There's something special about a pot of homemade soup simmering away - especially when it's made just for two. This Instant Pot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup is creamy, comforting, and easy to make from scratch with real ingredients. It's perfect for a quiet evening, a lunch for two, or a simple meal to share with someone you love. In the video below, there are two recipes: one is the chicken wild rice soup, and the other is a simple, quick Sheet-Pan dinner that is versatile and easy to put together so that you can get it on the table for your family.
Instant Pot Chicken & Wild Rice Soup for Two
Ingredients
- 1 -2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or two chicken thighs, chopped
- ½ cup onion chopped
- ½ cup celery chopped
- ½ cup carrots chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- ½ cup uncooked wild rice blend
- 1 cup mushrooms
- 3 cups chicken broth
- 1 teaspoon all-purpose seasoning or your favorite herbs such as thyme, parsley, or Italian blend
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water for thickening
- ½ cup half and half or milk/cream of choice
- 2 -3 handfuls of fresh spinach
Instructions
- Preheat the oven 450
- Sauté the vegetables
- Set the Instant Pot to Sauté mode. Add a slight drizzle of oil or a pat of butter. Once hot, add the chopped onion, celery, and carrots. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add minced garlic and sauté another 30 seconds.
- Add chicken and rice.
- Stir in the chopped chicken pieces, uncooked wild rice, and season with salt, pepper, and your herbs or seasoning blend. Pour in the chicken broth and stir to combine.
- Pressure cook
- Secure the lid and set the valve to Sealing. Cook on High Pressure for 20 minutes.
- When done, allow a 10-minute natural release, then carefully quick-release the remaining pressure.
- Hit the saute button, add the cornstarch-water slurry, and stir until thickened. (will be 10 seconds or so)
- Add spinach, cream cheese, and cream. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Ladle into bowls and enjoy a cozy, homemade meal for two.
Sheet-Pan Chicken with Delicata Squash and Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 1-2 boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs
- 1 medium sweet potato about 1 lb, peeled (optional) and cut into ~½-inch cubes
- 1 medium delicata squash halved lengthwise, seeds removed, then cut into ~½-inch half-moon slices
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder or fresh garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika optional, for depth
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard + 1 tablespoon honey or maple syrup
- 1 lemon juice
- ½ onion sliced
- Optional: fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F
- Prepare the vegetables: Cut the sweet potato into uniform cubes and the delicata squash into slices. Toss them in a mixing bowl with ~1 tablespoon olive oil, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and half the garlic powder + half the thyme. Spread them in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- In another bowl, pat the chicken dry. Rub them with the remaining olive oil (~1 Tbsp), the remaining salt & pepper, remaining garlic powder & thyme, smoked paprika, lemon juice, dijon mustard, and honey, and toss the chicken in that mixture.
- Place the chicken on the baking sheet among the vegetables (arrange so there's space around pieces for air circulation).
- Bake for 33 minutes, until the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165 °F in the thickest part (use a meat thermometer) and the veggies are tender and caramelized.
- Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley (if using). Serve hot.
- Grandma's NotesNo need to peel the delicata squash - its skin turns tender and sweet.Try adding a handful of Brussels sprouts for variety.Leftovers make a great lunch warmed in a skillet the next day.
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