Instant Pot Italian Chicken Soup [+Video]

This Instant Pot Italian Chicken Soup is the perfect cozy meal for a chilly day. Loaded with hearty vegetables and tender chicken, it’s a delicious twist on classic chicken soup. Plus, it can be made in just minutes using an Instant Pot. Watch the video for step-by-step instructions!

The yummiest Instant Pot chicken soup recipe I’ve ever made! It is healthy, quick and easy. This might just be my new favorite chicken soup!! And that is saying a lot because I LOVE so many soups. Pure comfort food!

If you haven’t tried “The Soup“, you have to do that! It is a staple around here, but this new Italian chicken soup recipe is light, but filling, and so, so flavorful.

And then there is our chicken tortilla soup, which is the best chicken tortilla soup that has ever existed, but still, there’s something about this Italian chicken soup that just hits the spot for me! You have to try it!

With the Instant Pot, you end up with a soup in less than an hour that tastes like it has been simmering all day!

Ingredients Needed for Instant Pot Chicken Soup

This soup is packed with veggies, rotisserie chicken, fresh herbs and orzo and topped with Parmesan and chunks of crusty bread. I’ve also seen it called chicken pastina soup or penicillin soup because it’s so nourishing to the soul that it will cure anything that ails you! Head down to the recipe card for the exact measurements, but here is your grocery list:

• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Vegetables: Yellow Onion, Garlic, Carrots, Celery and Tomatoes
• Water or Chicken Broth
• Better than Bouillon Chicken (not needed if you use chicken broth)
• Seasonings: Bay Leaves, Kosher Salt, Black Pepper
• Herbs: Fresh Parsley and Fresh Basil
• Orzo Pasta
  • NOTE: If you want to keep this gluten-free, skip the orzo and bread chunks.
• Rotisserie Chicken
• Lemon
• Parmesan Cheese
• Bread (optional)

How to Make Italian Chicken Soup in the Instant Pot

Your going to want to start this recipe by chopping all the veggies so that they are ready to add at the appropriate time. I know most people hate chopping veggies, but I kind of like it. Does that make me the nerdiest? Once the veggies are chopped, you are ready to start cooking.

1. Sauté the veggies in the Instant Pot.
2. Add broth, bay leaves, minced garlic and S&P.
3. Place lid on and set valve to sealing position.
4. Cook on high pressure for 25 minutes.
5. Cook the orzo in a pot on the stove top and then drain it while running it under cold water.
6. Quick release the pressure cooker and remove the bay leaves.
7. Add the chopped tomato, cooked orzo, shredded chicken (see next section) and herbs and place the lid

Cozy Ham and Bean Soup [+Video]

Warm up on a cold day with this delicious and hearty ham and bean soup recipe. Packed with protein and flavor, it’s the perfect comfort food for using up leftover ham.

I wish there was a grand story behind this recipe, but the truth is, there isn’t! Sometimes I am given suggestions for recipes that would benefit the blog, and this was one of them. So away I went to make a perfect ham and bean soup, and this is it!

It is very cozy anyway without being heavy and I love that while it’s mostly broth it actually is a bit creamy from the white beans and doing a little trick that I love doing with soups. Keep scrolling to find out!

Ingredients for Ham and Bean Soup

We like to make this recipe with leftover Christmas (or Easter) ham, but if you don’t have, just buy a ham at the store. With a few vegetables and herbs, you’ll be making delicious ham and bean soup in no time! Here is everything you will need:

• Oil
• Celery Stalks
• Carrots
• Onion
• Garlic
• Fresh Thyme
• Fresh Flat Leaf Italian Parsley
• Ground Mustard
• Vegetable or Chicken Broth
• Ham Hock
• Ham
  • Leftover ham from any of our ham recipes would work great! Slow Cooker Ham, Best Brown Sugar Ham, Honey Baked Ham, or Garlic Honey Mustard Ham
• Great Northern Beans or Navy Beans
• Bay Leaves
• White Pepper (black pepper is also fine)
• Salt

