This is the perfect easy soup for when your digestion needs a boost or if you’re feeling under the weather. The creamy collagen-rich broth is so grounding and nourishing and spiked warming ginger. A touch of tahini and sesame get mixed in for extra flavor and richness and (optional) apple or pear for a touch of sweetness and extra fiber. Plus, this Instant Pot method makes the most tender fall-off-the-bone chicken!
It couldn’t be easier to make – just dump everything in the Instant Pot, set it and forget it! Plus, this Instant Pot method makes the most tender fall-off-the-bone chicken!
The soup is very mild in flavor, so add all the toppings you want. My favorite combo is kimchi + furikake (or nori strips) and if I’m feeling spicy, a touch of chili oil.
Ingredient highlight
White rice! My go-to comfort grain – it’s easy to digest, gentle on the gut, and provides steady, readily available energy. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, white rice is considered deeply nourishing to the Spleen and Stomach (“your digestive engine”), helping to strengthen Qi, calm the system, and restore balance when you’re run-down. Its soft texture and neutral flavor make it ideal for healing soups that warm, ground, and replenish.
Servings 4
Prep Time 5 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes Ingredients
- 2-3 lbs chicken drumsticks
- 1 bunch scallions, white/light green parts cut into 1-inch chunks + dark green parts thinly sliced
- 2-3- inch knob ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 crisp apple or pear, cored, quartered (optional)*
- 6 cups water
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 4 cups chopped greens (kale, bok choy, spinach, etc…)(optional)
Other topping options:
- Chili oil or sriracha
- Cilantro
- Kimchi
- Nori strips or furikake
- Drizzle of soy sauce
- *This adds a mild sweetness and extra fiber. I would use an asian pear, bosc pear, or any crisp apple.
Instructions
- In a 6-quart Instant Pot, add the chicken, white/light green scallions, ginger, apple or pear (if using), water, rice, soy sauce, and salt. Stir to combine.
- Lock the lid in place and set the vent to “sealing”. Cook on manual pressure (set to high) for 12 minutes. Let it naturally release for 10-15 minutes, then manually release the remaining pressure by moving the valve to “venting”. **Be careful of splatter! The viscous liquid from the rice/collagen will sputter out. Cover loosely with a kitchen towel to prevent a mess!
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and discard the fruit or just keep it in there (if using). Let the chicken cool for a bit, then remove the chicken skins. You can shred it off the bone on the cutting board and add it back to the soup or just serve the soup with a couple of whole drumsticks.
- You can fish out the ginger chunks or just remove it from your bowl, which is a lot easier.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the tahini and sesame oil. Add about ½ cup of broth and whisk until smooth and liquidy, adding more broth if needed. Stir back into the soup along with the greens.
- Serve topped with the dark green scallions and any other toppings you’d like.
Stovetop instructions:
- Follow the recipe using a large dutch oven or heavy bottomed pot with a tight fitting lid. Bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat, covered, for 60-75 minutes or until the chicken is falling off the bone.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cut 1 bunch scallions – white/light green parts cut into 1-inch chunks + dark green parts thinly sliced
- Thinly slice a 2-3-inch knob ginger
- Chop 4 cups greens
- Make the soup
Substitutions:
- Use any cut of bone-in chicken (thighs, legs).
- To make it vegetarian, you can leave the chicken and add tofu instead, but the soup won’t have nearly as much flavor or richness. Mix/mash 1-2 tablespoons of miso paste into the tahini sesame mixture to add extra flavor.
Storage:
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- The soup will thicken up in the fridge. Reheat it in the microwave or on the stove, adding extra water if needed to thin it out. You can warm up the chicken separately or add it to the soup as it reheats. Serve with all the toppings!
- Enjoy it for breakfast topped with a fried or boiled egg.
Is there any guidance on how to make the soup without an instant pot? Just cook like instructed but let simmer until rice and chicken are fully cooked?
I just added instructions in there. Since the chicken drumsticks take longer to cook to get that tender shreddy meat, you’ll have to simmer for about an hour. The rice is meant to be overcooked and kind of turn into more of a porridge consistency.
Hi Natalie, I notice that chicken when cooked in Instant pot takes on a really strong poultry smell, is there a way we can avoid that?
It’s true and while it doesn’t bother me, I can see how it would be off putting!
You could blanch the bone-in chicken, which is an extra step but probably your best bet for reducing the smell.
Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add chicken for 30–60 seconds, just until the surface firms slightly.
Drain, rinse, and then cook as usual in the Instant Pot.