Some recipes become part of your regular routine almost by accident.
Years ago, I was looking for a lighter chicken soup that still felt satisfying enough to be dinner. I kept coming back to ginger because it adds so much flavor without making the soup feel heavy. With plenty of garlic, a splash of dry sherry, and tender chicken, this is the kind of meal I love making when we want something cozy but still fresh.
My son Justin was never much of a soup person growing up, so I was genuinely surprised when this became the one he started requesting whenever he wasn’t feeling well. My other son, Jacob, and I would happily eat soup any time of year, but this recipe somehow won everyone over.
I usually serve it with warm jasmine rice and put bowls of sliced green onions, chili crisp, and fresh lime wedges on the table so everyone can finish their own bowl. It’s simple, comforting, and one of those meals that always seems to make the house feel a little cozier.
RECIPE AT A GLANCE
What It Is: A light, savory chicken soup infused with fresh ginger, garlic, and dry sherry, finished with tender chicken and baby bok choy.
Why You’ll Love It: Flavorful without feeling heavy, easy in the Instant Pot, and wonderful for dinner or meal prep. Even Justin, who was never much of a soup person, requests it!
Flavor: Savory, gingery, and garlicky, with subtle depth from dry sherry.
Texture: Tender chicken, crisp-tender bok choy, and a light broth.
Best For: Family dinners, cozy lunches, and meal prep.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Pressure Cook Time: 10 minutes
Natural Release: 10 minutes
Finish Time: About 5 minutes
Total Time: About 45–50 minutes, including time to come to pressure
Yield: 4–6 servings
Diet: Gluten-free, dairy-free.
For another soup we make often, try my Hearty Vegetable & Bean Soup, packed with beans and tender vegetables.
SUCCESS TIPS
- Don’t brown the ginger and garlic.
- Cook them for only about 20 to 30 seconds.
- You want them fragrant, not browned.
- Let the sherry simmer briefly.
- Give the dry sherry about a minute to simmer before adding the broth.
- That cooks off some of the sharpness and leaves behind its deeper savory flavor.
- Use a 10-minute natural release.
- This helps the chicken stay tender before you release the remaining pressure.
- Add the bok choy after pressure cooking.
- Baby bok choy cooks quickly.
- Adding it at the end keeps the stems crisp-tender and the leaves bright instead of overcooked.
- Keep the rice separate.
- I prefer serving jasmine rice in individual bowls rather than cooking it directly in the soup.
- That way everyone can decide how much they want, and the leftovers don’t turn overly thick.
How It Comes Together
1. Gather your ingredients
One of the reasons I make this soup so often is that the ingredient list is straightforward.
Once everything is measured and ready, the Instant Pot does most of the work.
2. Build the broth.
Select Sauté (Normal) on the Instant Pot.
Add the avocado oil.
Once hot, stir in the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly, just until fragrant.
Pour in the dry sherry and let it simmer for about 1 minute.
Stir in the prepared chicken broth, kosher salt, and pepper.
Nestle the chicken into the broth.
Lock the lid and pressure cook on High for 10 minutes.
Allow a 10-minute natural release before carefully releasing the remaining pressure.
3. Prep the vegetables.
While the soup cooks, chop the baby bok choy, slice the green onions, and chop the cilantro.
Having everything ready makes the last few minutes very easy.
4. Finish the soup.
Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or shallow bowl and shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Turn the Instant Pot back to Sauté (Normal).
Once the broth begins to simmer, add the chopped bok choy and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the stems are tender and the leaves are bright green.
Return the chicken to the pot.
Stir in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
Taste and adjust the seasoning if needed.
5. Serve.
Ladle the soup into bowls over warm jasmine rice, or serve the rice alongside.
Set out sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, chili crisp, fresh lime wedges, toasted sesame seeds, and crispy shallots so everyone can customize their own bowl.
Instant Pot Ginger Chicken Bok Choy Soup
Equipment
Ingredients
Method
- Select Sauté (Normal) on the Instant Pot.
- Add the avocado oil.
- Once hot, add the ginger and garlic and cook for 20 to 30 seconds, stirring constantly, just until fragrant.
- Pour in the dry sherry and simmer for about 1 minute, scraping up anything from the bottom of the pot.
- Stir in the prepared chicken broth, kosher salt, and pepper.
- Nestle the chicken into the broth.
- Lock the lid and set the valve to Sealing.
- Cook on High Pressure for 10 minutes.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then carefully release any remaining pressure.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board or shallow bowl.
- Shred or chop it into bite-sized pieces.
- Select Sauté (Normal).
- Once the broth begins to gently simmer, add the bok choy.
- Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the stems are tender and the leaves are bright green.
- Return the chicken to the pot.
- Stir in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
- Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt or pepper if needed.
