Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles — Brothy Chicken With Separately Simmered Egg Noodles

Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles combines pressure-cooked chicken thighs, carrots and celery with wide egg noodles in a lightly creamy broth. The chicken cooks under pressure first; the noodles simmer in the open pot afterward, giving you a visible texture check without guessing how a pressure release will affect them. This version uses dried noodles, not frozen dough noodles. Plan on roughly 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 25 minutes, including pressure buildup, natural release and finishing.

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What to Expect

• Noodles simmer after pressure release, so you can taste and stop them at the desired tenderness.
• The ingredient list specifies dried wide egg noodles rather than treating all noodle products as interchangeable.
• Chicken, vegetables and noodles use the same inner pot, although they are added in separate stages.

Ingredients and Useful Notes

Chicken and vegetables

• 1 1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless skinless chicken thighs, thawed and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion (about 150 g), diced
• 2 medium carrots (about 150 g), cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
• 2 celery stalks (about 100 g), sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 6 cups (1.44 liters) low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Open-pot finish

• 8 ounces (227 g) dried wide egg noodles
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream

A brothy dinner

This is a brothy chicken-and-noodle dish, not a thick condensed-soup casserole. Cream softens the broth without turning it into a flour-thickened gravy. If you want a thick sauce, develop that version separately rather than silently changing the liquid ratio.

Watch the fill line

Six cups of broth plus chicken and vegetables must fit your actual model’s soup/starchy-food limits. Check the half-full guidance and minimum liquid in the manual before loading. Do not double this recipe in the same cooker.

Dried versus frozen noodles

Frozen thick noodles and fresh pasta have different cooking behavior. The specified noodles simmer according to their package after the pressure lid is removed. Do not replace them and assume the same timing.

Let’s Make Instant Pot Chicken and Noodles

1. Soften the vegetables

Select SAUTÉ and heat oil. Add onion, carrot and celery and cook for about 4–5 minutes, stirring. Add garlic for the final 30 seconds. Vegetables should soften slightly without developing a scorched coating.

2. Add thin broth and chicken

Pour in broth and scrape the bottom completely clean. Cancel SAUTÉ. Add thyme, salt, pepper and thawed thighs. Check the soup fill limit before securing the pressure lid.

3. Cook the chicken

Set HIGH pressure for 10 minutes using the sealing instructions for the model. Allow approximately 10–15 minutes for pressure buildup. This development setting is for boneless thawed thighs, not a whole chicken or frozen blocks.

4. Let pressure release naturally

Allow full natural release until the indicator drops; plan 15–25 minutes or longer. Do not quick-release a full pot of starchy or foaming soup against the manual’s advice. Open only when safe and check the thickest chicken pieces for at least 165°F / 74°C. If not ready, cook further before adding noodles.

5. Shred and simmer noodles

Move chicken to a clean covered bowl and shred with two forks. Select SAUTÉ at a setting that maintains a gentle uncovered simmer. Add dried egg noodles, stir frequently and cook to package tenderness, usually approximately 6–10 minutes depending on the brand.

6. Add the creamy finish

Cancel SAUTÉ. Stir in heavy cream and return chicken with any collected cooked juices. Heat gently if needed, stirring, without a vigorous boil. Serve six planned portions while the noodles still have definition.

Tips for a Better Batch

The noodles drink up the broth

They continue absorbing liquid after cooking. Serve promptly, or cook noodles separately if intentionally planning several days of leftovers. This changes the finishing setup but avoids a pot that turns increasingly thick.

The soup spits during release

A foamy or high-volume liquid needs the release method required by the cooker manual. Keep hands and face away from the valve and never cover or obstruct it.

Chicken seems stringy

Very fine shredding and excessive holding can make the meat feel dry even in broth. Shred coarsely and return it only after the noodles are tender.

Make It Your Own

Dairy-free finish

Omit the cream for an untested clear-broth version. It will be lighter and less creamy, not an identical substitute sauce.

Peas at the finish

For an untested vegetable addition, stir in 1 cup (140 g) frozen peas with the noodles and simmer until hot. Recheck the open-pot volume before adding them.

What to Serve Alongside

A crisp salad or roasted vegetables provides contrast to the soft noodles. The dish already contains chicken, vegetables and a starch, so a second main course is unnecessary. Use deep bowls and distribute the chicken and noodles before ladling in the remaining broth.

For another vegetable option, try roasted cabbage steaks or roasted butternut squash salad.

Storing and Reheating

For planned leftovers, keep cooked noodles and chicken broth separate when possible. Reheat broth and chicken on the stove, then add noodles just long enough to heat through. If everything was stored together, expect a thicker texture and add water gradually while reheating. Freeze a noodle-free portion as a quality trial; cooked egg noodles are likely to soften. Dice vegetables ahead and refrigerate them in a covered container, keeping them separate from raw chicken.

Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours, or within 1 hour when the room or outdoor temperature is above 90°F / 32°C. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F / 4°C or below and use cooked leftovers within 3–4 days. Reheat to 165°F / 74°C throughout, checking more than one spot. Reheat on the stove, in the microwave or in the oven rather than using a slow cooker to warm cold leftovers. General storage guidance does not guarantee that the original texture will be unchanged.

Common Questions

Are the noodles pressure-cooked?

No. Only the chicken-and-vegetable base is pressure-cooked; noodles simmer after the lid is removed.

Can I use frozen egg noodles?

Not as a direct timed swap. Their thickness and cooking time differ, and they need a separate development test.

Can I use water instead of broth?

It changes the flavor substantially. The formula relies on measured low-sodium chicken broth for its base.

Why does the total exceed the pressure time?

Pressure buildup, natural release, vegetable preparation and noodle simmering are separate stages, all included in the estimate.

Recipes to Cook Next

• Creamy chicken pot pie soup
• Crockpot chicken taco soup
• Poblano Gouda mac and cheese

Made this dinner? Leave a comment with the ingredient brands, appliance model where relevant, and any adjustments you made. Your results can help other readers choose their next batch.