Description
This comforting Instant Pot Italian Chicken Soup features tender bone-in chicken thighs, hearty vegetables, ditalini pasta, and fresh escarole, all simmered to perfection. Easily adaptable with a stovetop method, this soup is wholesome, flavorful, and perfect for a cozy meal any day of the year.
Ingredients
Chicken and Broth
- 8 bone-in chicken thighs, about 2-1/2 lbs, skin removed
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 5 cups low-sodium chicken broth, divided
Vegetables and Aromatics
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup diced tomatoes
- 8 cups roughly chopped escarole (can substitute with kale or spinach)
Pasta and Garnish
- 1 cup ditalini pasta
- Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
- Grated Parmesan cheese, for serving
Instructions
- Prepare the Chicken: Trim any excess fat from the chicken thighs. Season both sides generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside.
- Sauté Vegetables: Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat or use the “sauté” function on your Instant Pot. Add the chopped onion, carrots, and celery and cook until softened, about 3 to 5 minutes. Then add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
- Add Chicken and Broth: Arrange the seasoned chicken thighs in a single layer on top of the softened vegetables. Pour in 3 cups of the chicken broth to create the initial cooking liquid.
- Cook the Soup (Choose Your Method): For stovetop, cover the pot and bring the soup to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Cook for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the chicken is fork-tender and thoroughly cooked. For Instant Pot, cancel the sauté function, secure the lid, and set to Manual (High Pressure) for 18 minutes. After cooking, perform a manual pressure release carefully by turning the steam valve to venting.
- Remove and Shred Chicken: Use tongs to transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Allow them to cool slightly, then remove the bones and shred the meat with a fork.
- Add Remaining Broth and Simmer Pasta and Greens: Add the remaining 2 cups of chicken broth to the pot with the vegetables and bring the soup to a rapid simmer over medium-high heat (use the sauté function on Instant Pot if applicable). Add the ditalini pasta and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the escarole and diced tomatoes and cook until the pasta is al dente and the greens are wilted, approximately 3 to 5 minutes more.
- Combine Chicken and Heat Through: Return the shredded chicken to the pot, stir well to combine, and continue cooking briefly to heat the chicken through.
- Serve: Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped fresh parsley and grated Parmesan cheese. Enjoy hot.
Notes
- Escarole can be substituted with kale or spinach if not available.
- To reduce sodium, choose low-sodium chicken broth and adjust salt to taste.
- Removing skin from chicken thighs cuts down on fat content.
- For a gluten-free option, substitute ditalini pasta with gluten-free pasta.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and freeze well for up to 2 months.
