Paleo Chicken & “Rice” Soup in an Instant Pot

This Paleo, Whole 30 and AIP Chicken and Rice Soup cooks up quickly in an Instant Pot, so it’s perfect for busy weeknights. Cozy up with a warm bowl of this comforting, healthy, immune-boosting soup and fight off all the winter bugs.

As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, making soup in my Instant Pot is one of my favorite meals to make. It’s always so simple, satisfying and mostly hands-off, so I can set it and do other things around the house while it cooks. It’s perfect for weeknight meals, or even for meal prepped lunches to take throughout the week. Plus, soup is so comforting and warming during the fall and winter months when you’re so cold your bones hurt!

This classic Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup is made with cauliflower rice, which makes it grain free, as well as dairy free and gluten free. It’s suitable for anyone following a Paleo, Whole 30 or AIP diet. But fear not – what it lacks in inflammatory ingredients, it makes up for in a delightful, homey flavor anyone – special diet or not – can enjoy.

Plus, it’s loaded with vegetables and bone broth, for a nutrient-packed meal that does a body good. If you feel a pesky cold coming on, whip up a quick batch of this Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup and curl up on the couch with a cozy blanket STAT! You’ll kick that cold to the curb in no time. Promise.

Grab your Instant Pot and let’s get started!

this recipe!

How to make Paleo Chicken & Rice Soup in an Instant Pot

As always, first, gather and prep your ingredients. It’s much easier to batch your prep work by chopping and slicing all your veggies at once, rather than trying to juggle multiple tasks while cooking. Something always burns when I try to do too many things at once. Always.

Make sure you have some bone broth on hand for this, as well. I have instructions for how to make bone broth in an Instant Pot, but if you already have some store-bought bone broth, that will work here as well.

Here are the simple ingredients you’ll need for this Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup:

• 1 Tbsp avocado oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 medium carrots, sliced into 1/2″ pieces (or half-moons)
• 3 stalks celery, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
• 12 oz frozen cauliflower rice (about 2 cups)
• 2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1 lb organic boneless, skinless chicken breasts or thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• 4 cups chicken bone broth or water
• 1 tsp sea salt (adjust to taste and reduce if broth is already salted)

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to sauté and add 1 Tbsp oil to the insert. When the oil is warm, add the diced onion, garlic, carrots, celery, cauliflower rice and Italian seasoning. Sauté, stirring occasionally for 5-7 minutes, or until vegetables start to soften. Press cancel to turn off sauté mode.

Add chicken, broth and sea salt, and give it a quick stir to incorporate. Cover, seal and set the Instant Pot to high pressure for 6 minutes.

When cooking cycle is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for about 15 minutes before performing a quick release. Make sure to cover the pressure valve with a towel to prevent splatters and burns. Ladle into soup bowls and enjoy!

Bonus: Variations!

One of the great things about this Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup is its versatility. For a more savory flavor, add some sliced mushrooms in step one. For a creamy chicken and rice soup without dairy, add some coconut milk or another dairy-free alternative. Or, one of my favorite methods: just stick your immersion blender in the soup for a few seconds (after it cooks) for a creamy texture without any additional ingredients! For a spicy kick, add a bit of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper to the mix. They aren’t AIP elimination phase friendly, but they are still Paleo and Whole 30. Go wild and let me know what you try in the comments!

How to store Paleo Chicken & Rice Soup leftovers

If you’re serving a lot of people, you might not have any leftovers. But if you’re anything like me, you make extra so you always have leftovers. Soup makes the best leftovers!

To store this Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup (or any soup, really), I like to divide it into individual portions, first. Pint-size mason jars are the perfect serving size, in my opinion. Just ladle the soup into the jars, dividing the ingredients and broth evenly. If you plan on freezing them, be sure to leave at least an inch of space to allow for the liquid to expand as it freezes. And be sure your mason jars are freezer-safe.

I leave the soup-filled jars on the counter for about an hour to cool, before placing them in the fridge. That way, the heat from the soup doesn’t heat up the fridge too much, compromising the safety of the food that’s already in there. But don’t leave the soup out for too long, either, or it will be in the “danger zone” where bacteria is most likely to proliferate and cause food poisoning. Two hours is the absolute max.

If you plan on freezing your soup, be sure to cool it in the fridge first, to not only prevent heating up your freezer, but also to prevent the drastic temperature change that can cause glass to crack.

This Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup will store in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Make sure to label your jars, so you know what is in it and when it was made. I like to use freezer tape and a permanent marker to write the name of the food and the date it was made on the lid.

How to reheat soup

If you froze the soup, you’ll need to thaw it in the fridge for a day or two before reheating. To reheat, you have two options: microwave or stovetop. For the stovetop, just pour the soup into a pot and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until warm. For the microwave, pour the soup into a microwave safe bowl and heat on high for 2-3 minutes, depending on how hot you like your soup. I like mine super hot, so I heat mine for 3 minutes. Stir halfway through heating.

If you enjoyed this Paleo Chicken and Rice Soup, I would love it if you would leave a star rating and review! And be sure to snap a photo of it and share it with me on Instagram by tagging @hurriedhealthnut and hashtagging it #hurriedhealthnut.

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