This Instant Pot Chicken Pasta will be your new weeknight favorite! Chicken and pasta cook in one pot, electric pressure cooker, with simple marinara like sauce, then topped with melty cheese.
I also love to make in my Instant Pot this Instant Pot chicken alfredo and Instant Pot lasagna.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
One day, I created this Instant Pot chicken pasta out of exhaustion. Chicken and pasta are always in my kitchen and I know 100% kids will love this healthy dinner. Can you relate?!
It has the vibes of chicken parmesan but in a form of a one pot meal – pasta in Parmesan garlic tomato sauce, tender chicken pieces and gooey cheese on top. Just enough in every bite. It’s perfection, if I dare say so!
Use gluten free pasta or dairy free cheese to accommodate whatever your family needs. And if you are looking for low carb alternative, you should try this Italian creamy chicken in Instant Pot!
Reader’s Review
Excellent recipe. It fed a family of six (served with garlic bread) and had plenty of leftovers for lunch. I especially appreciated having the extra sauce at the end. I hate when it dries up when the pasta starts to absorb.
Maritza Wang
Ingredients for Instant Pot Chicken Pasta
Simple ingredients that you probably have in your fridge or pantry right now.
- Chicken: You will need 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or about 1.5 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs. Avoid bone in chicken, it won’t have enough time to cook and pasta will overcook.
- Pasta: Any pasta with grooves like penne or fusilli works. White, whole wheat or gluten free pasta. I would cook gluten free pasta for 3 minutes at first. If it comes out undercooked, close the lid and let it sit for a bit.
- Tomato sauce: I am using affordable low sodium tomato sauce from a can. You can use any jarred sauce and skip seasonings and salt, then adjust to taste at the end.
- Dried herbs: Garlic powder, dried basil and oregano, for both seasoning your chicken and jazzing up the sauce.
- Chicken broth: Adds terrific flavor when cooking the pasta, especially when using homemade chicken broth or Instant Pot chicken broth.
- Cheeses: Parmesan cheese adds flavor to pasta sauce and Mozzarella cheese is more of a topping. Feel free to use any cheese that melts like white cheddar, Swiss or gouda cheese. Freshly grated cheese always tastes and melts better and has less preservatives.
- Fresh herbs and garlic: Parsley and basil are recommended.
Veggies Tip
You can always add veggies at the end. Try finely chopped broccoli, cauliflower or cauliflower rice, peas or edamame, chopped spinach or kale. Bell pepper would be lovely too!
How to Make Chicken and Pasta in Instant Pot
- Brown the chicken: Sprinkle chicken breasts with spices and saute in Instant Pot for 4-5 minutes per side. Please note it takes 4-5 minutes for your pressure cooker to preheat and it’s important to wait until display says Hot.
- Add pasta, sauce and chicken: Deglaze the pot only with 1 cup of chicken. Then add pasta, seasonings and stir to help pasta not stick. Return chicken to the pot and add tomato sauce on top. Now you do not stir to avoid the dreaded Burn.
- Cook on high pressure for 5 minutes and release pressure immediately to avoid overcooked pasta. Super important!
- Slice chicken, add cheeses and garlic: Remove chicken, slice it and return to the pot. Add Parmesan and half of mozzarella cheese, grated garlic and stir very gently. Sprinkle with more cheese and let it melt for a few minutes while Instant Pot is closed.
Tips for Best Results
- To measure pasta correctly: If you weigh it on kitchen scale, you have to put a bowl on a scale first, then turn it on and it should say “zero”. Then add dry and uncooked pasta and weigh 12 ounces. Or measure 4 cups of dry and uncooked pasta.
- Use same measuring cups: I used dry measuring cups for measuring both pasta and broth. Some readers had issues with “too runny” and I suspect because they used glass liquid measuring cups.
- “Too runny” when you open: Do not worry if you see a lot of liquid when you open the pot. Pasta will soak it up like a sponge, trust me.
- Grated garlic vs. minced: Grated garlic is way more flavorful than minced. Amount depends if you are a garlic loving family. And adding it after results in way more flavor than adding it before cooking.
- For 3 quart Instant Pot: Cut ingredients in half and keep same cook time.
- Double the recipe: You can do so only in 8 quart Instant Pot because there is enough room. Double ingredients and keep same cook time.
Variations
- Add some heat: A few pinches of red pepper flakes.
- Creamy: A splash of whole milk, cream cheese, half and half or any other cream would taste great!
- Sun-dried tomatoes: Would add an amazing Tuscan pasta taste.
