Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup

This thick and hearty Instant Pot chicken and rice soup cooks tender shredded chicken, brown rice, mushrooms, carrots, and celery together with no sautéing. A tapioca starch slurry gives the naturally gluten-free and dairy-free soup an especially creamy, satisfying texture.

Course Soup, Main Course, Dinner

Cuisine American

Keyword instant pot chicken and rice soup, chicken and rice soup instant pot, instant pot chicken rice soup, gluten free chicken and rice soup

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1

Total Time 1 10

Servings

Calories 304kcal

Author Jamie Monkkonen

Ingredients

1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
½ large yellow onion , diced
2 medium carrots , peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium celery stalks , diced into pea-sized pieces
8 ounces cremini mushrooms or white mushrooms, sliced or quartered
1 cup brown rice , uncooked
1 clove garlic , minced
¾ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt , plus more to taste after cooking
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups low sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1 ¼ pounds skinless chicken breasts , uncooked
1 tablespoon tapioca starch to thicken
1 tablespoon cold water , for the tapioca slurry
2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley , optional to garnish

Instructions

Add the vegetables and rice: Add the olive oil to the Instant Pot and tilt the insert to coat the bottom. Add the onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms, brown rice, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
Add the chicken: Nestle the chicken breasts in the vegetables, rice, and broth so that they are completely submerged. If using fresh thyme, add the sprigs and submerge the leaves in the broth.
Pressure cook: Lock the lid and pressure cook on High for 45 minutes. When the cooking cycle finishes, allow the pressure to release naturally until the float valve drops on its own before opening the lid.
Shred and thicken: In a small bowl or jar, whisk or shake together 1 tablespoon tapioca starch and 1 tablespoon cold water until smooth. Pour the slurry into the hot soup while stirring continuously for about 1 minute, until evenly incorporated and noticeably thicker.
Transfer the chicken breasts to a plate or cutting board and shred them with two forks, then return to the pot. Taste and add additional salt if needed. For a thinner soup, stir in additional warm chicken broth until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Notes

Brown rice: This recipe is tested with regular brown rice. Do not substitute white, jasmine, or basmati rice using the same pressure-cooking time.

Consistency: The finished soup is intentionally thick. Add additional chicken broth after cooking or when reheating for a brothier consistency.

Gluten-free: If cooking for someone with celiac disease, use chicken broth labeled gluten-free and check the current package ingredients.

Storage: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3–4 days. Freeze individual portions for 2–3 months for best quality. Reheat leftovers to 165°F.

Slow cooker: Cook on High for about 4 hours or Low for 6–8 hours, until the chicken reaches 165°F, shreds easily, and the rice is tender. Shred the chicken and add the tapioca slurry at the end.

Pressure-cooker capacity: When scaling the recipe, follow your appliance's fill limits. Instant Pot advises not filling above the ½ line when cooking expanding foods such as rice.

Nutrition