Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup

Name: Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 1 yellow onion (diced); 2 carrots (diced); 2 celery stalks (diced); 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs; 2 garlic cloves (minced); 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3 cups chicken broth or chicken stock; 2 cups rice (cooked); 2 bay leaves; 1 teaspoon dried or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon dried rosemary or 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary; 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or canned full-fat coconut milk; 2 tablespoons flour, cornstarch or arrowroot powder (dissolved in 4 tablespoons cold water); salt and black pepper (to taste)

This Instant Pot Creamy Chicken and Rice Soup is the best comfort food dish. It's hearty, really easy to make and done in just 35 minutes! This delicious soup is the perfect family meal for a chilly day.

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Two bowls of creamy chicken and rice soup on a cutting board.

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Why You'll Love this Recipe

Uses real ingredients. This Instant Pot creamy chicken and rice soup recipe is made from scratch with a few simple ingredients, no canned soups are needed in this recipe.
Perfect for cooler weather. Chicken soup is the best especially when the weather starts to cool down. You may also like my Potato and Chicken Soup and Chicken Broccoli Cheddar Soup.
Easy recipe. This is a 30-minute one-pot meal that is hands-off and super hearty. This creamy chicken soup is great for meal prep as it lasts a week in the fridge and is even better the next day. If you are looking for another easy soup recipe, check out my Instant Pot Tortellini Soup.

Ingredients

Mirepoix. Otherwise known as onions, carrots and celery. Don't skimp on these ingredients, they add a delicious flavor and base to the soup that can't be replaced.
Chicken thighs. I prefer chicken thighs as they are more flavorful than boneless, skinless chicken breasts. However either will work for this chicken soup recipe.
Rice. You can use any short or long-grain brown or white rice. The rice needs to be cooked before adding it to the soup. Most grocery stores now sell bags of frozen rice that can be microwaved in just a few minutes.
Bay leaves. I use dry bay leaves as they last longer and have a stronger flavor. Make sure to remove each bay leaf after cooking. You can omit if you don't have any on hand and use extra fresh herbs.
Fresh herbs. I love cooking with fresh thyme and rosemary but don't always have it on hand, and in this case, dried works just as well. Just be sure to use less if using dried herbs as they have a stronger flavor.
Flour. All-purpose flour works great and is used to thicken up the soup. Arrowroot powder and cornstarch are great gluten-free substitutions if that is a dietary concern.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

Substitutions & Variations

You can substitute a wild rice blend, quinoa or farro, just make sure to cook it before adding it to the soup.
This creamy chicken soup recipe calls for heavy cream or a can of full-fat coconut milk. Use coconut milk to keep this recipe dairy-free. Whole milk or another dairy-free milk such as cashew milk will work. Just make sure it is a higher-fat milk or it won't be very creamy.
Add green beans, peas, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or kale if you like more veggies in your soup.

Instructions

Step 1: Heat olive oil in the Instant Pot by turning on the sauté function. Add the onion, carrots and celery and cook until the onion is translucent.

Ingredients for chicken soup in an instant pot before cooking.

Step 2: Next, add the chicken thighs to the pot along with garlic. Pour in the chicken broth. Top with bay leaves and herbs. Close the lid on the Instant Pot, set the vent to the sealing position and pressure cook on high pressure for 20 minutes.

Step 3: Release the pressure. Remove the chicken and shred it with two forks. Add the shredded chicken to the pot with the coconut milk/heavy cream, cooked rice, and slurry mixture.

Instant pot full of chicken soup with a ladle.

Step 4: Set the Instant Pot to sauté and bring the soup to a simmer. Once the soup starts simmering, hit cancel. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe FAQs

How do you keep rice from getting mushy in soup?

I recommend adding cooked rice to soup rather than uncooked rice. It should be added at the end and the soup should be simmered just long enough to warm up the rice.

Can I use leftover chicken or rotisserie chicken?

Yes- this is the perfect way to use leftovers. I recommend cutting down on the pressure cooking time by about 10 minutes and adding the cooked chicken at the end with the rice. You will need about 3 cups of chicken. My air fryer rotisserie chicken is great for this soup.

Can I make this chicken soup on the stovetop or slow cooker?

Absolutely! Begin by cooking the veggies in olive oil in a large pot on medium-high heat. Add the chicken thighs, broth, salt, bay leaves, rosemary and thyme. Cover, turn the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 25 minutes. Shred the chicken and add them back in with the remaining ingredients and cooked rice. Stir in the slurry and milk and let simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and serve.

If you want to make it in the slow cooker, add all the ingredients, aside from rice, flour and cream, to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6 hours. Stir in the rice, slurry mix, and cream at the end.

Sarah's Top Tips

Save salt for after cooking. Some chicken broths can have high sodium levels so it's best to wait until after cooking to check the saltiness of the soup. Add additional salt before serving, if needed.
Make a slurry. Make a slurry with either arrowroot powder, cornstarch or flour before adding it to the soup. Mix one tablespoon of the thickening ingredient into 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Then pour it into the soup.
Rice can be cooked on the side and added to each bowl so it doesn't soak up all the liquid.

A grey bowl full of creamy chicken soup.

Serving

Serve this creamy soup with your favorite crusty bread, chopped fresh parsley, and maybe a squeeze of lemon juice. This delicious recipe is a complete meal on its own but you can serve it alongside frozen green beans in the air fryer or roasted Mediterranean vegetables.

Storage & Reheating

To store the Instant Pot chicken soup, let it cool to room temperature, then transfer it to an airtight container. Store it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
The leftover soup will continue to thicken, especially when stored with rice in it. You can store the rice separately and add it before serving or just add more broth before reheating to thin it out. While it's thick, it would make a great alternative filling for turkey pot pie with puff pastry!
The soup can be frozen if you use coconut milk. However, if you use heavy cream, I do NOT recommend freezing the soup as dairy tends to separate when frozen. You may also want to wait to add the rice if you plan on storing leftovers in the freezer as it can soak up all the liquid when frozen.
Reheat defrosted soup in the microwave for 2 minutes or on the stove over medium heat for 10-15 minutes.