Steam curls up from the valve and your stomach starts talking back. You catch that warm hiss and the sealing ring snugged tight like a promise. Soon, a pressure build turns simple ingredients into something you just gotta taste.
You notice smells crawling into every corner of your kitchen, onions slowly caramelized to a golden dream. Those sweet layers turning deep brown, whispering all their flavour into the broth. The hiss from the valve keeps you waiting, your appetite fired up.
Before you know it, the lid cracks open and you’re hit with rich aromas mixed with tender chicken. That broth depth teases your senses and you feel that happy buzz only great soup can bring. French Onion Chicken Soup isn’t just dinner, it’s a warm hug on a cold day.
Why Your Cooker Beats Every Other Pot
- Fast pressure build means you move from chopping to eating way quicker than the stove or oven.
- Sealing ring keeps all those gorgeous onion scents right inside, no escaping smells everywhere.
- Slow release option gives you control to keep broth depth perfect and flavors blended just so.
- The valve hiss is kinda satisfying and tells you soup is cooking evenly without any guesswork.
- You get caramelized onions and tender chicken all in one pot without dirtying a ton of dishes.
Discover other pressure cooker benefits and recipes like our Classic Crockpot Pierogi Casserole with Kielbasa for effortless comfort meals.
Your Simple Ingredient Checklist
- 4 cups sweet onion, sliced thin (about 4 medium or large ones)
- 2 cups shallot, sliced thin (around 4 shallots)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ⅔ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (or gluten-free flour if you want)
- ¼ cup light white wine (something dry)
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken bone broth (Swanson’s works real good)
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast, your call
- 6 slices baguette or sourdough bread, each about ½ ounces, toasted
- 12 thin slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese (roughly 6 ounces total)
For ingredient ideas and quick meals, you might also enjoy our Easy Marinated Cheese Appetizer with Salami & Green Olives, perfect for appetizers and snacks.
Walking Through Every Single Move
Step 1. You heat olive oil in your pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Then dump in the sliced onions and shallots with the kosher salt. Stir sometimes as they cook down.
Step 2. Let those onions brown low and slow for 25 to 30 minutes. You’ll see them turning golden and smelling real sweet as they caramelize.
Step 3. Sprinkle in the flour, stir it around real well to coat the onions. Cook 1 to 2 minutes so the raw flour taste goes away.
Step 4. Pour in your white wine to deglaze, scraping up all the good browned bits stuck at the bottom. This adds tons of flavor.
Step 5. Add sherry vinegar, thyme sprigs, bay leaves and chicken bone broth. Then pop your chicken thighs right in.
Step 6. Lock that lid on tight, making sure the sealing ring’s set. Bring it to pressure until you hear the valve hiss. Cook for 10-12 minutes then use slow release so the soup keeps that broth depth nice and perfect. Remove herbs, shred chicken and ready to serve.
Smart Shortcuts for Busy Days
- You can buy pre-sliced onions and shallots to save big time on chopping.
- Canned chicken broth works fine if you don’t have bone broth handy.
- Skip baking bread yourself and just grab fresh baguette or sourdough from the store, toast it and you’re good.
Looking for more quick ideas? Try our Cheesy Kielbasa Hashbrown Casserole Dump Meal Recipe for easy savory meals that the whole family will love.
Your First Taste After the Wait
That first spoonful wraps warm, caramelized onion sweetness around your taste buds. The broth’s rich but gentle, carrying just enough tang from sherry vinegar to keep it lively.
The chicken is tender and melts with every bite, soaking in the flavors from the broth. It’s like the depth of slow cooking but in way less time.
The cheesy crust on that toasted bread just gotta be part of the experience. Gruyere melts perfectly to gooey bliss.
You catch yourself smiling, realizing you’ve got soup comfort with a real grown-up twist that works day or night.
How to Store This for Later
Cool your soup down a bit before you stash it to keep broth depth intact. Pour it in airtight containers.
Store in your fridge for up to 4 days. Soup tastes even better after flavors rest a bit.
If you wanna keep longer, freeze your soup in freezer-friendly containers or bags. Remember to thaw in the fridge overnight for best texture.
To reheat, warm it slowly on the stove or in your cooker on low heat, stirring now and then to get that gooey cheese back right. Toast fresh bread if you want extra crisp.
What People Always Ask Me
- Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs? Totally, it’ll just cook a little faster and stays leaner.
- Can I skip the wine? Yes, but wine adds a nice touch. Try a splash of extra broth if you don’t have it.
- Is it safe to cook bread in the pressure cooker? Nope, best to toast it separately to get that perfect crispy texture with melted cheese.
- How do I prevent the soup from being too salty? Start with low sodium broth and add salt at the end if you need.
- Can I make this vegetarian? You could use veggie broth and swap chicken for mushrooms or beans to keep it hearty.
- What’s the best way to do slow release? Just turn your cooker’s valve to vent slowly or let the pressure drop naturally without pushing the valve.
French Onion Chicken Soup Pressure Cooker Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Mixing bowl Large
Ingredients
Soup Ingredients
- 4 cups sweet onion thinly sliced (about 4 medium or large)
- 2 cups shallot thinly sliced (about 4 shallots)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ⅔ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour or gluten-free flour if desired
- ¼ cup light white wine dry
- ¼ cup sherry vinegar
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 8 cups chicken bone broth Swanson’s preferred
- 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breast
- 6 slices baguette or sourdough bread ½ ounce each, toasted
- 12 slices Gruyere or Swiss cheese about 6 ounces total
Instructions
Cooking Instructions
- Heat olive oil in the pressure cooker pot over medium heat. Add sliced onions, shallots, and kosher salt. Stir occasionally as they begin to caramelize.
- Let onions cook low and slow for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and sweet.
- Add flour to the onions, stirring to coat. Cook for 1–2 minutes to eliminate raw flour taste.
- Pour in white wine to deglaze the bottom. Scrape up the brown bits for added flavor.
- Add sherry vinegar, thyme sprigs, bay leaves, chicken bone broth, and chicken thighs or breast.
- Seal pressure cooker, bring to pressure. Cook for 10–12 minutes. Use slow release. Remove herbs and shred chicken.
- Serve soup hot with toasted bread slices topped with Gruyere or Swiss cheese. Broil briefly until cheese melts.
