Get ready for a tasty and nutritious dinner with this Instant Pot Chicken Quinoa Soup! This one-pot meal is packed with flavorful chicken, quinoa, vegetables, and herbs. Plus, it's incredibly easy to make; all you need is an Instant Pot and just a few simple ingredients.
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Check out my Instant Pot Vegetable Soup with Pasta and my Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup for more Instant Pot soup recipes!
This Instant Pot chicken quinoa soup is a delicious and nutritious dish that is easy to prepare. With a blend of healthy ingredients like canola oil, boneless skinless chicken breast, onion, carrots, celery, zucchinis, garlic, ground turmeric, ground black pepper, coarse salt, dry quinoa, low sodium chicken broth and flat leaf parsley, you have all the essential elements for a flavorful meal!
With just 8-10 minutes of cooking time in the Instant Pot this soup is sure to be a hit with family and friends alike.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's nutritious. You get a balance of protein, carbs and veggies while enjoying a savory meal.
- Easy to make. All you need is an Instant Pot and a few simple ingredients!
- It's incredibly flavorful. The combination of chicken, quinoa, vegetables and herbs make this soup truly delicious! Enjoy this one-pot meal for a cozy night in.
Ingredients You'll Need
- Canola Oil: Canola oil is a vegetable-based oil made from the seeds of canola plants.
- Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast: This is a lean cut of chicken that is free from additional fat, skin, and bones. Boneless skinless chicken breasts are perfect for adding protein.
- Onion: Onions add a depth of flavor to soups and stews, as well as help thicken the broth.
- Carrots: Carrots are an earthy and sweet root vegetable that adds color, crunch, and nutrition to the soup. Be sure to slice or dice them before adding them in with the other ingredients!
- Celery: Celery has a delicious salty taste that compliments many different recipes. For this soup recipe, you'll want to chop up one celery stalk and add it into the pot when instructed in the directions.
- Zucchini: Zucchini are popular summer squash that adds tenderness and nutrition to any dish! You can opt to dice zucchinis into small cubes or thin slices before tossing them into the pot with all the other ingredients.
- Garlic: Garlic adds a subtle yet flavorful kick to soups!
- Ground Turmeric: Turmeric lends a vibrant yellow hue as well as anti-inflammatory benefits to foods where it's added!
- Ground Black Pepper: A pinch of freshly ground black pepper will add a bit of heat as well as fragrance to your soup!
- Coarse Salt: Coarse salt helps bring out even more flavor from your soup! Be careful not to use too much though; a tablespoon should be just enough for this batch of soup!
- Dry Quinoa: Quinoa is rich in fiber and protein while being gluten-free, making it an ideal grain component for this particular soup recipe!
- Low Sodium Chicken Broth: Low sodium chicken broth gives soup extra richness without leaving behind any unpleasant aftertaste or bad health consequences due its lack of saturated fats content.
- Flat Leaf Parsley: Fresh parsley offers mild grassy notes that helps provide balance against what may seem otherwise overly strong flavor profiles when cooking at home.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Heat the oil in the pot, then add chicken. Cook for 2-4 minutes.
Step 2: Add vegetables, garlic, turmeric, pepper and salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
Step 3: Add quinoa and broth. Close and lock the lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes at high pressure. Quick release remaining steam.
Step 4: Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning to taste.
NOTE: You can print the FULL recipe with all ingredients & detailed instructions below!
Expert Tips
- Feel free to adjust the amount of canola oil to your desired preference, adding more will give the soup a richer flavor and texture.
- When adding in chicken, make sure to cut it into bite-size pieces for easier consumption.
- For added flavor, consider mixing in your preferred vegetables like zucchinis, carrots or celery.
- Make sure to rinse off quinoa before adding it into the pot as this will help remove excess starch that could lead to an overly thick texture.
- Don't forget to garnish with parsley for a delicious herbal finish!
Variations
- Consider switching out the canola oil for olive oil or coconut oil for a different flavor profile.
- Add in other proteins like beef, pork, or tofu for a new texture.
- Use fresh herbs like thyme and oregano instead of parsley to give the soup an earthy taste.
- Try adding some diced sweet potatoes for extra sweetness and nutrition.
- Mix in some spices like cumin or chili powder to kick up the flavor even more!
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
Freezing: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container.
Recipe FAQ's
Yes! This soup is packed with protein, vitamins, and minerals. The canola oil also contributes to a balanced diet by providing essential fatty acids.
For best results, it's recommended to cook the soup for around 8-10 minutes on high pressure in the Instant Pot.
Absolutely! Feel free to mix in your preferred veggies like zucchinis, carrots or celery for extra flavor and nutrition.
Yes, feel free to switch out canola oil for olive oil or coconut oil for a different flavor profile.
More Instant Pot Soup Recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Quinoa Soup
Special Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1¼ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 2 large carrots peeled and chopped
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 2 medium zucchinis chopped
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- ½ teaspoon coarse salt
- 1 cup dry quinoa well rinsed
- 8 cups low sodium chicken broth
- ½ cup flat leaf parsley chopped
Instructions
- Press the sauté button on the Instant Pot. Heat the oil in the pot, then add chicken. Cook 2-4 minutes.
- Add vegetables, garlic, turmeric, pepper and salt. Sauté, stirring occasionally, 5-7 minutes until vegetables are softened and fragrant.
- Add quinoa and broth. Close and lock the lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes at high pressure. Quick release remaining steam.
- Stir in parsley and adjust seasoning to taste.
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of canola oil to your desired preference, adding more will give the soup a richer flavor and texture.
- When adding in chicken, make sure to cut it into bite-size pieces for easier consumption.
- For added flavor, consider mixing in your preferred vegetables like zucchinis, carrots or celery.
- Make sure to rinse off quinoa before adding it into the pot as this will help remove excess starch that could lead to an overly thick texture.
- Don't forget to garnish with parsley for a delicious herbal finish!
- Storing: Allow leftovers to cool completely before storing in the refrigerator for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
- Freezing: You can freeze this soup for up to 3 months if stored in an airtight container.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Katlin
I’m trying this right now and am excited! Maybe for future first time people using the sauté option - it would help to add a note on step 2 NOT to put the lid on. I didnt read ahead to step 3 yet and didn’t know to keep the lid off and got a warning on my instapot. Looking forward to the results when it’s done!