Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo Pasta

This instant pot chicken alfredo pasta is one of those meals that feels like it should take way longer than it actually does. Creamy, cheesy, and loaded with tender chicken – all made in one pot.

Everything cooks together in the Instant Pot, including the pasta. No need to boil it separately or dirty up extra pots.

The sauce comes together right at the end with heavy cream, parmesan, and butter. It gets stirred into the cooked pasta and turns into this rich, smooth alfredo sauce in seconds.

If you need a solid weeknight dinner that the whole family will enjoy, this one is hard to beat. It’s ready in about 30 minutes from start to finish.

Let me walk you through how to make it.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

One Pot Wonder – Everything from searing the chicken to cooking the pasta and making the creamy Alfredo sauce happens right inside the Instant Pot, so you only have one thing to clean up after dinner.

Ready in About 30 Minutes – Between the quick sear, 8 minutes of pressure cooking, and stirring in the sauce, you can have a restaurant-quality chicken Alfredo on the table way faster than ordering takeout.

Perfectly Cooked Chicken Every Time – Searing the chicken first locks in flavor, and then pressure cooking it on top of the pasta keeps it juicy and tender so you never end up with dry, rubbery chicken breasts.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Italian Seasoning
• 1 tbsp Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, minced
• 3 cups Chicken Broth
• 12 oz Penne Pasta
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1.5 cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

Directions

Step 1

Season the chicken breasts with the salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add the olive oil.

Step 2

Sear the chicken for 3 minutes per side until golden. Remove and set aside. Add the minced garlic and saute for 30 seconds.

Step 3

Pour in the chicken broth and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the penne pasta and push it down so it is mostly submerged. Place the seared chicken on top of the pasta. Do not stir.

Step 4

Lock the lid, set the valve to Sealing, and cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes.

Step 5

Perform a quick release by carefully turning the valve to Venting, keeping hands and face clear of the steam. Remove the lid once the pin drops. Take out the chicken and set aside.

Step 6

Stir the butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese into the pasta. Mix until the cheese is fully melted and the sauce is creamy and smooth. Slice or shred the chicken.

Step 7

Serve the pasta in bowls topped with the chicken. Garnish with fresh parsley and extra parmesan.

Pro Tips

Stir the Sauce In While the Pasta Is Hot

As soon as you remove the chicken from the pot, stir in the butter first so it melts right away. Then add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. The pasta needs to be really hot for everything to come together into a smooth sauce.

Stir it constantly for about a minute or two until the parmesan is fully melted and you see a thick, creamy coating on all the pasta. If you wait too long or let the pasta cool down before adding these ingredients, the cheese won’t melt properly and the sauce will be lumpy.

If your sauce seems a little too thick, add a small splash of chicken broth or heavy cream and stir it in. It will loosen up nicely.

Push the Pasta Down but Don’t Stir

Once you add the penne and push it down into the broth, leave it alone. You want the pasta mostly covered by liquid, but do not stir it around. Then just place the chicken right on top.

Stirring the pasta at this stage causes it to release starch and stick together in a big clump during pressure cooking. Keeping it in a flat layer with the chicken sitting on top lets everything cook evenly without turning into a mushy mess.

If a few pieces of pasta poke out above the broth, that is totally fine. The steam inside the pot will cook those pieces too.

Use Freshly Grated Parmesan

The recipe calls for freshly grated parmesan and this is one place where you really should not substitute. The pre-shredded parmesan in bags has a coating on it that keeps the shreds from clumping together in the bag, but that same coating stops it from melting smoothly into a sauce.

Buy a block of parmesan and grate it yourself right before you need it. It melts into the hot pasta way better and gives you that creamy, smooth alfredo sauce instead of a grainy or clumpy one.

Related Recipes

• Instant Pot Butter Chicken
• Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
• Instant Pot Mac & Cheese
• Instant Pot Beef Stew
• Instant Pot Birria Tacos

Frequently Asked Questions

The sauce looks too thin after I open the lid – how do I thicken it?

Don’t worry, this is totally normal right after you open the Instant Pot. Once you stir in the butter, heavy cream, and parmesan cheese, the sauce will thicken up as the cheese melts and everything comes together.

If it’s still thinner than you’d like, just switch the Instant Pot back to Saute mode and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes while stirring. The sauce will continue to thicken as it reduces. Keep in mind it also thickens a lot as it cools, so don’t overdo it or you’ll end up with a really thick, sticky pasta.