All the details and measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Ham and Bean Soup

Soup should be easy! And this soup is so simple! I’m going to walk you through each step, and most of the time spent on this recipe is waiting for it to simmer and get all delicious! Here are the basic steps:

1. Sauté: Heat the oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven or large pot and sauté all the veggies including the garlic until tender and fragrant.
2. Stir: Add the herbs and seasonings and stir. Then add in the rest of the ingredients and stir together.
3. Boil and Simmer: Bring the soup to a boil and then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2-3 hours.
4. Blend: Scoop out 1 ½ cups of the soup (avoiding the meat) and blend until smooth (using an immersion blender or regular blender). Add it back into the soup and stir to combine.
5. Remove: Take out the ham hocks and remove any meat left on the bones and remove the bay leaves.
6. Simmer: Let the soup cook for another 30 minutes and serve with crusty bread.

Keep scrolling to

Italian Style Beef Chili

Italian style beef chili is hearty, satisfying and perfect for feeding a crowd! It has all the familiar and comforting flavors of lasagna, but it’s a chili!

A few weeks ago, I was working on our lasagna soup recipe and totally messed it up. So I improvised, like I often do when recipes don’t turn out the way I hope, and turned that recipe into a chili. It ended up being so fabulous that I had to photograph it and post it here.

Let this be a lesson that sometimes mistakes just end up being happy accidents…thanks Bob Ross!

What is Chili?

Chili is a thick stew that is usually a little spicy and made with peppers, chili powder, meat, tomatoes and often beans.

Ingredients in Italian Style Beef Chili

The ingredients list might seem a little lengthy, but all the components are crucial the developing the full flavor of the chili. Here is what you will need:

• Vegetables: Olive Oil, Red Onion, Garlic, Red Bell Pepper, Green Bell Pepper, Jalapeno
• Fresh Herbs: Oregano, Parsley, Basil
• Seasonings and Spices: Salt, Pepper, Chili Powder, Smoked Paprika
• Cheese: Ricotta and Mozzarella Cheese
• Ground Beef: we use 85/15
• Beef Broth: low sodium
• Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• Marinara Sauce: Rao’s is our favorite brand
• Pinto Beans

This is just an overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make Chili

One of my favorite things about making chili is developing all the layers of flavor that make it so rich and delicious. It takes time but it is really easy. Here are the basic steps:

1. Sauté the vegetables and herbs.
2. Brown the beef and drain the grease.
3. Add the remaining ingredients (except the cheese) and let it simmer for at least a half hour up to all day for maximum flavor.
4. Just before serving, top each bowl of soup with mozzarella and melt in the broiler. Make sure the bowl is oven safe!

The recipe card at the end of the post contains all the instructions in full detail. You can also print or save the recipe there.

What Toppings Go On Chili?

Everyone in my family likes to top their chili with different things so I like to put all sorts of options out and let everyone do their own thing. Some of our favorite toppings are sour cream (or plain Greek yogurt), diced onions, green onions, tortilla chips or corn chips, and more cheese or more fresh herbs.

What Goes Well with Italian Chili?

This chili recipe is hearty enough to stand on it’s own as a meal, but it is my personal opinion that chili should always be eaten with a side of bread for dipping! Here are a few ideas:

• Read more

Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Soup [+Video]

Warm up with a delicious and hearty pot pie soup filled with chicken or turkey, vegetables, and a creamy broth.

Take your favorite comfort food and turn it into the best cold weather soup ever, chicken or turkey pot pie soup! We even added biscuits on top!

It’s like taking our classic chicken pot pie and eating it inside out. We make the filling a little creamier so it’s more soup-like and instead of being in a crust, we top it with golden crispy little biscuits. They are totally optional but I love the extra texture and flavor it adds.

