Instant Pot Thai Coconut Lime Chicken Soup with Noodles – A fragrant, warm, fresh and zesty soup that is insanely delicious and super good for you! Start with a whole chicken, fragrant herbs and spices, and thanks to the instant pot, dinner is done in 30 minutes!
We are in the in-between. It is definitely still winter and technically the second day of spring and yet… I am watching a crazy snowy blizzard outside of my window.
My body is ready for light lemony meals, fresh berries, asparagus, fiddlehead ferns, and bright vibrant spring greens, young tender and luscious. I am craving tart rhubarb, fresh chamomile, sugar snap peas, and ramps.
What I want and what is seasonally available are two very different things. Spring produce won’t be here for weeks. We are in the in-between.
My solution; bright flavors wrapped up in warm comforting meals. The quintessential in-between meals.
Like this Thai lime and coconut soup with fresh chicken and noodles. Made in the Instant Pot, super easy, make your house smell so good you might cry, nourishment in a bowl. Bright and fresh flavors, yet warm and comforting.
Thai chicken soup in the instant pot = happiness.
How to Make the Best Instant Pot Thai Chicken Soup
- Start with a whole chicken
- Add aromatics like ginger, cilantro stems, chilis, onion, and garlic
- Add all ingredients to your instant pot with chicken stock or water
- Set to manual for 25 minutes. The chicken will be perfectly cooked, tender, luscious, and packed with flavor.
- Shred the chicken and set aside
- You will have enough chicken to set aside for another dish, or just make your soup extra chicken-ey (chicken-ey is totally a word)
- Next, strain the broth, add coconut milk and more aromatics. Pressure cook for 3 more minutes.
- Bam! Super delicious, tasty, crave-able. Thai coconut lime chicken soup is almost ready.
- Simply add noodles, fresh swiss chard or spinach, and put your toppings on standby.
- I like extra cilantro, chilis, and a lime wedge!
When I made this soup the first time Jordan ate the entire pot, save a normal size portion for me. It is that good. When I made it again, I smartly put aside leftovers before he could gobble them all up. The only thing better than this Thai chicken soup is leftovers!
Recipe Notes:
- I make the noodles separately because I don't like soggy noodles and I haven't found an instant pot recipe that produces al dente noodles, yet. If you have one, send it to me!
- I used a Korean noodle in this dish because I am all about fusion 😉 Or because a new Korean market opened in my neighborhood and I had to buy all the new things!
- You can use angel hair pasta or really any noodle that you like
- I have never tried this with chicken breast, but I imagine it would work. To be totally frank, I find that chicken breast does not come out well in the instant pot and I personally love using a whole chicken.
Instant Pot Thai Coconut Lime Chicken Soup with Noodles
Ingredients
Thai Whole Chicken
- 3.5 lb. whole chicken
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced in matchsticks
- 8 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 medium onion, cut into quarters
- 2 small thai red chilis or jalapeno
- 1 handful cilantro stems
- 1 cup chicken broth or water
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
Coconut Lime Broth
- 2 cans coconut milk *I used 1 full-fat and 1 lite
- 2 tsp freshly grated ginger
- 1 medium thai red chili, sliced or jalapeno
- 1 lime
- 1 tsp sea salt
Add-In's
- 4 cups swiss chard or other leafy green like spinach or kale
- 8 ounces noodles *see notes for options*
Toppings
- fresh sliced chili
- fresh cilantro leaves
- lime wedge
Instructions
- Remove the bag of giblets from inside the cavity of the chicken (if the chicken came with them). Wash the chicken well and dry with paper towels.
- Add chicken to the insert of your instant pot, sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with ginger, garlic, onion, chilis, cilantro stems, and chicken broth.
- Carefully place the lid on instant pot and turn to locked position. Once the lid is locked turn the vent to the “sealing” position.
- Select the manual setting to 25 minutes. After 25 minutes allow the pressure to naturally release for 10 minutes, then turn the vent valve to “venting” and carefully allow the remainder of the pressure to release.
- Carefully remove the chicken from the broth. It should be fall off the bone tender. Set aside.
Thai Coconut Lime Broth
- Using a fine mesh sieve strain the broth over a large bowl. Return the broth to the instant pot. Add coconut milk through sea salt (all ingredients from teh broth section). Stir well to combine.
- Replace the lid and lock in place. Turn the vent to “sealing” position. Press the manual button and set to 3 minutes.
- While broth is getting all fragrant and perfect, shred your chicken and set aside.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions (see notes on why I don't do this step in the instant pot)
- After 3 minutes allow broth to natural release for a few minutes and then gently turn the vent valve to the “venting” position and carefully manually release the pressure.
- Remove lid, add swiss chard to the hot broth and stir until gently wilted (about 1 or 2 minutes)
Plating
- Ladle broth into bowls, add shredded chicken, noodles, fresh cilantro, sliced chilis (optional), and an additional squeeze of lime juice.
Notes
- I make the noodles separately because I don't like soggy noodles and I haven't found an instant pot recipe that produces al dente noodles yet. If you have one, send it to me!
- I used a Korean noodle in this dish because I am all about fusion 😉 Or because a new Korean market opened in my neighborhood and I had to buy all the new things!
- You can use angel hair pasta or really any noodle that you like
- I have never tried this with chicken breast, but I imagine it would work. To be totally frank, I find that chicken breast does not come out well in the instant pot and I personally love using a whole chicken.
- Nutrition facts are for the whole chicken, as I mentioned in the instructions you will have quite a lot of chicken meat and may want to reserve half for another recipe.