- Dairy free: Use your favorite dairy free cheese, Violife or Miyokos both melt well!
- Vegetarian: Skip chicken and add hearty cannellini beans with pasta. Also can saute mushrooms instead of chicken in step 1, yum!
- Splash of white wine: For depth of flavor.
Serving Ideas
This Instant Pot recipe doesn’t need much more, rather just a simple veggie side dish like:
Lemon Kale Salad with Garlic and Parmesan
My Favorite Spinach Salad
Simple Spring Mix Salad
Arugula Feta Salad
How to Store and Reheat
Store: Refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day. Unfortunately, pasta becomes mushy very fast. My kids don’t mind but if you are like me and do, you can cut recipe in half, same cook time.
Freeze? And please do not freeze. Pasta doesn’t freeze well. Cut recipe in half rather, same cook time. This recipe serves 6.
Reheat: Honestly microwave is the best option. Any further cooking on the stove or Instant Pot will make pasta more mushy. This is more of a quick and easy dinner for same night.
FAQs
Unfortunately, not. Using frozen chicken will take longer pressure build up time and result in overcooked pasta.
While I have not tested this, readers have had success with this. Cut your chicken into 1.5-inch pieces and then sauté. No cook time change for the recipe.
Yes. Skip sauteing and add it to the bottom with spices and everything else. A great way to use leftover Instant Pot chicken or baked chicken breast. Same total cook time.
More Pasta Recipes to Try
- Marry me chicken pasta
- Healthy Tuscan chicken pasta
- Crockpot chicken spaghetti
- Instant Pot goulash
- Instant Pot spaghetti
Instant Pot Chicken Pasta
Equipment
Video
Ingredients
For Chicken:
- 3 large boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs, 1.5 pounds
- 1 teaspoon basil or oregano, dried
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
For Pasta:
- 5 cups chicken broth, low sodium
- 12 ounces penne or fusilli pasta, dry (4 cups)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil, extra virgin
- 1 teaspoon oregano or basil, dried
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 14 ounces can tomato sauce, low sodium
- 1-2 large garlic cloves, grated
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated
- 1 cup Mozzarella cheese, grated & divided
- Fresh parsley or basil, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Press Saute on 6 or 8 quart Instant Pot and wait until display says Hot. Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken breasts with basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper on both sides.
- Swirl oil in Instant Pot and add chicken breasts. Cook for 4-5 minutes per each side. Helps to tilt the pot to distribute oil as its bottom isn't flat like a skillet.
- Remove chicken onto a plate, add 1 cup chicken broth and deglaze the pot. Press Cancel.
- Add remaining 4 cups of chicken broth, pasta, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper; then stir. Add chicken and pour tomato sauce on top. Do not stir!
- Close the lid, set valve to Sealing and Press Manual or Pressure Cook on High for 5 minutes.
- After release pressure immediately by turning the valve to Venting (to avoid pasta overcooking). Open the lid, remove chicken onto a plate and cut into small pieces. Return to the pot.
- Add 1-2 cloves of grated garlic, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese and stir. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Mozzarella, close the lid and let cheese melt for 5 minutes.
- Sprinkle chicken and pasta with parsley or basil and serve immediately as it tastes best fresh!
Notes
- Store: Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Reheat in a pot with a splash of water or broth by simmering on low heat covered and stirring occasionally for about 5 minutes.
- Freeze: Pasta does not freeze well.
- Pasta: Gluten free, I would cook it for 3 minutes at first. If it comes out uncooked, close the lid and let it sit while you are slicing chicken. Pasta absorbs liquid fast! Any pasta with grooves works well.
- “Too runny” when you open: Use dry measuring cups for measuring both pasta and broth. Do not worry if you see a lot of liquid when you open the pot. Pasta will soak it up like a sponge – trust me.
- For 3 quart Instant Pot: Cut ingredients in half and keep same cook time.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This was absolutely delicious and our whole family devoured it, so I will most definitely be making it again! I added onion, mushrooms, and broccoli. I did however have the liquidy issue but worked around it by ladling out about 2 cups of liquid and boiling extra pasta to add back. I first used 3/4 box of a 16 oz box of pasta and I could’ve used 24 ounces of pasta, but perhaps I made some measurement error. Nonetheless it was a hit and the flavor was off the hook!
So glad it was a hit! Love the extra veggies and that was a smart fix for the extra liquid. Please see Tips section for measuring tips, I suspect that’s the culprit for extra liquid.