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Instant Pot Lemony Chicken Soup

Course dinner, lunch
Keyword chicken, instant pot, slow cooker, soup
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • 1 Instant Pot and steamer basket
  • Baker's twine

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp ghee or avocado oil
  • 1 4 lb. whole chicken
  • 2 tsp kosher salt plus more to season
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 1 medium to large onion chopped
  • 3 medium carrots, or two large chopped
  • 3 celery ribs chopped
  • 3 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 2 qt chicken broth
  • fresh lemon juice, 2-3 lemons depending on the size
  • zest from 1 lemon
  • 3 sprigs each of thyme, fresh sage and rosemary tied in a bundle with baker’s twine

Instructions

  • SEASON chicken inside and out with 2 teaspoons kosher salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper, then tuck the wings behind the back.
  • ADD 2 tablespoons of ghee or avocado to the pressure cooker, and hit the “sauté” function on your Instant Pot. Once the fat is hot, give the pot a swirl to coat the bottom and sear the chicken breast-side down in the center of the pot for 5 minutes or until skin is golden and slightly crispy. (And no worries if the skin sticks or tears! This is just a trick to deepen the overall flavor of the soup. (Hat-tip to Nom Nom Paleo for this!)
  • FLIP your chicken and cook for another 5 minutes.
  • TRANSFER chicken to a plate and toss in the chopped onions, celery, carrots, garlic cloves, and a sprinkle of kosher salt. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are translucent.
  • STIR in 2 tablespoons of tomato paste and cook for about 30 seconds.
  • TURN OFF the sauté function and add your 2 quarts of chicken broth or stock, lemon zest, and lemon juice, scraping up any browned bits that have collected on the bottom.
  • ADD a steamer insert to the bottom of the Instant Pot and nest your chicken on top, breast-side up, then toss in your herb bundle.
  • COVER and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes.
  • TURN OFF your Instant Pot and immediately release the pressure manually. Open the lid, toss the herb bundle, and transfer the chicken to a plate or carving board and allow to cool enough to remove the skin and shred the meat. Make sure to discard the skin, but I highly recommend saving the rest to make homemade bone broth!
  • ADD shredded chicken back to the pot and give everything a stir.
  • SEASON with additional salt and pepper, if desired.
  • ENJOY within 3-4 days, or freeze leftovers.