Time: 1 hour; Makes 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
- 6 strips bacon
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 1 large onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 5 cups chicken broth
- 1 1/2 pound boneless chicken breast
- 3 medium carrots, diced
- 3 celery ribs, diced
- 2 tsp. dried basil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp. dried oregano
- 1 tsp. dried parsley
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. black pepper
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- 3 Tbsp. water
- 1 cup whole milk (or half & half), warmed
- 1 lb. gnocchi
- 4 kale leaves
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
Heat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with foil. Lay bacon in a single layer on the sheet. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until crispy. Crumble once cool to the touch.
While the bacon is in the oven, turn the Instant Pot (IP) to Saute and heat olive oil for a few minutes. Add onion and stir. Add in minced garlic. Cook the onions until translucent and stir as needed. Pour in chicken broth and stir. Then add chicken, carrots, celery, basil, bay leaf, oregano, parsley, salt and pepper.
Place the lid on the IP and make sure the float valve is set to closed. Use the Manual Setting on high pressure and set the timer for 10 minutes. When the timer beeps, allow the IP to sit for 10 minutes.
While the IP pressure is releasing, prepare the cornstarch mixture by stirring together 3 Tbsp. water and 3 Tbsp. water in a small bowl. This will thicken the soup. Next prepare the kale. Place kale on a cutting board and cut off the leafy part, discarding the rib and stem. Cut the leafy kale into small bite size pieces.
Once the IP shows 10 minutes has passed, release any remaining pressure by moving the valve to venting. Remove the lid and discard the bay leaf. Pull out the chicken breasts and shred them into small bite size pieces. (Quick tip: Use a handheld blender to make this step go way quicker! More details from Wonderful How To Food Hacks.)
Place the chicken back into the IP. Pour in the cornstarch water mixture and stir. Change the IP setting from Keep Warm to Saute. Then add the warmed whole milk (or half & half) and the uncooked gnocchi.
Add in kale and Parmesan cheese and stir until incorporated. Once soup has thickened and the gnocchi has through (about 4 minutes), ladle into bowls and top with crumbled bacon.