Instant Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup

Overhead view of a bowl of Instant Pot creamy cajun chicken pasta soup on a wooden table.

Instant Pot Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup

Rich and creamy, bold and unbelievably delicious. This isn't your average chicken noodle soup!

Prep: 15

Cook: 30

Total: 45

Yield:4 servings

Equipment

2 cutting boards or large plate and large bowl
Tongs
Large plate
Large wooden spoon
Sharp chef's knife or 2 forks

Ingredients

For the Cajun Chicken

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts see Notes
Cajun seasoning to taste

For the Creamy Pasta Soup

1 tablespoon neutral oil avocado oil, olive oil, etc.
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 ½ cups holy trinity see Notes
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or 3 cups chicken broth + 1 cup water
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
1 cup uncooked ditalini or similar small pasta
1 cup heavy cream at room temperature; or half and half, at room temperature
1 cup grated fresh parmesan at room temperature

Serving Suggestions (All Optional)

chopped green onions

Instructions

For the Cajun Chicken

Place 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts on cutting board. Season all sides of chicken breasts generously with Cajun seasoning. Set cutting board aside.
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add 1 tablespoon neutral oil to Instant Pot insert, covering as much surface as possible. Heat oil until shimmering.
When oil is hot, place seasoned chicken breasts in Instant Pot. Sear chicken breasts 2 to 3 minutes or until lightly browned, then flip chicken breasts over and sear 2 to 3 minutes more.
Transfer seared chicken breasts to large plate and set aside.

For the Cajun Chicken Pasta Soup

Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to Instant Pot insert. Let butter melt completely, then add 1 ½ cups holy trinity and stir to incorporate. Sauté vegetables, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until tender and fragrant.
When vegetables are tender, add 4 cloves garlic (minced) to Instant Pot. Stir to incorporate, then sauté ingredients 30 to 60 seconds or until garlic is just fragrant.
When garlic is fragrant, add 1 tablespoon Cajun seasoning and 4 cups low-sodium chicken broth. Stir to incorporate, scraping any browned bits of chicken or vegetables off of bottom of insert.
Add 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes and 1 cup uncooked ditalini. Stir to incorporate, then return seared chicken breasts to Instant Pot.
Secure lid on Instant Pot with valve in Sealing position. Set Instant Pot to Manual High Pressure with 4-minute cook time. Instant Pot will pressurize, then cook time will begin.
After 4-minute cook time ends, carefully Quick Release internal pressure. Remove lid from Instant Pot and set aside. Use caution - escaping steam will be very hot.
Transfer chicken breasts to clean cutting board or large bowl. Chop or shred chicken as desired. Set aside.
Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add 1 cup heavy cream and 1 cup grated fresh parmesan. Return chicken to Instant Pot and stir to incorporate. Simmer soup, stirring gently, 3 to 5 minutes or until cream is incorporated and parmesan is melted.
Taste soup and adjust seasoning if desired. Portion soup into serving bowls, garnish with chopped green onions (optional), and serve warm.

Notes

Chicken: Use chicken breasts that are the same size and thickness, to ensure they cook evenly. I like to use 4 thinly-sliced chicken breasts that each weigh 4 ounces. That way there's plenty of surface area to season, and they cook faster.
Holy Trinity: The Cajun and Creole version of mirepoix, a holy trinity blend is equal parts chopped white onions, green bell peppers, and celery. You can make your own trinity blend using ½ cup of each chopped ingredient, or you can buy pre-chopped trinity blends at the store.
Dairy Products: Let your dairy products come to room temperature before using them in your soup. When cold or even cool dairy is added to hot liquids or hot cookware, the dairy products can seize or curdle. If the heavy cream and parmesan don't incorporate well, or if your soup looks like it separated or curdled, your dairy products weren't warm enough and/or were heated too quickly.
Parmesan: Don't use pre-grated, pre-packaged parmesan cheese. It contains starches to keep it from clumping, but they also keep it from melting well and can make the soup grainy or gritty. Instead, buy a block of parmesan cheese and grate it yourself.

Nutrition

Recipe By:Cheryl Malik