RESET360 with Camille McLaughlin
March Pick: Instant Pot Meals

Chicken Vegetable Soup

Chicken thighs pressure-cooked in bone broth with carrots, celery, onion, and thyme, finished with zucchini, kale, lemon, and fresh dill.

Why you'll love Chicken Vegetable Soup

This is the chicken soup to make on a raw, rainy March day, when winter has not quite let go. Chicken thighs cook under pressure right in bone broth with onion, carrots, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay, then get shredded and stirred back in with zucchini and kale. A squeeze of lemon and a handful of dill and parsley at the end make the whole pot taste bright and fresh.

Thighs are the right cut for soup. They have more fat and connective tissue than breasts, so they stay juicy and tender under pressure and give the broth a fuller flavor. Cooking them whole and shredding them afterward keeps them from drying out. A 10-minute natural release lets the pressure come down gently, so the meat relaxes instead of seizing up.

The green vegetables go in last, on the sauté setting, so the zucchini stays tender-crisp and the kale stays bright green. Lemon added off the heat lifts all the flavors without cooking them dull.

Quick overview: This Chicken Vegetable Soup takes 15 min of hands-on time and about 1 hr in all and makes 6 servings, each about 1 3/4 cups. You'll need an Instant Pot.

Jump to recipe

Chicken vegetable soup with carrots, zucchini, kale and dill
Prep 15 minCook 45 minTotal 1 hrServes 6Serving about 1 3/4 cupsYou'll need Instant Pot

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, diced
  • 3 medium carrots, sliced into coins
  • 3 ribs celery, sliced
  • 1 1/4 tsp fine sea salt, divided
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 6 cups chicken bone broth Label: chicken bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt, with no sugar, natural flavors, or oil
  • 2 lb boneless skinless chicken thighs
  • 6 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
  • 1 small bunch lacinato kale, stems removed, leaves sliced
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

  1. Sauté the vegetables: Set the Instant Pot to Sauté and heat the olive oil. Add the onion, carrots, celery, and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, just until fragrant. Softening the vegetables first gives the soup a sweeter, rounder flavor than pressure-cooking them raw.
  2. Deglaze: Pour in 1 cup of the broth and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon until no browned bits are stuck. Anything left stuck can trigger the Instant Pot's overheat warning.
  3. Add the chicken: Add the rest of the broth, the chicken thighs, thyme, bay leaves, pepper, and the remaining 3/4 teaspoon of salt. Press the chicken under the broth.
  4. Pressure-cook: Lock the lid, set the valve to sealing, and cook at high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes, then release the rest.
  5. Shred the chicken: Lift the chicken onto a cutting board and check that the thickest piece reads 165°F (74°C). Shred it into bite-size pieces with two forks. Fish out the thyme stems and bay leaves.
  6. Cook the greens: Set the pot to Sauté again. When the broth simmers, add the zucchini and kale and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, until the zucchini is just tender and the kale is bright green and wilted.
  7. Finish: Turn off the pot and stir in the shredded chicken, lemon juice, dill, and parsley. Taste and add salt if needed. Ladle into bowls and serve hot.

Storage and leftovers

Cool the soup quickly by dividing it into shallow containers, and refrigerate it for up to 4 days. Reheat it on the stove over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.

Freeze for up to 3 months, leaving an inch of space at the top of the container. The zucchini softens after freezing; for a freezer batch, add fresh zucchini when you reheat.

Variations

  • Lemony egg drop: Whisk 2 eggs and drizzle them into the simmering soup at the end, stirring gently, for silky ribbons.
  • Spinach: Use 5 oz baby spinach in place of the kale and stir it in off the heat; it wilts in a minute.
  • Ginger and turmeric: Add a 1-inch piece of grated fresh ginger and 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric with the garlic.
  • Cauliflower: Add 2 cups small cauliflower florets with the chicken for a heartier pot.

Notes and tips

  • Use bone broth: Bone broth has more body than regular broth. Look for a label of chicken bones, water, vegetables, herbs, and salt.
  • Cut the vegetables evenly: Carrots and celery in even slices cook through at the same time under pressure.
  • Add the lemon at the end: Lemon juice cooked for long turns flat. Stirring it in off the heat keeps it fresh.
  • Make it on the stove: Simmer the chicken in the broth in a covered pot for 25 to 30 minutes, until it reaches 165°F (74°C), then finish the same way.

Nutrition and mindful eating

  • Chicken thighs bring protein, iron, and zinc, and pressure-cooking them in broth keeps them tender.
  • Bone broth carries gelatin from the bones, which gives the soup body and a satisfying richness.
  • Carrots, celery, zucchini, and kale bring fiber, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K, and the warm broth makes a big bowl of vegetables easy to eat.
  • Olive oil and the natural fat in the thighs are the real fats in the bowl, and they carry the flavor of the herbs.
  • As you eat, notice the warmth of the broth and the brightness of the lemon and dill, and check in through the afternoon: a full bowl should hold you 3 to 4 hours, and on a cold day you may notice how steady and warm you feel after it.

Frequently asked questions

Have a question about this Chicken Vegetable Soup? Start here, with the questions people ask most.

Can I use chicken breast?

Yes. Cook boneless breasts at high pressure for 8 minutes with a 10-minute natural release, and check that they reach 165°F (74°C).

Can I use frozen chicken thighs?

Yes. Cook frozen boneless thighs for 15 minutes at high pressure with the same natural release, and check the temperature before shredding.

Why did I get an overheat warning?

Browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot overheat under pressure. Scraping the bottom well after sautéing prevents it.

Can I use a 3-quart Instant Pot?

Halve the recipe. The cooking time stays the same.

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Tags: March Pick, Instant Pot Meals, American, Dairy-Free