This Instant Pot chicken stew starts with a whole chicken, so the first pressure-cooking cycle cooks the meat and makes the broth at the same time.
Whole chicken. Homemade broth. Two pressure-cooking stages. One big batch of stew.
Why This Recipe Works
- The chicken makes the broth. The first pressure cycle cooks the whole chicken with aromatics and creates the broth for the stew.
- The vegetables get their own short cook. After the broth is strained, potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, onion, and celery cook for just 5 minutes at high pressure.
- It makes a large batch. The recipe yields about 16 smaller servings, roughly ¾–1 cup each, with extra broth often left for another meal.
Ingredients
For the Chicken and Broth
- 1 whole chicken, 5–6 pounds
- 1 yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 6 thyme sprigs
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
For the Stew
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 28 ounces crushed tomatoes
- 3 pounds gold or red potatoes, skin on and roughly chopped
- 1 pound carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1 cup yellow onion, diced
- ½ cup celery, thinly sliced
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Stew
Step 1: Cook the chicken and make the broth
Add the whole chicken, roughly chopped onion, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to the pot. Add the water, lock the lid, and cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.
When the cook time is complete, let the pressure release naturally for about 30 minutes. Quick-release any pressure that remains after that.
Step 2: Remove the chicken and strain the broth
Transfer the chicken to a large bowl. Remove the meat from the bones in large pieces and discard the skin and bones.
Pour the broth through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the cooked aromatics. Measure 6 cups of broth back into the pot and reserve any extra for another use.
Step 3: Cook the vegetables
Add salt, crushed tomatoes, roughly chopped potatoes and carrots, diced onion, and celery to the 6 cups of broth. Keep the potatoes and carrots in rough chunks rather than small dice so they hold up during the second pressure cycle.
Mix well, lock the lid, and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Quick-release the pressure as soon as the cook time is complete.
Step 4: Return the chicken and finish
Add the chicken back to the pot in large pieces and fold it gently into the vegetables and broth.
Expert Tips
- Keep the potatoes and carrots rough-cut. Small pieces are more likely to turn soft during the second pressure cycle.
- Save the extra broth. The first stage often gives you more than the 6 cups needed for the stew.
- The serving count is intentionally small. Sixteen servings works out to roughly ¾–1 cup each. For larger dinner portions, plan on fewer servings.
- Keep the two stages separate. The chicken gets the long cook. The vegetables get only 5 minutes so the stew keeps some structure.
More Instant Pot Chicken Recipes
Try my Instant Pot Pickle Chicken, Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup, Instant Pot Arroz con Pollo, or Instant Pot Chicken Vegetable Soup with Collard Greens.
Did you make this Instant Pot Chicken Stew?
Please leave a star rating and tell me how it turned out!
📖 Recipe
Instant Pot Chicken Stew with a Whole Chicken
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 5-6 lb. whole chicken
- 1 yellow onion roughly chopped
- 8 garlic cloves
- 6 thyme sprigs
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 bay leaves
- 6 cups water
- 1 Tbsp. sea salt
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes
- 3 lbs. gold or red potatoes skin-on, roughly chopped
- 1 lb. carrots peeled, roughly chopped
- 1 cup yellow onions diced
- ½ cup celery thinly sliced
Instructions
- Add chicken, chopped onion, garlic, thyme, red pepper flakes, and bay leaves to pot. Then add water and lock lid. Cook for 35 minutes at high pressure.
- Meanwhile... prep and chop all other veggies.
- Once cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for about 30 minutes. If there is any pressure left at that point, go ahead and quick-release remaining pressure.
- Remove chicken and transfer to a large bowl. Remove meat from bones in large pieces. Discard skin and bones.
- Pour broth through a fine mesh strainer. Discard cooked aromatics.
- Add 6 cups of broth to pot, along with salt, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, diced onions, and celery. (Reserve extra broth for another use.) Mix well, lock lid, and cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Once cook time is complete, quick-release pressure.
- Remove lid, then add chicken and gently mix well.
Rob
I made a few tweaks..pound less potato and a pound of smoked beef sausage. Served on a bed of rice. Very tasty.
Katrine
Great flavor ,nourishing ,just loved it will make it again, many times I'm sure , thank you!
Rebecca
So good that I'll be making this year round, not just during the cold months!
allan lok
Not a fan of this recipe. Everything was way overcooked Potatoes, carrots etc were like mush. Chicken tasted boiled.
Gary White
Um, the chicken is boiled, as is most chicken in soups and stews. Regarding the vegetables, maybe your vegetables were on the diced side rather than roughly chopped? Either way, thanks for the feedback.
Caroline S
This stew was awesome! Comfort food perfection. I didn’t feel the need to change a thing about the recipe which is rare for me. Thank you for a lovely new recipe!
Gary White
Thank you for the feedback! So glad you enjoyed it!
Jenna
How much is a serving size?
Gary
It can vary based on size of chicken, onion, etc, but it should be between 3/4 cup to 1 cup.