Instant Pot Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Servings: 6
Yield: 6 servings

Description

This chicken and gnocchi soup is prepared easily in an Instant Pot with fresh spinach, veggies, and herbs for a flavorful dinner.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound chicken tenders
2 tablespoons pesto
1 pinch garlic powder, or to taste
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
3 medium carrots, sliced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 cups milk, or more as needed
1 (17 1/2 ounce) package potato gnocchi
6 large fresh basil leaves
3 cups fresh spinach

Directions

1 Turn on a multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®), add oil, and select Saute function. Add chicken, pesto, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to the hot pot, then pour in chicken broth.
2 Place onion, bell pepper, and carrots on top of chicken and season with salt and pepper. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 15 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
3 Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium heat and cook until golden. Stir in flour until mixture thickens. Add garlic, oregano, and sage while continuously stirring, as a roux burns fast. Slowly pour in 2 cups of milk, stirring until all clumps are gone and sauce it thick, adding more milk as needed.
4 Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, 10 to 40 minutes.
5 Remove chicken from the Instant Pot®, let cool for 5 minutes, and dice into small cubes.
6 While you are waiting for the chicken to cool, add gnocchi, basil, and roux mixture to the Instant Pot®. Close and lock the lid. Select low pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 1 minute. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
7 Slice spinach into strips; add to the cooker with chicken. Mix for 2 minutes to heat through before serving; the heat from the soup will cook the spinach quickly.