Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup is a rich and creamy soup recipe packed full of the delicious flavors of chicken, cauliflower, broccoli, carrots and spinach. Cooks in less than 30 minutes in the Instant Pot.
I have been making this recipe for about a year now and each time I make it I love it even more.
I've been making a few adjustments over the year. When I first started making it I used flour as the thickener. I loved the flavor and creaminess the flour gave the soup broth.
But when I used flour to thicken this creamy chicken soup recipe there was a real issue with the Instant Pot spewing.
So what I did was use cornstarch to thicken the soup after it pressure cooked.
My favorite Instant Pot Soup Recipe
I have made this Instant Pot chicken soup recipe at least once a month for the past year.
I absolutely love it. I use this Instant Pot soup recipe in my meal planning.
Each time I make this creamy chicken soup I eat a bowl, save a bowl for my next meal and then I fill single serving food grade plastic containers with the chicken soup and put them in the freezer.
I then pull a container of this freezer friendly chicken soup out of the freezer whenever I need.
Freezer soup recipes really come in handy for lunch or dinner.
How To Thicken Instant Pot Soup Recipes?
It is very easy to thicken Instant Pot soup recipes. My favorite way to thicken soup recipes is to use a slurry of cornstarch and water that is added to the Instant Pot after all of the other instant pot soup ingredients have been pressure cooked.
One problem you can run into when making pressure cooker creamy soup recipes is that when you go to release the pressure during a quick release the thicken broth will spew out the pressure valve.
Yes, I have had this happen to me on a number of occasions.
The issue arises when you attempt to thicken the soup broth during the pressure cooking phase.
This will happen not just for Instant Pot soup recipes but for any Instant Pot recipe that is cooked with a thick liquid, like a creamy broth or gravy.
When making Instant Pot Soup Recipes like this Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup you can prevent the pressure cooker from spewing liquid by thickening the soup broth after it has pressure cooked.
Helpful Products to Make Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup
- Instant Pot 6-quart or 8-quart pressure cooker: a 6-quart is perfect for smaller families of 2 to 4. 8-quart for larger families or when doing large meal prep proportions.
- Lawry's Seasoned salt
- Sharp Knife. I love my ceramic knife!
- cutting mats: These inexpensive cutting mats last for years.
- large enamel colander
- measuring spoons: properly measured herbs and spices are a must for successful cooking.
- soup ladle: a sturdy soup ladle prevents messes, burns and makes filling storage containers easier.
- soup bowls: a pretty bowl to eat your favorite soup in.
- 16 oz food storage containers (freeze leftovers for another meal.
Recipe FAQs
You should thicken Instant Pot soup recipes after they have pressure cooked. Pressure cooking a thick broth is not recommended because it can cause the pressure cooker to spew when you release the steam. It is very easy to add the thickener after the soup cooks using the sauté setting.
While most Instant Pots have a soup setting I have always used the manual setting when I am cooking soups. It works perfectly and my soups are always cooked correctly.
Recipe Expert Tips
- Save time: Prep all your vegetables that night before to save time.
- You can make this creamy chicken soup recipe in both the 6 quart and 8 quart Instant Pot.
- 5 minute cooking time if you want some pieces of broccoli and cauliflower in the soup. Don't expect the cauliflower and broccoli to hold their shape after pressure cooking.
- Extra creamy soup: 7 minute pressure cooking will yield a much creamier soup with almost no visible chunks of broccoli and cauliflower. (Good way to get the kids to eat their veggies)
- Using heavy cream will make a creamier soup but milk or half and half can be substituted. I've made this soup with each and prefer the whipping cream.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes you might like to try
The Instant Pot Soup recipes will be moving to their new home on the new Instant Pot Soup recipes page.
More Instant Pot Recipes
Print the Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup recipe below
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Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Vegetable Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 ½ lbs chicken)
- 2 tablespoons Lawrey's Seasoned Salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 stalks fresh broccoli (rinsed, stems trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces about 4 cups)
- 1 medium head cauliflower (rinsed, stem trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces about 4 cups)
- 5 medium carrots (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon ground pepper
- 3 large dried bay leaves
- ½ cup cooking sherry or cooking wine (I used Pompeian Marsala)
- 6 cups low sodium vegetable or chicken broth
- 2 cups heavy cream. milk or half and half (I used heavy cream)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 to 3 handful fresh baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Cut the boneless chicken into thin bite size pieces.
- Place the chicken pieces into a bowl and sprinkle with the Lawry's Seasoned Salt and ground black pepper. Toss the chicken to coat and set aside.
- Prep the broccoli and cauliflower and place in a large colander. Rinse with cool water and drain.
- Peel the carrots and slice them.
- Put the seasoned chicken, drained broccoli and cauliflower and sliced carrots into the metal insert of the Instant Pot.
- Add the minced garlic, ground pepper, bay leaves, cooking sherry or other white cooking wine into the Instant Pot cooking insert.
- Add the chicken broth. If using a 6-quart Instant Pot do not fill past the maxiumum line.
- Place the lid on, make sure the valve is in the sealing position.
- Press the manual button and set the cooking time to 5 to 7 minutes. (see notes)
- Once the timer has gone off indicating the pressure cooking is done allow the Instant Pot to natrually release pressure for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes of pressure release carefully push the valve open with a spoon handle and allow the pressure to release. When done remove the lid of the Instant Pot opening away from your face to prevent burns from the steam.
- Push the off button and then press the saute button.
- Add the milk or whipping cream to the IP and stir to combine.
- Mix the cornstarch with the water until smooth and lump free.
- Stir the slurry into the soup and saute for about 5 to 8 minutes to thicken.
- Optional before serving stir a couple of handfulls of baby spinach leaves into the hot soup and stir them in.
- Makes about 8 servings.
Video
Recipe Expert Tips
- I have made this Instant Pot creamy chicken soup recipe in both the 6 quart and 8 quart Instant Pot.
- 5 minute cooking time if you want some pieces of broccoli and cauliflower in the soup. Don't expect the cauliflower and broccoli to hold their shape after pressure cooking.
- 7 minute pressure cooking will yield a much creamier soup with almost no visible chunks of broccoli and cauliflower. (Good way to get the kids to eat their veggies)
- Using heavy cream will make a creamier soup but milk or half and half can be substituted. I've made this soup with each and prefer the whipping cream.
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