Bright and spicy ginger and aromatic cilantro stand out in this Indian twist on traditional chicken soup. Filled with just-cooked fresh, crunchy cabbage and carrots, this one-dish meal is perfect for lunch or a light dinner. Look to the variations for a vegan option, and add whichever veggies you like.
A healthy take on Indo Chinese Favorite
A delicacy from Indo-Chinese restaurants, Chicken Cilantro Soup has complimenting flavors from lemon, ginger, and chilies, crunchy vegetables, and soft cooked chicken making it a flavor and nutrition-packed meal.
This recipe is a combination of my mom’s chicken soup and the lemon coriander soup from the Indo-Chinese restaurants that I have enjoyed for years. It uses mom’s chicken soup loaded with ginger, garlic, and cilantro as a base, to which I add more vegetables and chicken to make it a one-pot meal that is feel-go and packed with immune-boosting nutrients.
NOTE: Fresh cilantro in India is called coriander, this recipe does not use coriander seeds
I love the convenience of making this in the Instant Pot pressure cooker. It perfectly cooks the Chicken breasts that can be shredded in minutes and makes a healthy flavor-packed broth at the same time.
This is a versatile recipe that can easily be adjusted to individual preferences. It can be made completely plant-based too, check out my vegetarian cilantro soup recipe!
Variations
- Skip the chicken all together and follow the remaining recipe to make a perfect vegan soup. Just replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth
- Adjust the thickening, corn starch, or arrowroot powder, to the textures you prefer. I enjoy the soupy texture, so for me, 3 tablespoon of cornstarch works well. You can adjust it from 3-6 tablespoons to get a thicker consistency
- Add more or less green chilies and fresh ginger to take the spice level up or down
- Go ahead and double up on cilantro if you have extra
Instructions
Step by step recipe to make Chicken Cilantro Soup in the Instant Pot:
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat oil. Add garlic, green chilies, ginger, and cilantro stems. Mix well.
- Add chicken breasts, black peppercorn, salt, water, and broth. Give a quick stir and close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing.
- Pressure cook for 10 minutes followed by Natural Pressure Release. Open Instant Pot and take the chicken breasts out.
- Take a large bowl and strain the broth. Squeeze out any juices by gently pressing the stems in the strainer. Discard the stems from the strainer. Reserve the broth.
- Shred the chicken with a fork and keep aside.
- Rinse and dry the Instant Pot insert. Put the insert back and set the Instant Pot to sauté mode.
- Add the remaining oil, cabbage, carrots, and remaining ginger. Mix well.
- Add shredded chicken, reserved broth, and corn starch water. Mix well and bring the soup to a gentle boil
- Turn Instant Pot off. Add fresh ground pepper, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro. Mix well and enjoy hot
Did you enjoy this healthy and delicious one-pot meal? We love soups year-round and here are some of our family favorites:
- Low carb chicken mulligatawny soup
- EASY chicken tortellini soup
- Creamy Tomato Bisque
- Mexican chicken tortilla soup
- Vegetarian Coconut Curry Noodle Soup
- Instant Pot French Onion Soup
- Quick and comforting Lasagna Soup
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Chicken Coriander Soup – Instant Pot
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoon oil divided
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 3 green chillies sliced or 1 to 2 jalapenos
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger divided
- 1 cup cilantro stems roughly chopped
- 1 pound chicken breasts
- 12 black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups low sodium chicken broth we used better than bouillon
- 1 cup cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 cup carrots julienned
- 3 tablespoons corn starch or arrowroot powder mixed in 1 cup of water
- ¼ teaspoon fresh ground pepper optional
- ½ cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Instructions
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute(more) mode and heat half of the oil. Add garlic, green chilies, half of the ginger and cilantro stems. Mix well.
- Add chicken breasts, black peppercorn, salt, water and broth. Give a quick stir and close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing.
- Pressure cook for 10 minutes followed by Natural Pressure Release.
- Open Instant Pot and take the chicken breasts out. Shred the chicken with a fork and keep aside.
- Take a large bowl and strain the broth. Squeeze out any juices by gently pressing the stems in the strainer. Discard the stems from the strainer. Reserve the broth.
- Rinse and dry the Instant Pot insert. Put the insert back and set the Instant Pot to sauté mode. Add the remaining oil, cabbage, carrots and remaining ginger. Mix well.
- Add shredded chicken, reserved broth, and corn starch water.
- Mix well and bring the soup to a gentle boil. Turn Instant Pot off. Add fresh ground pepper, lemon juice, and chopped cilantro. Enjoy hot!
Video
Notes
- Skip the chicken all together and follow the remaining recipe to make a perfect vegan soup. Just replace the chicken broth with vegetable broth. If you can find enoki mushroom, they add a great crunch too. Stir them in the end along with the carrots and cabbage
- Add small cubed extra firm tofu in the end for added proteins. You can also add baked tofu.
- Adjust the corn starch or arrowroot powder, to the textures you prefer.
- Adjust green chilies and fresh ginger to take the spice level up or down.
- Go ahead and double up on cilantro if you have extra.
Nutrition
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Dahlia Talukdar says
How long should I cook this if I use frozen chicken?
Archana says
15 mins.
Kerry Roberts says
I Ministry of Curry recipes! This chicken cilantro soup is one of my favorites! You have to try this recipe if you love cilantro! You will not be disappointed!!
Amruta says
Such a simple healthy yet full of fresh flavors soup. It’s a staple in our home every other week. Thank you for introducing us to such amazing flavors
Prajakti says
Tried this for dinner. Came out very well. Thank you!
Rumana Barodawalla says
My family loved this soup .. so flavorful!!
Pari says
Hello Archana, what should the cook time be if I’m using chicken tenderloins instead of breast? I was thinking 6 mins. Do you think that would work? Also I’ll be doubling my recipe but I don’t have enough broth, can I just substitute with water? Thanks!
Archana says
Yes 6 mins for tenderloins and you may substitute broth with water, just add some extra salt
div says
Is there a healthy substitute for cornstarch? thanks.
div says
I meant for those who follow a paleo diet. thanks
Archana says
Arrowroot flour
div says
Is there a substitute for cornstarch for those who follow the Paleo diet?
Archana says
Yes! Use arrowroot flour instead.
Shilpa says
I’ve made it a couple of times simply love it. Can you please let know how to cook it in pressure cooker? Want to make it for my family when I go to India. They don’t have IP.
Archana says
For stove top pressure cook, you can cook it for 2 to 3 whistles depending on the thickness of the chicken
Manal says
The best chicken soup. Ever.