Having a toddler in preschool is basically like living inside a petri dish at the CDC. The runny noses drip for days, which turn into months, and you start to wonder if you should buy stock in Kleenex. Having a quick and easy chicken noodle soup recipe in your back pocket is an essential mom (or life) survival skill, because in between wiping snot, tending to fevers, and wondering how in the hell your kid can continue to have the energy of an olympic athlete while being sick, you still have to eat.

I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve made this soup in the last few months. It’s my go to when there’s a plague on our house (which seems to be more often than not), or if I just want something nourishing and easy to make. I love using the Instant Pot to make this soup because it keeps the chicken tender and juicy, and it’s ready in under 30 minutes.

Large pieces of celery, carrots, and onion keep the soup hearty, while a hefty dose of lemon juice and fresh dill keep this chicken soup light and bright. Tiny noodles like pastina or ditalini are my pasta shapes of choice, as they add a nice contrast to the large pieces of chicken and vegetables, but feel free to use your favorite. Pro tip: don’t cook your noodles directly in the broth, cook them separately and add them to your bowl just before serving to keep them al dente.

This is chicken soup for the soul, and your sanity.

Best Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken breasts or thighs

1 1/2 tsp kosher salt

pepper

3 large carrots, peeled and cut into 2” pieces

5 stalks celery, cut into 2” pieces

1 medium onion, diced into 1-2” pieces

4-5 cloves garlic, sliced thin

2 bay leaves

6 C chicken stock or bone broth

1/2 C lemon juice

1 C dill fronds

noodles, cooked to package directions (I like small noodles like pastina or ditilini for chicken noodle soup)

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and bay leaves, and chicken stock in the instant pot. Secure the lid and make sure valve is set to sealing. Using the manual or pressure cook function, set timer to 20 minutes. When the time is up, quick release the pressure valve. Remove the chicken from the soup and transfer too a cutting board or bowl. Shred the chicken with two forks and return to the pot. Add lemon juice and dill, and stir to combine everything. Place cooked noodles in the bottom of a serving bowl and ladle the hot soup over top.