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+ servings
a bowl of green chile chicken soup with fried tortilla strips

Instant Pot Green Chili Chicken Soup

Course: Appetizer, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American-Mexican
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Steam Release: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 348kcal
Author: Emily
Making this Instant Pot Green Chile Chicken Soup is a breeze, creating flavors reminiscent of an authentic Mexican restaurant. In just a little over an hour, you can savor a satisfying and comforting meal, ideal for any evening throughout the week.
Print Recipe

Equipment

Ingredients

Chicken

  • 4 chicken thighs or legs
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 cup water

Green Chile

  • cups jarred green salsa verde
  • 1 4 ounce can chopped green chiles
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded and diced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 stalks green onions, chopped (green and white parts)
  • 1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • ½ lime, juiced

Corn Tortilla Strips

  • 6 corn tortillas, cut into strips
  • ½ cup canola or vegetable oil
  • kosher salt

Garnish Ideas

  • queso fresco
  • sour cream
  • sliced avocado
  • lime wedge (use the other half from earlier)

Instructions

Chicken

  • Season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper. Turn the Instant Pot on SAUTE and allow it to heat up for 2 minutes. Add the olive oil, butter, and garlic and allow the butter to melt while stirring. Add the chicken pieces to the bottom of the pot and cook for 3 minutes on each side. This will add flavor to the chicken and start the cooking process. Press CANCEL/DONE and remove the chicken and place it on a cutting board.
  • Pour the water into the Instant Pot and stir it with the wooden spoon. Get any pieces that cooked onto the bottom of the metal insert with the spoon (this will get even more flavor into the broth and you will thank me during cleaning time!). Put the trivet in the Instant Pot.
  • Place the chicken pieces on the trivet, secure the lid, and make sure your valve is on SEAL. Manual PRESSURE COOK on HIGH for 12 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally, this should take about 15 minutes. Once the pin has dropped, carefully open the lid and remove the chicken and the trivet.
  • Place the chicken on a cutting board and use a fork and a knife to remove the meat from the bones. Cut the chicken into pieces and place it back into the Instant Pot.

Green Chili

  • Add the salsa verde, green chiles, garlic, jalapeño, garlic powder, onion powder, and cumin to the Instant Pot with the Chicken and leftover water. Stir everything to mix it together. Place the Instant Pot lid on again, secure and seal, and manual PRESSURE COOK on HIGH again for 20 minutes. Once done, allow the steam to naturally release for 10 minutes and then carefully quick-release the rest. Add the chopped green onion, cilantro, and lime juice and stir them in. Serve with tortilla strips, cheese, avocado, a lime wedge, and sour cream.

Corn Tortilla Strips

  • In a cast-iron pan or large skillet, heat the oil over med-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add half of the tortilla strips to the pan and allow to fry on one side. Use your metal tongs to flip and move the strips around for a few minutes. Once the tortillas start to brown, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate with a paper towel to catch the excess oil.
  • Sprinkle the hot strips with salt right away so that it sticks. Fry the other half. Allow the strips to cool before serving.

Notes

  • I used bone-in chicken pieces. I really feel this makes the chicken more flavorful and juicier. You can also use chicken pieces without the bone, but I recommend thighs and wings for the dark meat
  • The green salsa verde I used was medium heat. You can decide how spicy you want your soup by using mild, medium, or hot salsa.
  • You probably won't need to add any salt since there was salt on the chicken and jarred salsas tend to have a lot of sodium. Give the Chicken Verde a quick taste before serving just in case.
  • If you want a thicker Chile Verde Soup, remove the water after cooking the chicken (extra tip: it would be great for homemade stock).
  • You can also serve this Chili Verde with tortillas and allow each person to mop up the goodness with the tortillas.
  • My chicken was still slightly frozen when I cooked it, that's what's great about the Instant Pot!
  • Always read the instruction manual that came with your Instant Pot or electric pressure cooker and follow all safety guidelines. 
  • Nutrition info without tortilla strips or garnish

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 348kcal | Carbohydrates: 10.8g | Protein: 12.8g | Fat: 28.5g | Saturated Fat: 8.2g | Cholesterol: 78mg | Sodium: 940mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 2.1g | Sugar: 4.2g | Calcium: 30mg | Iron: 2mg