Pressure Cooker Italian Chicken Soup

This recipe was given to me by my mom, but I’ve also tweaked it. I can’t guarantee that it isn’t from a cookbook somewhere–mom can’t remember where it came from–but it’s an old family favorite and a great soup for a fall day. Made in a pressure cooker, it takes approximately 20 minutes for a full, hearty meal. This soup also freezes beautifully.

Original recipe makes 8 servings

Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil
4 Italian turkey sausage links, casings removed
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 cup green lentils
1 bone-in chicken breast half, skin removed
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
3 cups chicken stock
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1 (16 ounce) bag fresh spinach leaves, chopped
1 cup mild salsa

PREP

25 mins
COOK

25 mins
READY IN

50 mins

Directions

heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a pressure cooker over medium heat. Add sausage meat, and cook until browned, breaking it into crumbles. Remove sausage to a plate and drain oil. Add another 1 teaspoon of olive oil to pressure cooker; cook onion and garlic until onion is transparent. Add barley and stir 1 minute. Return sausage to pressure cooker. Add lentils, chicken, parsley, and chicken stock to cooker, adding enough stock to completely cover chicken. Close cover securely; place pressure regulator on vent pipe. Bring pressure cooker to full pressure over high heat (this may take 15 minutes). Reduce heat to medium high; cook for 9 minutes. Pressure regulator should maintain a slow steady rocking motion; adjust heat if necessary.
Remove pressure cooker from heat; use quick-release following manufacturer’s instructions or allow pressure to drop on its own. Open cooker and remove chicken; shred meat and return to soup. Add garbanzo beans, spinach and salsa; stir to blend and heat through before serving.