Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken
Nov 18, 2019, Updated Jun 26, 2023
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This easy Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken is ready in just 20 minutes! Loaded with veggies and tender chicken, you’ll love this ultra cheesy and creamy Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe.
Check out my other Instant Pot soup recipes like, Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Tortellini Soup and Instant Pot Chicken Zoodle Soup. I also have a Panera Copycat Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe!
Low-carb and Keto comfort in a bowl with broccoli, chicken, and cheese? Yes, please!
INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
This soup is our favorite weekly pressure cooker recipe because, it’s quick, super simple, easy, and homemade. It’s also a complete dinner in itself, packed with vegetables and chicken, too.
It’s so good that you’ll catch yourself eating it right from the pot before even sharing a bowl with everyone else. The creaminess, the flavors, and the texture are over the top.
Did I mention that it’s also done in like 20 minutes?! Yeah. It is. I hope you have an INSTANT POT, though. 🤞 IF NOT, hop on over to my very popular stovetop Broccoli Cheese Soup. Tastes like Panera’s.
HOW TO MAKE INSTANT POT BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP WITH CHICKEN
Blended with veggies, cheese, cream, and chicken, our Broccoli Cheese Soup recipe is perfect for a quick, homemade meal.
- We start by sautéing onions, carrots, and garlic right in the Instant Pot.
- Stir in vegetable broth or chicken broth.
- Add shredded cooked chicken and stir in broccoli florets. If you don’t have cooked chicken breasts on hand, use this recipe to make quick Instant Pot Chicken Breasts.
- Secure the lid and cook for 5 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE.
- Do a manual pressure release; then, remove lid and select SAUTÉ mode on the IP.
- Stir in heavy cream, mustard powder, paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Add shredded cheese and continue to stir and mix until melted and thoroughly combined. Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Serve.
VARIATION: HOW TO MAKE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP IN THE SLOW COOKER
- Add all ingredients into the slow-cooker’s insert EXCEPT for the heavy cream and cheese. Also, and this is optional, but I prefer to sauté the veggies beforehand.
- Cover and cook on LOW heat for 4 hours; 30 minutes before the soup is done, stir in the cream and cheese and continue to cook until done.
HOW TO STORE LEFTOVER BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP
- Store completely cooled soup in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
- You can also freeze the soup; transfer completely cooled soup to freezer bags and keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Reheat on the stovetop over low heat.
CAN YOU FREEZE BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP?
- YES, but when reheating, you want to continually stir and cook over low heat so that the soup does not curdle.
BROCCOLI CHEDDAR CHEESE SOUP RECIPE TIPS
- For a low carb and keto option, this broccoli cheese soup recipe calls for heavy cream, but you can also use whole milk or half & half.
- Cut up the broccoli into smaller florets. I advise to use fresh broccoli, but frozen broccoli works, too.
- I prefer to use low sodium chicken broth, but you can also use vegetable broth or water.
- If you don’t have cooked chicken, you can leave it out; no other changes are needed.
- For less carbs, omit the carrots.
- When adding in the cream, please do it over lower heat AND stir continuously so that the soup does not curdle.
- For a thicker variation, sometimes I blend the soup with a handheld blender right before serving.
- For a vegetarian dinner, leave out the chicken.
- Before serving, top the soup with a little extra shredded cheddar cheese.
MORE SOUP RECIPES
ENJOY!
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Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup with Chicken
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion,, diced
- 1 1/2 cups matchstick carrots, (You can also use 2 small carrots, sliced into thin coins)
- 4 cloves garlic,, minced
- 3 cups low sodium chicken broth,, (You can use vegetable broth or water, too)
- 4 cups broccoli florets
- 2 cups shredded or diced cooked chicken
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon mustard powder
- 1/4 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- salt and fresh ground pepper,, to taste (I start with 1/2 teaspoon salt and taste before adding more)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese,, plus more for garnish (optional)
- 1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Set INSTANT POT to Sauté mode.
- Melt butter inside the Instant Pot and stir in diced onions and carrots; cook for 3 minutes, or until softened.
- Add garlic and continue to cook for 30 seconds.
- Stir in broth, broccoli, and chicken.
- Turn OFF Sauté mode.
- Close with the lid and follow the manufacturer's guide for instructions on how to seal it closed.
- Cook for 5 minutes at HIGH PRESSURE.
- Then, immediately do a Manual Pressure Release.
- Remove lid and set to Sauté mode.
- Slowly pour in heavy cream while whisking; whisk in mustard powder, paprika, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
- Continue to continually whisk until heated through.
- Stir in cheese; continue to stir until completely melted and thoroughly combined.
- Turn off Sauté mode.
- Taste for seasonings and adjust accordingly.
- Serve.
Notes
NET CARBS: 9
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
Made this tonight with raw boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I sautéed the thighs first, then proceeded with the recipe. I only had a cup of cream so I used a cup of milk for the rest. It was a little thin so I mixed in a few tablespoons dissolved in water before I added the cheese. Worked like a charm. The soup is really tasty!
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Thanks for this amazing recipe. My family and I loved it and will be making this again this weekend. Thanks for sharing
That’s great! I’m very happy you and your family enjoyed it! Thank you for chiming in! 🙂
Made this tonight exactly per the recipe. Easy and tasty. Thanks for sharing!
I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
One of her BEST soup recipes, I’ve tried a few of Katrina’s soup recipes and this is by far my favorite, even pleases my picky toddler!! SO DELICIOUS, this is a must try!!!
That’s great to hear! I am very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
This is the first time I have used my IP since receiving it for Christmas and found that this was an easy recipe to follow, with excellent results. The soup was creamy and delicious. The only change I made was to add a pinch of cayenne pepper at the end to add a little zing.
Our family really loved it! Making it in the instant pot was super easy!
I know for sure this soup would be a huge hit in my house!