxidants and anti-inflammatory ingredients that are easy to find at your local grocery store
- Big on flavor, thanks to the herbs and spices in this recipe
- Easy to make in just 30 minutes, thanks to the Instant Pot!
- A great recipe to make in a big batch, so you can freeze some and simply heat it up later
⚕️Health benefits of ginger and turmeric
Ginger - One of my favorite aromatics to cook with. Fresh ginger doesn't just add a delicious zing to a dish, it is also a strong antioxidant with anti-inflammatory properties. Studies suggest that ginger can help kill cold viruses, ease fevers, sore throats and chills, prevent nausea, improve digestive tract function, and soothe an upset stomach.
Turmeric can also aid with overall health. It's a potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant. And along with boosting the immune system, recent research shows that turmeric also may help relieve arthritis pain and even aids in preventing heart disease.
🧄 Other ingredients you'll need for this soup
- Frozen or fresh boneless, skinless chicken thighs - the darker thigh meat adds more flavor to the soup. But you can use chicken breasts if you prefer
- Garlic and onion - this recipe calls for 3 cloves of garlic and a large onion to add some delicious aromatic flavors
- Carrots and celery - these add some texture and heartiness to the soup. And both are a good source of vitamins
- Chicken broth - I use 4 cups chicken broth, which is packed with immune boosting amino acids
- Fresh thyme and oregano - to add some warm herbiness
- Your choice of noodles - I use wide egg noodles in mine as it makes the soup feel richer and more satisfying. Other good types of pasta include bow ties/farfalle, fusilli, cavatappi, and orechiette
✅ Step-by-step instructions
Here's how to make this immune boosting chicken soup (for full details, see the recipe card below):
1. The first thing you do is turn the Instant Pot to Sauté on Hi, and add the butter. Once the butter starts to melt, add the carrots, celery, onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions and garlic are translucent, soft, and fragrant.
2. Deglaze the pot by pouring in the chicken broth and use a wooden spoon to scrape the brown bits from the veggies off of the bottom of the pot.
3. Add the chicken meat and water to the pot. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley (reserving the rest for later), the chopped thyme and oregano, and turmeric. Add the noodles and stir make sure they are submerged in the liquid.
4. Place the lid on and seal. Pressure Cook on HI for 4 minutes if you want your noodles al dente, and for 5 minutes if you prefer softer noodles. Allow the pressure to Natural Release for 10 minutes, then Quick Release any remaining pressure.
5. Once all of the pressure has been released and the valve pin has gone down, press Cancel and carefully open the lid. Stir in the remaining parsley, lemon juice, then season with salt and black pepper if needed, and serve.
👩🏻🍳 Recipe FAQs
Yes! One of the best benefits of cooking with an Instant Pot is the ability to cook with frozen meat. The cooking method is slightly different, however.
To cook with frozen chicken, you should leave the noodles out of the first cook time. You will need to adjust the first cooking time to 10 minutes, then quick release and remove the chicken from the pot. Add the noodles, return the lid, then Pressure Cook on HIGH for 4 minutes. Natural release for 5 minutes, then quick release. Carefully open the lid, return the chicken to the pot, stir and serve.
Regardless of whether you are cooking with fresh or frozen chicken, chicken is fully cooked when a meat thermometer shows an internal temperature of 165°F degrees.
Absolutely! In fact, I have made it several times using leftover rotisserie chicken. I keep the cooking times the same.
The Soup setting is pre-programmed to cook at High pressure for 30 minutes. I have found that it's better to use the Pressure Cook setting with more specific cook times
Allow the soup to cool completely. Then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Yes. Allow the soup to cool completely. Then you can freeze the soup in airtight freezer-safe containers for up to 2 months.
⏲ Tools and equipment
For this recipe, you will need a large electric pressure cooker. I have both the 8-quart Instant Pot Duo and the 8-quart Ninja Foodi Deluxe XL Pressure Cooker multicooker. Either will work great to make this soup.
🍽 Serving ideas
This easy chicken soup recipe goes great with familiar side dishes like Garlic Parmesan Knots, Instant Pot Garlic Rice, or Instant Pot Garlic Mashed Potatoes.
For other healthy vegetable side dishes, try adding a side of Air Fryer Broccoli, Rosemary Garlic Roasted Carrots, or Creamy Confetti Corn Salad.
More soup and stew recipes
Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!
Immunity Boosting Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 cup chopped carrots
- 1 cup chopped celery
- 1 cup chopped yellow onion
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into small 1-inch pieces
- 4 cups water
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, divided
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves (or ½ teaspoon dried thyme)
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano (or 1 tablespoon fresh, chopped oregano leaves)
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 8 ounces uncooked wide egg noodles
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt (as needed)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper (as needed)
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to SAUTE setting. Add butter. As butter starts to melt, add the carrots, celery, onions, ginger, and garlic. Sauté for 3-4 minutes, until the onions are soft and translucent. Hit CANCEL to turn the Instant Pot off.
- Pour in chicken broth, and use a wooden spoon to deglaze the pot from any possible sticking pieces or brown bits at the bottom of the pot.
- Add chicken and water to the pot. Sprinkle in 1 tablespoon of the chopped parsley (reserving the remaining tablespoon for later), then add the other chopped herbs, and turmeric. Add the noodles and make sure they are submerged in the liquid.
- Place the lid on and seal. PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 4 minutes if you prefer your noodles al dente, or 5 minutes for softer noodles.
- The Instant Pot will take a few minutes to come to pressure, and then start counting down. At the end of the countdown, when pressure cooking is complete, allow for Natural Release for 10 minutes, then Quick Release to release any remaining pressure.
- Once all of the pressure has been released and the valve pin has gone down, carefully open the lid.
- Season with salt and pepper if needed. Sprinkle in the remaining fresh parsley and the lemon juice. Stir, and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is a general estimate. Actual nutrition details may vary depending on the exact foods & brands you use to make this recipe. It does not take into account any substitutions, toppings, or optional ingredients.
Darlene Falconer says
This was delicious. I only had 1 cup of chicken broth left so I used Better than Boullion, and used 2 tsp of that with the additional 3c of water. Everything else was per the recipe.
Tona says
Beautiful color, lovely flavor, I did add salt and pepper for our liking. I will definitely add this to my healthy soup box!! Thanks for sharing.
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
So glad you enjoyed the soup recipe, Tona! It's one of my faves especially this time of year :)
Paula Montenegro says
If there's something I have in the freezer is chicken! This is the perfect recipe, so comforting and freezable. We all need some chicken soup these days. Thanks for sharing.
Elaine says
The soup that is worth to be called the best chicken noodle soup 2020. Fantastic execution and great color - yum!
Marlynn Jayme Schotland says
Thanks so much Elaine!
Jessica says
So classic :) Fortunately, we raise a flock of backyard chickens so I can make this anytime!
Kathryn says
I could really use alllll of the comfort right now, and this chicken noodle soup looks easy and delicious. Right up my alley!
Cathleen says
I love a good chicken noodle soup!! But I have never tried making it in the Instant Pot. Bookmarked for later! :)