When you start following a Paleo diet, it can feel like you’re Superman and thus you never get sick of it because the recipes make you feel so amazing. So good that we begin to think we’re invincible to illness but then we always end up being wrong about that. Once someone gets sick, everyone around them can easily begin experiencing everything from coughing, sore throats, headaches, chills and fevers to pure exhaustion.
Well, at Civilized Caveman, we know the healing power of bone broth and this paleo chicken soup is perfect for moments like this.
In the spirit of minimal effort, this paleo chicken soup is easy, finished in under 30 minutes and a perfect paleo cold and flu remedy. Using an Instant Pot can make it even easier for you.
Is an Instant Pot an essential to your kitchen? It sure is at ours. Coming up with new Instant pot recipes like this one is a fun and an easy way to add variety to meals with minimal effort. Yippee for another easy soup recipe!
If you find yourself or someone in your family coming down with something, here are some perfect cold and flu remedies that will support you getting and staying healthy.
Paleo Cold Remedies
- This delicious paleo chicken soup recipe
- Easy Homemade Bone Broth
- Hydration and rest – drink lots of clear fluid, lots of broth, and sleep a ton
- Cinnamon – mix it with some local honey, and add to a hot tea that supports relieving your cough and congestion
- For the rest of my natural home remedies, check out our post here
We have been working on some new posts for homemade bone broth and have been doing a ton of research including figuring the perfect bone broth recipe: Which part of the chicken is best, which aromatics are best, diced or whole, time, and lots of other variables. One thing our team learned today is that it doesn’t have to be perfect because it still tastes delicious.
TOP Tip! When I find a recipe I love, I add it to my custom recipe book so I never lose it.
Paleo Chicken Soup
Homemade chicken soup is just one of those heart-warming comfort foods that work all the time to provide comfort and happiness. Well for us at least. This paleo chicken soup passed the test. Not to mention, it is another recipe that is Whole 30 to add to your rotation.
We added the ginger and garlic to this soup to kick up its healing properties. Ginger is known for its anti-inflammatory properties and garlic for its anti-viral properties. You can spruce up this soup to your liking in many different ways. Add some mushrooms, sweet potato noodles or even some kelp noodles. This recipe is a blank canvas for you to paint.
Leave us a comment and let us know how you make this paleo chicken soup so we can try some variations.
Paleo Chicken Soup
Ingredients
- 1 small whole chicken 4-5 pounds
- 1 white onion peeled and diced
- 8 crushed cloves of garlic
- 2 stalks celery diced
- 4 large carrots peeled and diced
- 5 large sprigs of thyme
- 1 golf ball size knob of ginger
- 1-2 tablespoons sea salt
- 6 cups water
Instructions
InstantPot or Pressure Cooker
- Place the chicken in the Instant Pot or Pressure Cooker.
- Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrots, thyme and ginger to the pot.
- Add the water and then the sea salt.
- Place the lid on the Instant Pot, set the pressure valve to 'seal' and select the poultry option (this will give 15 minutes of pressure cooking).
- If using an electric pressure cooker, set the pressure to high and set the timer for 15 minutes.
- Once the Instapot or pressure cooker is finished, remove the chicken and set it on a large plate to cool a bit.
- Pull all the meat off the bones, return the meat to the soup in large chunks or chop into smaller pieces.
- Serve warm and enjoy.
Crockpot
- Place your onion, garlic, celery, carrots, thyme, and ginger to the bottom of a 6 quart or larger crock pot
- Place your whole chicken on top of the vegetables, add your water and salt
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or low for 7-8 hours (until the chicken is cooked through and falling off the bone)
- Remove the chicken from the crock pot to a large plate or baking sheet, let cool slightly and then shred all of the meat with your hands (discard cartilage, bones, etc)
- Add the meat back to the broth and serve warm
- Enjoy
Want to unlock greater wellness?
Listen to our friends over at the Wellness + Wisdom Podcast to unlock your best self with Drew Canole of Organifi:
How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream – Paleo and Raw
Tastes very good. My family loved it. Will definitely make it again. Thanks for sharing.
This is the best chicken soup ever!
So happy to hear that!
Jeremy
Team Caveman
I have a pretty big crock pot, but my chicken isn’t fully submerged in the water. Maybe I added too many veggies. Anyway, is it ok to cook like this or do I need to make some room to get the chicken completely covered by the water?
I just made this in the imstapot following the directions and it was not cooked :( looks like we are having leftovers.
I was wondering about the time… just now trying it for the first time. Don’t see any other mention of it here in the comments, though. Other sites say 30 minutes for a 5 lb. chicken with a slow release of pressure.
