Name: Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup with Shells, Tomatoes, and Zucchini
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon canola oil; 1 onion, chopped fine; 1 tablespoon tomato paste; 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried; 8 cups water , divided; 4 carrots , peeled, halved lengthwise, and cut into ½-inch pieces; 2 celery ribs , halved lengthwise and cut into ½-inch pieces; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; 1 teaspoon table salt; 1 (4-pound) whole chicken , giblets discarded; 1 (8-ounce) zucchini , quartered lengthwise and sliced ¼ inch thick; 2 tomatoes , cored and chopped; 4 ounces (1 cup) 100 percent whole-wheat small pasta shells; ¼ cup chopped fresh basil

Why This Recipe Works

To keep the meat from overcooking while ensuring a deeply flavorful broth, it was crucial to get the timing exactly right. The Instant Pot heats from the bottom, so positioning the chicken breast side up exposed the dark meat thighs to more direct heat and shielded the delicate breast meat from overcooking. Once cooked, the tender meat was easy to shred and stir back in. We used the sauté function to simmer tomatoes and zucchini right in the broth toward the end of cooking so they could maintain their texture and flavor without getting blown out.

Before You Begin

Other small pasta shapes (whole wheat and traditional) can be substituted for the shells.

Instructions

Using highest sauté function, heat oil in Instant Pot until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in tomato paste and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in 6 cups water, scraping up browned bits, then stir in carrots, celery, soy sauce, and salt. Place chicken breast side up in pot.

Lock lid into place and close pressure-release valve. Select high pressure-cook function and cook for 20 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot and quick-release pressure. Carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you. Transfer chicken to carving board, let cool slightly, then shred into bite-size pieces using 2 forks; discard skin and bones.

Meanwhile, stir zucchini, tomatoes, shells, and remaining 2 cups water into soup and cook using highest sauté function until pasta is tender, about 8 minutes. Turn off Instant Pot. Return chicken and any accumulated juices to pot and let sit until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.