- Ladle into bowls.
- Serve with warm jasmine rice and let everyone add green onions, cilantro, chili crisp, lime wedges, toasted sesame seeds, or crispy shallots as desired.
Nutrition
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
HELPFUL NOTES
- Chicken thighs stay especially tender.
- Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my first choice because they stay juicy and tender during pressure cooking.
- Chicken breasts also work if that’s what you have.
- Use dry sherry, not cooking sherry.
- Choose dry sherry from the wine aisle.
- Cooking sherry is much saltier and won’t give the broth the same clean flavor.
- Don’t overcook the bok choy.
- Two to three minutes in the simmering broth is usually all baby bok choy needs.
FAQ
Yes.
Heat the avocado oil in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium heat.
Cook the ginger and garlic for 20 to 30 seconds, then add the dry sherry and simmer for about 1 minute.
Add the chicken broth, salt, pepper, and chicken.
Bring the soup to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through.
Remove and shred the chicken.
Add the bok choy to the simmering broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
Return the chicken to the pot and stir in the rice vinegar and toasted sesame oil.
Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.
Absolutely.
Chop it into bite-sized pieces.
Because the stems are larger, they may need an extra minute or two to become tender.
Yes.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts work well, although chicken thighs tend to stay a little more tender during pressure cooking.
Yes.
Rice noodles are especially good here.
Cook them separately and add them to individual bowls just before serving so they don’t absorb too much broth.
Yes, but for the best texture, freeze it before adding the bok choy.
When you’re ready to serve, thaw and reheat the soup, then stir in fresh chopped bok choy for the final few minutes.
Definitely.
The broth tastes even better after the ginger, garlic, and sherry have had time to mingle.
Store the rice separately so it doesn’t absorb the broth.
MAKE IT WORK
- Chicken breasts instead of thighs:
- Use them. They’ll be a little leaner but still work well.
- Regular bok choy:
- Chop it into smaller pieces and give the thicker stems an extra minute or two.
- No rice:
- Serve the soup as-is or add separately cooked rice noodles.
- Want more heat:
- Add chili crisp or chili oil to individual bowls.
- Want it extra fresh:
- Finish each serving with lime, cilantro, and green onions.
MEAL PREP TIP
- I usually store the soup and cooked jasmine rice in separate containers.
- That way the rice doesn’t absorb all of the broth, and everyone can decide how much they want in each bowl.
- When it’s time to eat, I reheat the soup, warm the rice, and set out green onions, cilantro, chili crisp, and lime.
- It’s one of those leftovers that still feels like a real meal instead of a compromise.
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FROM MY PANTRY
- Better Than Bouillon Organic Reduced Sodium Chicken Base
- This is the chicken base I use for many of my homemade soups.
- It gives the broth plenty of savory flavor without needing hours of simmering.
- Dry Sherry
- Dry sherry adds a subtle depth that helps distinguish this soup from a basic chicken broth.
- Use sherry from the wine aisle rather than cooking sherry.
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Just a teaspoon stirred in at the end adds a warm toasted aroma without making the soup feel heavy.
- Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
- This is the kosher salt I use when testing my savory recipes.
- Avocado Oil
- My everyday oil for sautéing the ginger and garlic.
FROM MY KITCHEN
- Instant Pot
- The Instant Pot makes the chicken tender while giving the ginger, garlic, sherry, and broth time to come together.
- I usually cook in my 8-quart Instant Pot.
- Microplane
- A Microplane makes quick work of the fresh ginger and distributes it evenly throughout the broth.
DISCLAIMER
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STORAGE
- Refrigerator:
- Store leftover soup in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Keep leftover rice separate.
- Freezer:
- For the best texture, freeze the soup without the bok choy, then add fresh bok choy while reheating.
REHEATING
- Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave until hot throughout.
- If the broth has reduced slightly in the refrigerator, stir in a splash of prepared chicken broth while reheating.
If you’re looking for another easy Instant Pot chicken dinner with garlic and ginger, try my Sticky Sesame Chicken.
This is one of those recipes I never really get tired of making.
It’s light enough that we enjoy it any time of year, but still cozy enough to be exactly what I want when someone needs a comforting meal.
And I’ll always have a soft spot for the fact that this became the soup Justin started asking for when he wasn’t feeling well.
For a kid who was never particularly interested in soup, that’s saying something. ❤️
I love serving it with jasmine rice and putting all the toppings on the table so everyone can build their own bowl.
Extra chili crisp for some people.
Lots of green onions for me.
And somehow Jacob and I are usually already thinking about the leftovers.
If you make it, I’d love to hear how you serve yours. Your ratings and comments also help other readers discover the recipe and support Nourished with Christy.
Happy cooking!
Christy