Was hoping to find a better answer here — everyone seems to be enjoying it with the noted 15 minutes, it seems.
Does this freeze well?
I have a six quart instant pot. Do I need to adjust any ingredients? Help
Hi George.
Can I use the bones to make bone broth later or is it too late because they’ve been cooked already?
I love this soup! I used ground ginger and dried thyme because that’s what I had on hand, and it was still fantastic. Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you, thank you! My tradition has always been to make chicken soup – slow-simmered for 2+ hours – whenever a family member gets sick. My visiting adult son came down with the flu, and I wanted to make chicken soup but after work did not have that amount of time. Googled your recipe which had ingredients similar to my recipe … and lo and behold, within an hour we had some wonderful and healing chicken soup! Son ate 6 small bowls of it – first he’d been able to eat all day. I cooked my nearly 5 lb chicken for 18 m. Added a seeded jalapeno, also cayenne to taste at the end. Skinned the chicken halfway before cooking, and parsley at the end. Made it non paleo by adding some brown jasmine rice that I cooked separately. But have to thank you for a marvelous recipe that will be used again and again!!
Do you keep the celery, carrots or do you discard them? Do you strain the soup?
Skin on or off? Help.
Excellent recipe but I’d recommend adding the juice of one half of a lemon and a dash of Worcestershire sauce for some extra flavor. Yum!
Would this still be good without ginger? Does it taste very gingery?
this taste great without ginger as well, the ginger has only a mild flavor in this recipe
Best chicken soup I’ve ever had!
I agree lol
This soup is delicious! I added a some crushed red pepper for some heat and it was just perfect. I will probably try it with some zoodles or some cauliflower rice for some extra texture.
That sounds delicious glad you like the recipe
Did you try with zoodles?
I just got my Instant Pot and this soup was the first thing I made in it! I couldn’t find a whole organic chicken so I substituted drumsticks and breast. This recipe is so tasty and I will be making this frequently! I give this 5 stars but it would only let me select 4…
Love it! Ill check on the rating thing thanks for letting me know
i got an Instant Pot recently and I LOVE IT! that thing is my favorite kitchen appliance and made it so i could get rid of my pressure cooker, slow cooker, and my yogurt maker. now i have room for a 2nd Instant Pot so i can have one for long cooking things like yogurt and bone broth, and still have one free for regular cooking. i’m waiting for the new ceramic non-stick inner pot that they came out with to come (i have a nickel sensitivity and stainless steel leaches nickel into any wet food) and the new silicone storage lid.
This is a good, solid recipe. Thanks for sharing. I will make this again soon.
thank you :)
I made this as comfort food (and a nutrient dense one) on election night. Sooo yummy! I only used 2 teaspoons of salt so people could salt to taste at serving but it didn’t need much more. Mine even gelled lightly in the fridge, which surprised me given the short cooking time. I think this will become a go-to. :)
this was a much better idea than the drinking games some were playing that night lol. glad you enjoyed it
Made this last night in my Instant Pot as comfort food for election night. Turned out so yummy! I only used 2 teaspoons of salt since I favor letting each person salt/pepper to taste at serving. It seemed like a lot of garlic, but the flavor was perfect. Also enjoyed it very much for breakfast this morning. :)
Best chicken soup recipe ever!! So flavorful & natural. Thank You!
Thank makes me happy
Just wondering, is it ok to use bone broth instead of water in this chicken soup recipe or even 50/50. Which gives best results?
I have done all three ways, just water, 50/50 and all bone broth. it really depends on what you like. try them all and see which one you like best
I love this recipe! I’ve made it 3 times and I’ve only had my instant pot for a short time! Thank you!
That’s great! Glad you’re enjoying it.
Do you leave the ginger whole and remove it after cooking?
You can grate it in or you can put it in whole and just remove it after cooking.
Is it possible that the salt portion is supposed to be teaspoons? I made it and threw in the full 2 Tablespoons and it was way too salty for me. I’ll make it with 1 Tablespoon next time but I thought I’d check first. It’s a great and easy recipe, love the use of ginger, garlic and thyme. I look forward to trying your other IP recipes. Thank you!
Natural or quick release on the Instant Pot?
Natural
This looks great! On one of your recipes you said to throw away the bones.I would fix this to save the bones for a broth!
Some I throw out, some I keep. Depends on what we are doing but yet make bone broth. I have a recipe for bone broth here
The fact that this is an instant pot recipe just made my day!! My mom pitched in so I bought myself an IP for my birthday, and I’m totally in love with it!! I can’t wait to try this recipe with some sweet potato noodles!