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Two crocks frilled with the chicken pot pie soup with a biscuit on the table
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Instant Pot Chicken Pot Pie Soup

This instant pot chicken pot pie soup is loaded with tender chicken thighs and veggies in a deliciously creamy broth. It’s Whole30-approved, dairy-free, and gluten-free for a comfort food meal that is both wholesome and indulgent.
Course Dinner, Soup
Cuisine American
Keyword chicken pot pie soup, chicken soup, instant pot chicken pot pie soup
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Resting 5 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 375kcal

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup raw cashews (unsalted)
  • water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 large onion (Vidalia - chopped)
  • 3 medium carrots (3 - 4, sliced)
  • 1 stalk celery (sliced)
  • 3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 3 medium yellow potatoes (Yukon, chopped)
  • 4 boneless chicken thighs (skinless - trimmed)
  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 2 teaspoons tarragon (dried)
  • 2 teaspoons parsley (dried)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 3/4 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)
  • 1 cup frozen peas

Instructions

Before starting this recipe

  • Place the cashews in a small bowl and cover with filtered water. Soak for at least an hour to soften the cashews.
    3/4 cup raw cashews
  • Plug the instant pot in, press the sauté button and let it heat up for 3 minutes. Add olive oil and butter. Once the oil heats up, add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Press the cancel button after the 5 minutes.
    1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon butter, 1 large onion, 3 medium carrots, 1 stalk celery, 3 cloves garlic
  • Add chopped potatoes on top of the cooked vegetables. Lay the chicken on the potatoes. Sprinkle the tarragon, parsley, salt, and pepper on the chicken.
    3 medium yellow potatoes, 4 boneless chicken thighs, 2 teaspoons tarragon, 2 teaspoons parsley, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • Pour chicken broth on top of chicken and herbs. Don't stir, leave it layered like that.
    3 cups chicken broth
  • Put the lid on the instant pot, seal it, and make sure the venting knob is in the sealed position. The IP should be defaulted to high pressure and normal mode. Press the pressure cook button and set the timer to 10 minutes.
  • While the soup is cooking, place drained cashews into a blender, add milk and blend until smooth and thickened (2 minutes).
    3/4 cup raw cashews, 3/4 cup almond milk
  • Once the instant pot beeps that it is finished cooking the soup, wait 10 minutes before doing a quick release (see notes on how).
  • Remove chicken thighs, place on a plate, take two forks and shred the thighs in strips. I do leave some big chunks for fun.
  • Add the shredded chicken back to the soup. Also add peas, and processed cashew/milk mixture. Stir and cover with the lid for 5 - 10 minutes. No need to seal the instant pot.
  • Transfer to a serving bowl.
  • Serve
  • Smile
  • Enjoy

Notes

Helpful tips
  • To make it fully Whole30 - compliant, omit the butter and increase the olive oil to 2 tablespoons.
  • To make this dish gluten-free - omit the biscuit.
  • We all know that pot pies come with pie crust, which is not feasible with the instant pot. You could further cook it in the oven, but in my opinion that defeats the instant pot's speed and convenience. So, I love to serve this creamy chicken soup with flaky biscuits. You can also serve it with precooked puff pastry squares or, to stay gluten-free, omit serving any bread at all.
  • I use boneless chicken thighs because I find them moister than chicken breasts, but use what you prefer.
  • Trim most of the fat off the chicken thighs, but it's okay to leave some on - it gives the broth flavor.
  • Chicken broth is my go-to soup base, but you can also use chicken stock.
  • I use the herbs tarragon and parsley. The addition of thyme is also a great choice.
  • Hubby is lactose intolerant so to thicken the broth, I use a blend of soaked cashews with almond milk. I've also used coconut milk to keep it dairy-free, but found the slight taste of coconut off putting.
  • You can also use heavy cream, light cream, half and half, or even milk if you prefer.
  • You could wait for the instant pot to release the pressure naturally, but I like to do a quick release after 10 minutes. Here's how: Don an oven mitt to protect your hand from the steam. You can use a wooden spoon to nudge the venting knob from sealed to vent. I just nudge the knob with my gloved hand. I've never been burned by the steam when wearing a glove.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 375kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 25g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 975mg | Potassium: 969mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5464IU | Vitamin C: 35mg | Calcium: 103mg | Iron: 3mg