This past week I have been sick with the plague….aka a sinus infection.

For someone like me, who is constantly full of energy and always moving, being sick is not only uncomfortable, but it’s annoying. I hate being bed-ridden and exhausted, especially when I am dying to get in the kitchen and cook.

So after 3 days of a stuffy nose, sore throat, and headache, I decided I needed to make my mom’s cure-all: Chicken Soup.

As I stated before, I was exhausted and not much in the mood for waiting for a chicken soup to cook and get flavor and blah blah blah….so I busted out my awesome Pressure Cooker to get the job done fast.

You won’t believe the amount of flavor you can impart in a soup in a Pressure Cooker in such a small amount of time.

When doing this recipe, you can use dark or white meat Chicken – but make sure you get it ON THE BONE! This is one of the best ways to impart flavor into a soup easily. Add in a few fresh herbs like thyme and parsley and the flavor is just perfect.

So next time you’re sick – try this recipe out – and invest in a Pressure Cooker, they’re incredible!

Pressure Cooked Chicken Soup

Prep Time
10 Minutes
Cook Time
25 Minutes
Total Time
35 Minutes
Yield
Serves 6-8

Ingredients

  • 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 Cups Onion (diced small)
  • 2 1/2 Cups Carrots (peeled and cut into 1/4" half moons)
  • 1 1/2 Cups Celery Stalks (cut into 1/2" pieces)
  • 2 3/4 lbs Bone in Chicken Legs/Thighs (skin removed)
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Black Pepper
  • 6 Cups Low Sodium Chicken Stock
  • 3 Sprigs Thyme
  • 5 Sprigs Parsley (leaves and stems)
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 1 1/2 Cups Elbow Pasta
  • 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas (thawed)
  • grated Parmesan Cheese (to serve with)

Directions

  • Add 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil to your pressure cooker and set to the 'Saute' setting. Once the oil is hot, add in your onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add in your chicken, salt, pepper, thyme, parsley, bay leaf and stock. Cover the lid to the pressure cooker and set to 'High Pressure' for 8 minutes.
  • When the 8 minutes is up, let the pressure naturally release for about 5 minutes and then use the 'quick pressure release'. Once all the pressure is released, carefully remove the lid.
  • Remove your herbs and bay leaf and discard. Take out your chicken and place on a cutting board.
  • Turn your pressure cooker on to 'Browning' - once it starts to boil, add in your macaroni and cook about 5 minutes, or until soft. Meanwhile shred up your chicken and discard the bones. After your macaroni is cooked, add in your shredded chicken and peas and cook another minutes. Taste and season - serve hot with grated parmesan cheese.