Servings: 8

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped fine 1 onion, chopped fine
3 garlic cloves, minced 3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or ¼ teaspoon dried
8 cups water 8 cups water
4 carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick 4 carrots, peeled and sliced ½ inch thick
2 celery ribs, sliced ½ inch thick 2 celery ribs, sliced ½ inch thick
2 tablespoons soy sauce 2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 (4‑pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded 1 (4‑pound) whole chicken, giblets discarded
Salt and pepper Salt and pepper
4 ounces (2⅔ cups) wide egg noodles 4 ounces (2⅔ cups) wide egg noodles
¼ cup minced fresh parsley ¼ cup minced fresh parsley

BUILD FLAVOR: Heat oil in pressure-cooker pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in water, carrots, celery, and soy sauce, scraping up any browned bits. Season chicken with salt and pepper and place, breast side up, in pot.
(When cooking a whole chicken in the pressure cooker, we found it best to keep the delicate breast meat facing up to give it some protection from the direct heat and to promote even cooking.)
HIGH PRESSURE FOR 20 MINUTES: Lock pressure-cooker lid in place and bring to high pressure over medium-high heat. As soon as pot reaches high pressure, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain high pressure.
(Once cooked, the chicken will be very ender and nearly falling part. To remove the chicken from the pot for the shredding step, lift it out in one piece using tongs along with a large spoon for support.)
QUICK RELEASE PRESSURE: Remove pot from heat. Quick release pressure, then carefully remove lid, allowing steam to escape away from you.
(The meat is easy to remove from the bones because it’s so tender. Let the chicken cool slightly, then discard the skin and pull the meat off the bones. Shred the meat using two forks, gently pulling the meat apart and into bite-size strands.)
BEFORE SERVING: Transfer chicken to cutting board, let cool slightly, then shred meat into bite-size pieces, discarding skin and bones. Meanwhile, using large spoon, skim excess fat from surface of soup. Bring soup to boil, stir in noodles, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in shredded chicken and parsley, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.
(The last step is adding the noodles. Simmering them in the soup ensures they absorb flavor. Be sure to do this just before serving or else the noodles can become bloated and mushy.)

Farmhouse Chicken and Rice Soup  Farmhouse Chicken and Rice Soup
Substitute 1 cup long-grain white rice for egg noodles and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.  Substitute 1 cup long-grain white rice for egg noodles and cook until tender, 15 to 18 minutes.