Instant Pot Chicken Florentine Soup

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes + time to come to pressure
Natural release: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Florentine Soup:

1½ lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
½ c. sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
2 c. water
2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans
1/3 c. heavy cream
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, chopped small
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 c. chicken broth
8 oz. white mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
4” Parmesan cheese rind
2 t. Italian seasoning
1 c. baby spinach
1 c. baby arugula
½ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus additional for serving
Sea salt and black pepper

Tip:

To save time, soak the sun-dried tomatoes in advance.

Note:

For a bit more flavor, use economical boneless, skinless chicken thighs instead of chicken breasts. Be sure to trim and remove any excess fat first.

Directions:

1. Place the sun-dried tomatoes in 2 cups water and set aside. Let soak until softened, approximately 30 minutes, then chop into small pieces. Reserve the soaking liquid and set aside.

2. Rinse and drain one can of cannellini beans, and puree the other with its liquid in a blender or food processor. Set aside.

3. Remove heavy cream from the refrigerator and set aside at room temperature until the soup is done cooking. This will prevent the heavy cream from curdling when added to the hot soup later.

4. Add olive oil to Instant Pot and press the Sauté button. Set the heat setting to high and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and translucent; approximately 4-5 minutes.

5. Add chicken broth and scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the container. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and soaking liquid, the whole and pureed white beans, mushrooms, cheese rind, and Italian seasoning. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste, and stir to combine.

6. Submerge the chicken breasts in the liquid. Cover with lid and securely lock into position. Set the pressure value to the Sealing position.

7. Press the Manual button and adjust heat setting to high and adjust the cook time to 10 minutes. After a brief pause, the Instant Pot will automatically start building pressure.

8. When cook time is complete, allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes; flip the pressure value to Venting to release any remaining steam.

9. Carefully open lid and add the spinach, arugula, heavy cream, and grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the greens are wilted and the cheese is completely melted. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired.

10. Serve immediately with additional grated Parmesan cheese, if desired.

This light and flavorful soup is inspired by classic Chicken Florentine recipes, but it has some unique elements of its own. For example, pureed white beans and a chunk of Parmesan rind add to its creaminess, while a bit of baby arugula introduces an interesting note to the overall flavor profile.

The result is a delicious combination you’ll want to make again and again.