Ingredients for Chicken Pot Pie Soup

All of these ingredients come together in one pot and this soup so simple to make. Here are the ingredients you will need:

• Olive Oil: used to sauté the onions and garlic
• Onion: adds flavor
• Garlic: an aromatic that adds flavor
• Fresh Thyme and Fresh Parsley: adds fresh flavor
• Yukon Gold Potatoes: Russet potatoes or even red potatoes could be used. I just love the flavor and texture of gold potatoes in this soup.
• Flour: helps thicken the soup
• Kosher Salt and Fresh Black Pepper: adds flavor
• Rotisserie Chicken: I just grab a rotisserie chicken at Costco and break it down myself or buy the packaged rotisserie chicken at Costco.
  • NOTE: If you don’t want to use rotisserie chicken, you could cook your own whole chicken or cook 3 chicken breasts in whatever your favorite method for cooking chicken is – grilled, baked, boiled (please never), etc.
• Half and Half: Adds creaminess and richness to the soup. For a healthier soup use milk instead.
• Chicken Broth or Stock: adds flavor and more substance to the base of the soup
• Heavy Cream: add more richness and creaminess to the soup
• Bay Leaf: adds flavor
• Frozen Carrot and Pea Mixture: can be bought in the freezer section at the grocery store

For the Biscuits

• Flour: Just regular all purpose flour is all you need.
• Sea Salt: adds flavor
• Sugar: adds a touch of sweetness
• Baking Powder: gives the biscuits their rise and fluff
• Buttermilk: adds acidity, flavor, and rise to the biscuits
• Egg: gives the biscuit structure
• Shortening: adds fat and richness
• Butter: adds fat and flavor

All of the measurements and details for the ingredients can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Chicken Pot Pie Soup

If you have the time in the morning, the best way to make this soup is to get it all going in the morning and then let it sit in the fridge all day. Right before

The BEST Chicken Tortilla Soup I Ever Made

I’ve made seemingly every Chicken Tortilla Soup recipe, but this is the first one I’ve been really excited about! Ready in under 1 hour and SO EASY!

Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup Recipe

I know, you’re probably thinking that once you’ve had one tortilla chicken soup, you’ve had them all. There’s not much to them, right? I guarantee you that train of thought ends here! This tortilla soup is phenomenal!

It all starts with a flavorful base of all kinds of veggies that is smooth and oh so tasty. Then we add just the right amount of spice, all your favorite chunky tortilla soup essentials and top it with crunchy tortilla strips, slices of avocado, and more cheese!

Tip: This recipe requires a blender. Don’t have a blender or have one that’s not awesome? You guys, you HAVE TO get our favorite blender, the Blendtec!

What’s Needed for Homemade Chicken Tortilla Soup?

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Mexican tortilla soup recipe:

• Olive oil
• Vegetables: Carrot, Onion, Celery, Bell Pepper, Roma Tomatoes, Canned Fire Roasted Tomatoes, Canned Green Chiles
• Garlic Powder
• Taco Seasoning: You can buy a packet at the store or make it from scratch. If you make it yourself, you’ll need: Chili Powder, Ground Cumin, Smoked Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Fine Sea Salt, Black Pepper, Cornstarch, Cayenne Pepper, Coriander and Oregano
• Monterey Jack Cheese
• Black Beans
• Avocado
• Tortilla Chips
• Chicken Broth: I like to use low sodium chicken broth just so I can control the salt in the recipe.
• Water
• Cooked Chicken Breasts
• Corn
• Fresh Cilantro
• Crispy Tortilla Strips

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to Make Chicken Tortilla Soup

Let’s get into the details of what makes the base of this soup.

1. We start by sautéing the vegetables.
2. Once the veggies are tender, we add some garlic powder and taco seasoning along with fresh roma tomatoes, canned fire roasted tomatoes, and fire roasted green chiles. As those simmer together, the flavors meld and become glorious.
3. Avocado and cheese are added, and everything is put in the blender and pureed to creamy perfection. That avocado in the base just puts it over the top! Black beans and tortilla chips are added and pulsed with the blender, leaving a few chunks.
4. Everything in the blender is added back to the pan, and the rest of the ch