Stay Warm and Well With This Winter Soup
In this recipe, the Instant Pot turns a classic comfort dish into a quick and effortless meal that can be prepared in mere minutes, harnessing the power of pressure cooking to deliver rich, home-style flavors without hours of simmering. This soup, packed with immune-boosting vitamin C from fresh lemon, protein-rich chicken, and nourishing vegetables, helps support your body’s natural wellness during cold and flu season.
Instant Pot Lemon Chicken Soup
Serves 6
Ingredients
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups sliced carrots (carrots should be cut crosswise into coins)
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
½ teaspoon dried parsley
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
4 bay leaves
1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 cups low-salt chicken broth
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup dry orzo
Directions
Set an Instant Pot to sauté mode for 10 minutes. Heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot pan. Add the celery, onion, and garlic to the pan and cook until fragrant and softened. Stir in carrots and spices. Set the whole chicken breasts on top of the vegetables. Pour in the chicken broth. Note: Do not add lemon juice to the pot until after everything has cooked. Cover the Instant Pot and seal. Set to ‘Soup’ or ‘Pressure Cook’ for 12 minutes. It should take approximately 10 minutes to come to pressure, but it might take longer if your broth is cold.
While the soup is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the orzo according to package directions.
Once the soup cooks, release the pressure using the quick release. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Transfer the cooked chicken to a cutting board or large plate and shred it with two forks. Add the shredded chicken, lemon juice, and cooked orzo to the pot with the broth. Stir to combine and serve.
