From the roundup: 22 Instant Pot Soup Recipes for Easy Weeknight Dinners
A refrigerator with not much left except chicken thighs, a bag of refrigerated tortellini, and half a wilting bag of spinach is what pointed me toward this Instant Pot chicken tortellini soup on one of those stripped-down Tuesday nights. The chicken goes in raw and pressure cooks for 12 minutes, then you shred it right in the pot before switching to saute mode for the tortellini. That last step is the one that requires your full attention: refrigerated tortellini in hot broth cooks fast, and four to five minutes goes by quicker than you think, so I stay at the pot and do not walk away. A heavy hand with the Parmesan at the end is the move that pulls the whole bowl together.
Why you will love this
- Pressure cooks in 12 minutes with only 10 minutes of actual hands-on prep
- Chicken thighs shred easily right in the pot, no separate cooking step
- Refrigerated cheese tortellini makes it a complete, filling one-pot meal
- The broth is seasoned well enough that leftovers taste just as good the next day
- One pot to wash, which matters on a Tuesday night
Tips for success
- Use refrigerated tortellini, not frozen. Frozen takes longer and the residual heat from the broth tends to make the texture uneven before it is fully cooked through.
- Stay at the pot during the saute step. The tortellini goes from just right to mushy in under a minute if the broth is at a hard simmer. Stir gently and check at 4 minutes.
- Taste the broth after you shred the chicken, before adding the tortellini. The chicken releases a lot of liquid during pressure cooking and the salt level can shift. Adjust here rather than at the table.
- Do a true quick release and stand back from the valve. The steam comes out fast and there is a lot of it with this much liquid in the pot.
If the soup gets too thick
- Tortellini absorbs broth as it sits, so leftovers will be noticeably thicker than when you first made it. Add a splash of chicken broth when reheating, about a quarter cup per serving.
- If it thickens up before everyone has been served, just ladle it out quickly and let people stir their own bowl. The pasta keeps cooking in the hot liquid.
- The soup does not freeze well. The tortellini turns soft and grainy after thawing. Stick to refrigerator storage and plan to finish it within 3 days.
Substitutions
Boneless skinless chicken breasts work here if that is what you have, though thighs stay a little juicier after pressure cooking and shred more easily. Kale can replace the spinach, just give it an extra minute to soften since it is tougher. If you do not have diced tomatoes, stir in about a cup of marinara at the end instead of adding it at the start.
For anyone avoiding pork, double-check your Parmesan, since some versions use animal rennet. A good pecorino or just leaving the cheese off entirely still works fine. The red pepper flakes are optional and easy to skip for kids who are sensitive to heat.
Make-ahead and storage
You can make the broth base and shredded chicken up to a day ahead. Store it in the fridge without the tortellini, then reheat on the stovetop, bring it to a simmer, and cook the tortellini fresh. This keeps the pasta from turning soft overnight. If you are reheating the fully assembled soup, add a splash of broth and warm it low and slow so the tortellini does not overcook a second time.
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Skip the freezer on this one. Tortellini does not hold up after thawing and the texture becomes mealy.
Instant Pot Chicken Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Add the diced onion, minced garlic, chicken thighs, chicken broth, diced tomatoes with their juices, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes (if using) directly into the Instant Pot. Give everything a quick stir so the seasoning is distributed around the chicken.
- Secure the lid and set the valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook on high and set the timer for 12 minutes. The pot will take about 8 to 10 minutes to come up to pressure before the countdown starts.
- When the timer goes off, do a quick release by carefully turning the valve to venting. Stand back from the steam. Once the float pin drops, open the lid.
- Use tongs to transfer the chicken thighs to a cutting board. Shred the meat using two forks, then return the shredded chicken to the pot. Give the broth a taste and adjust salt if needed.
- Switch the Instant Pot to Saute mode on Normal heat. Once the broth is simmering, add the refrigerated cheese tortellini. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring gently once or twice, until the tortellini is tender and plump. Do not walk away here as it can go from perfect to overcooked quickly.
- Turn off the Saute function. Stir in the fresh baby spinach and let it wilt into the hot soup for about 1 minute. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with a sprinkle of grated Parmesan.
Notes
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