Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Cheddar Noodle Soup

Name: Instant Pot Chicken Broccoli and Cheddar Noodle Soup
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 22 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1½ lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 inch); 4 cups (945 ml) low-sodium chicken broth; 1 medium (150 g) yellow onion, diced; 2 cloves (6 g) garlic cloves, minced; 1½ cups (140 g) egg noodles (uncooked); 3 cups (300 g) fresh broccoli florets; 1½ cups (170 g) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk; 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) kosher salt; ¼ teaspoon (1.3 ml) black pepper, freshly ground; ½ teaspoon (2½ ml) dried thyme (optional)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A creamy, one-pot comfort soup that comes together in minutes. Tender chicken breast, bright broccoli florets, and egg noodles swim in a smooth cheddar-enriched broth, finished with a splash of milk for richness. This is weeknight comfort food at its best—ready in under 30 minutes from start to finish.

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 12 min
Wait: 5 min
Total: 27 min
Makes: 4 servings (about 2 cups each)

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Steps

Before you start

Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces before starting
Have broccoli florets prepped and ready to add
Use a 6-quart (5.7L) or larger Instant Pot to prevent overflow

1
Sauté aromatics
- Set your Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ setting on medium-high heat.
- Add the butter and let it melt, about 30 seconds.
- Add the diced onion and minced garlic, and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and the onion begins to soften.
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Ready when: Onion is softened and garlic is fragrant
Tip: Don't let the garlic brown—it will taste bitter.
2
Add chicken and broth
- Add the chicken pieces and stir to coat them in the butter and aromatics, about 1 minute.
- Pour in the chicken broth.
- Add salt, black pepper, and dried thyme if using.
- Stir well to combine and ensure the chicken is mostly submerged.
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Ready when: All ingredients are combined and chicken is mostly covered
3
Pressure cook chicken
- Press Cancel to exit SAUTÉ mode.
- Close the Instant Pot lid and set the valve to SEALING.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes.
- When the timer goes off, press Cancel and let the pressure release naturally for 2 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure by moving the valve to VENTING.
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Ready when: Pressure has been fully released and the lid opens easily
Tip: Natural release for 2 minutes prevents the broth from splattering when you manually vent.
4
Add pasta and broccoli
- Carefully open the lid (steam will escape—keep your face back).
- Add the uncooked egg noodles and broccoli florets.
- Stir to distribute evenly.
- The noodles should be mostly covered by broth.
- Close the lid, set the valve to SEALING, and cook on high pressure for 4 minutes.
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Ready when: Timer beeps and noodles are tender
Tip: Don't stir the noodles during cooking—they'll cook more evenly if left undisturbed.
5
Quick release and check doneness
- When the timer beeps, press Cancel.
- Immediately move the valve to VENTING to release pressure quickly (do this carefully, as hot steam will escape).
- Once fully released, open the lid.
- The noodles should be tender and the chicken cooked through.
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Ready when: Pressure is fully released, noodles are tender, chicken shows no pink when broken apart
Tip: If noodles are still firm, let the soup sit with the lid off for 1–2 minutes; residual heat will finish cooking them.
6
Finish with cheese and milk
- Switch the Instant Pot to SAUTÉ mode on medium heat.
- Slowly pour in the milk while stirring.
- Add the shredded cheddar cheese in handfuls, stirring constantly and allowing each addition to melt completely before adding more.
- This takes 2–3 minutes.
- The soup should be creamy and smooth.
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Ready when: Cheese is completely melted and soup is smooth and creamy
Tip: Add milk gradually and stir constantly to prevent the cheese from clumping. Don't let it boil—a gentle bubble on the surface is enough.
7
Taste and serve
- Press Cancel.
- Taste the soup and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
- Ladle into bowls and serve hot.
- If the soup is too thick, thin it with more broth or milk, 2 tablespoons at a time.
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Ready when: Soup is at your desired consistency and flavor
Tip: The soup will thicken slightly as it cools, so taste before adjusting consistency.

Good to know

Tips

This is a soup that comes together quickly, so have all your ingredients prepped before you start—mise en place prevents scrambling.
The Instant Pot's high pressure cooks the chicken perfectly tender in just 5 minutes; don't be tempted to extend the time or the meat will dry out.
Sharp cheddar gives the best flavor here, but aged cheddar or extra-sharp will work too. Mild cheddar will result in a blander soup.
For a healthier twist, swap half the whole milk for plain Greek yogurt stirred in after cooking—it adds creaminess and protein without the heaviness of pure cream.

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The noodles will absorb liquid, so the soup will be thicker when reheated; thin with broth or milk as needed. To reheat, warm on the stovetop over medium heat, stirring occasionally, about 5–8 minutes, or microwave in a bowl for 1–2 minutes per serving. Freezing is not recommended, as the noodles and cheese sauce don't hold up well to thawing.

Substitutions

sharp cheddar cheese → gruyère or fontina cheese. Use the same amount; these cheeses melt smoothly and add a more sophisticated, nutty flavor.
whole milk → heavy cream or half-and-half. Use the same amount for a richer, more decadent soup. Heavy cream will make it thicker.
egg noodles (uncooked) → small pasta shapes like ditalini, elbow pasta, or small shells. Keep the amount the same; these cook in roughly the same time as egg noodles.
boneless, skinless chicken breast → rotisserie chicken (shredded). Use about 3 cups shredded meat; skip the pressure-cooking step and add it with the broccoli in step 4. Reduce the overall cooking time by 5 minutes.