Today, my favorite three-year-old cook’s helper, Ethan, and I made chicken and vegetable soup in my Instant Pot. The Instant Pot is my go-to appliance for soup because pressure cooking melds the flavors beautifully in an exceptionally short time.

My little helper and I cut up all the vegetables—he has his own kid’s knife that cuts veggies but not fingers—and then we pulled the meat from a rotisserie chicken from Costco. We added my favorite concentrated chicken broth, Better Than Bouillon, which creates rich flavor in a fraction of the time.

What makes this chicken and vegetable soup a little different is that it contains both red potatoes and egg noodles. I never would have thought to combine the two, but after tasting them together in that lovely broth, I have to say I’ll be adding potatoes from now on.

This simple touch of homemade goodness nourishes not only my body but also my soul. Who doesn’t need a little chicken soup for the soul now and then? Of course, my helper adds a bit of spice to the mix as well, simply by being so happy and eager to help.

What nourished me most today was not just the soup itself, but having my sweet Ethan there at my side. Cooking is one of the ways I connect with my grandchildren, and I’ve shared that pleasure with all of them—except baby Milo, who will have to wait a bit longer. I’m happy that Ethan is now old enough to be an active helper. He is also wonderfully enthusiastic about good food. After taking his first spoonful of cooled soup, he announced, “That’s sooooo good!”

I was reminded today of the simple gift of time together, creating a simple meal. Yes, I could have made that soup a lot faster all alone, but it wouldn’t have tasted nearly as good, or made me feel nearly as good. 

Instant Pot Rotisserie Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ tablespoons olive or avocado oil
• 1 medium white or yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery ribs, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 cups chicken stock (I like Better Than Bouillon)
• 1½ pounds chicken breasts or thighs, skinless and boneless, diced into 1-inch pieces (I used a rotisserie chicken instead)
• 3 large carrots, chopped
• 5 small red potatoes, quartered
• 1 large red pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• ½ bag extra-wide egg noodles (from a 12-ounce bag)
• Optional: fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Turn the Instant Pot to the sauté setting. When hot, add the oil, followed by the onion, celery, red pepper, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano, thyme, and basil. Stir and sauté until the onion becomes translucent, about 2 to 3 minutes. Press Cancel to stop sautéing.

Add the chicken stock, carrots, and potatoes.

Seal the Instant Pot and set it to Pressure Cook on High for 4 minutes. (If you’re new to the Instant Pot, keep in mind that it will take about 15 minutes to come to pressure before the four minutes of actual cooking begin.)

When the cycle is complete, carefully release the steam.

Turn the sauté setting on again and bring the soup to a boil. Add the chicken and half of the 12-ounce bag of extra-wide egg noodles. Cook according to the package directions, approximately 8 minutes.

Taste and add more salt if desired. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley before serving, if desired.