Instant Pot Sesame Chicken and Rice Soup

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Servings

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)

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

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.