Chicken Noodle Soup for the Pressure Cooker

by Ellie Weightman

1 lb skinless, boneless chicken breast                       
1 tblsp butter
1 tblsp olive or vegetable oil
3 med carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
1 large sweet onion, peeled and diced   
1 clove garlic
½ tsp sea or kosher salt
1 tsp dried parsley
1 small bay leaf
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
4 cups chicken broth - homemade best - see below
2 cups water
1 cup alphabet pasta or soup noodles - cooked separately
fresh ground pepper, to taste

Optional to add at end 
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 can cannelloni beans, drained and rinsed
3 dashes cinnamon
2 grates of a hole nutmeg
juice of 1 lemon

Melt the butter and bring to temperature with the oil in the pressure cooker over medium heat.  Add the carrots and celery; saute for 2 minutes.  Add the onion; saute for 3 minutes or until the onion is soft.  Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds or until fragrant.  Add the salt, parsley, thyme, chicken broth, water and chicken.

Lock the lid into place and bring to low temperature maintaining pressure for 20 minutes.   Remove from heat and quick-release the pressure.  Remove the lid.

While the soup is cooking, boil water and then cook the noodles according to the pasta directions. Drain.  Toss with a bit of olive oil to keep from sticking while waiting to add to soup.

Use tongs or a slotted spoon to transfer the chicken breast to a cutting board.  Once cool enough to handle, shred the meat or cut into bite-size pieces.  Return the chicken to the pressure cooker.

Return the pressure cooker to simmer WITHOUT THE LID.  Add the cooked pasta.  Add optional beans, peas, lemon, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir well. Taste for seasonings and add additional salt and pepper if desired.  

*Use my Homemade Chicken Broth / Stock recipe to make broth for this dish.