Easy Chicken Wonton Soup Instant Pot Stove

Enjoy this Asian-restaurant favorite in under 30 minutes with this simple, weeknight-friendly recipe using an Instant Pot or stove.

What is Chicken Wonton Soup?

Chicken Wonton Soup is a flavorful, clear soup with tender vegetables and soft bite-sized dumplings called Wontons. These wontons are stuffed with minced chicken and vegetables, then cooked in broth that’s infused with ginger, garlic, and seasoning.

Since my family loves this soup, I figured out an easier way to get the same restaurant-quality taste at home, using store-bought frozen wontons. I love using chicken cilantro mini wontons from Trader Joe’s, but this soup works equally well with other brands of dumplings too. This wonton soup practically makes itself! In this hands-off recipe, I infuse the seasonings in the broth by pressure cooking it in the Instant Pot, then cook the wontons in that. And just like that dinner is served in under 30 minutes. Check out more Instant Pot Soup Recipes

Ingredients- Notes & Substitutions

This hearty and healthy soup comes together with a handful of pantry and refrigerator staples. Here’s what we need: Wontons: I use Chicken Cilantro Mini Wontons from Trader Joe’s here, but this soup works equally well with any brand of frozen wontons or potstickers. Simply follow the package directions and adjust the cook time. Veggies: In this recipe, I use traditional vegetables found in wonton soup at a restaurant, like bok choy, celery and carrots. Feel free to substitute veggies of your choice. Mushrooms, zucchini and baby corn, are some that work well. Broth: Chicken or vegetable broth give this soup a jump start on flavors. But if you’re out of stock or broth, use the same quantity of water and add 1 tablespoon soy sauce + 1 teaspoon vinegar + ¼ teaspoon white or black pepper. Ginger & Garlic: Minced garlic and ginger really enhance the flavor of the broth. You can use fresh or frozen (no need to thaw). I wouldn’t recommend substituting these with the dried powders in this recipe. The flavors just don’t translate that well. Seasoning: Soy sauce and rice vinegar are key contributors of flavor in this soup. The addition of chili garlic sauce like Sambal Oelek is optional, but gives it a slight kick, adding another layer of flavor. Sriracha would be a great substitute, although start with half the suggested quantity. And finally, a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil adds a subtle nutty and smoky finishing flavor to this soup. Scroll to the recipe card for a detailed list of ingredients and quantities.

How to Make Chicken Wonton Soup

Here are the step-by-step instructions to make this satisfying chicken wonton soup with frozen wontons, in the Instant Pot:

Prep the Veggies: Separate the green leaves from the white stems of bok choy. Roughly chop the leaves and reserve them for later. Chop the carrots and boy choy stems into bite-size pieces.Pressure Cook: Add all ingredients except wontons and boy choy leaves to the pot. Close the lid and pressure cook for 1 minute at high pressure. (pic 1-4)Release Pressure: Manually release the pressure in bursts. This prevents the soup from spraying out while releasing pressure. Open the lid after the pin drops.Finish & Serve: Turn on SAUTE and add the frozen wontons. Cook for 2-4 minutes till they float on the top. Cancel SAUTE and add the reserved bok choy greens. Stir and let them soften in the soup for a few minutes. Serve warm! (pic 5 & 6)

Pressure Release Tip for Soups: For soups, always release pressure intermittently. Do that by moving the pressure valve (or pressing it down) partially. This ensures a controlled slow release of pressure and reduces the chances of any liquid shooting out. If you are multiplying this recipe, wait 5 minutes before releasing pressure.

Stovetop Recipe

Heat a large stockpot on medium-high heat. Add all ingredients except wontons and greens. Bring everything to a boil, reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 6-8 mins. Open lid.Add wontons and cook till they float on top, takes about 2-4 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add greens and stir well. Let them soften in the soup for a few minutes. Serve warm!

Variation: Vegetarian Wonton Soup

It is extremely easy to make this soup vegetarian by switching just two ingredients. Switch the chicken broth with vegetable broth and buy your favorite flavor of vegetable dumplings. I personally like the Thai Vegetable Gyoza dumplings from Trader Joe’s, and combine that with their low-sodium vegetable broth.

Recipe Tips & Notes

Customize this soup by using your favorite brand of wontons filled with chicken, shrimp or pork. Adjust the spice level: Reduce the chili garlic paste to a teaspoon for a mild spice level. Feel free to skip it altogether.Make it vegetarian by switching the chicken broth with vegetable broth. Use vegetable dumplings or wontons.When manually releasing pressure, move the pressure valve ‘partially’ from Sealing to Venting mode, or press down the valve intermittently, in ‘bursts’. This prevents the soup from spraying out while releasing pressure. If you are multiplying this recipe, wait 5 minutes before releasing pressure to avoid the soup from shooting through the pressure valve. Open lid after the pin drops.