This Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo is the perfect one-pot meal! Tender, juicy, aromatic chicken with perfectly cooked penne pasta.
This is the easiest way to make delicious Alfredo pasta and it takes only 10 minutes!
Like many other Instant Pot pasta recipes, The Instant Pot will do all the work for you!
All you have to do is to cook the chicken as the first step and then add the rest of the ingredients. Simple as that.
Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
This pasta with chicken is a great meal for you and the entire family. Every time I make it, it’s such a universal crowd pleaser!
And speaking from the nutritionist side, the dish has a decent amount of protein from the chicken and the cheese, perfectly balanced with the carbs from the pasta.
Oftentimes if you were to order Chicken Alfredo at a restaurant, it was be extravagantly rich and creamy, filled with excess carbs and fat. But we took the classic dish and not only made it easier to prepare, but also a bit lighter and healthier.
It's also SO easy to make and so flexible! You can easily swap pasta shapes-- any type of dried pasta should work without needing to change the cook time.
The recipe can easily be doubled if you want to use the whole 16 oz. box of pasta, since it makes for great leftovers! (Even though it's so delicious, there might not be any leftover!) To double the recipe, double the quantity of each ingredient-- including the water, which is very important-- and add 2 minutes to the cook time.
Recipe Video
Ingredients
Chicken – I use chicken breast, you can substitute thighs but it won’t turn out quite the same in my opinion. Chicken breasts are the best choice for this Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo recipe.
Pasta – you can use penne or any other type of short tubular pasta, like ziti.
Cream cheese – the secret shortcut ingredient to a perfect, creamy texture! You can also substitute heavy cream.
Parmesan cheese – make sure you have enough for the 1 cup in the sauce + additional for garnishing at the end!
How To Make
First, gather your ingredients:
Press saute and add olive oil.
Add chicken and saute until brown.
Add garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir well.
Next, add the pasta.
Add butter and water.
Mix well until the butter melts.
Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes. Don't forget to set the valve to sealing if needed.
When cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release.
Add cream cheese (or heavy cream) and parmesan cheese and stir well.
Adjust the seasoning to taste if needed.
That's all :]
Serve with parmesan and parsley on top and enjoy a delicious one-pot meal.
Recipe Notes
- Here’s a troubleshooting tip: if the sauce is too thin or watery after the last step, just simmer the pasta for an additional 3 minutes on sauté mode (no need to pressure cook).
- Want to substitute shrimp instead of chicken? Just follow this Instant Pot Shrimp Alfredo recipe instead.
How to Serve
This Instant Pot dish is perfect as is.
If you want to upgrade, feel free to sprinkle some freshly grated lemon zest and extra parmesan on top.
You can also check out What to Serve With Chicken Alfredo for more delicious ideas.
Recipe FAQs
How do I make sure my Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo doesn't get soggy?
If you are worried that the pasta may be too soggy, just count on me. I’ve made this recipe a few times and it always comes out perfectly.
The cooking time in this Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo recipe is the perfect amount of time to get a perfectly cooked al dente pasta.
Can I make this recipe gluten-free?
Yes! If you are gluten-sensitive, you can use gluten-free pasta. The cooking time will stay the same.
Can I make this recipe dairy-free?
Yes!
With a few tweaks… First, use oil instead of the butter. Instead of cream cheese, use a vegan substitute. And of course, use a vegan cheese instead of the parmesan.
More One-Pot Pasta Recipes
If you like this recipe, you should try the Instant Pot Spaghetti Bolognese or this pasta primavera. After you try those, here are more to choose from:
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot Crack Chicken Pasta
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- 1 lb chicken breasts boneless, skinless and cubed
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 box penne pasta 8 ounce
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup cream cheese
- 1 cup parmesan cheese shredded
Instructions
- Select saute and add olive oil.
- Add the chicken and cook until brown, stirring frequently.
- Add in garlic powder, salt and pepper and stir well.
- Add pasta, butter and water and stir well to combine.
- Close the lid and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes.
- When cooking time is complete, do a quick pressure release and open the lid.
- Add cream cheese (or heavy cream) and parmesan cheese and stir well.
- Serve and enjoy 🙂
Nutrition
Video
Pasta-lutely Perfect Instant Pot Cluckin' Alfredo
Do you use the olive oil to sauté the chicken?
Yes, you can add the olive oil with the butter. I will update the recipe, thanks!
I don't have instant pot will these receipts work for crock pots?
Didn't see the olive oil mentioned in the directions. With the butter to saute the chicken?
Definitely needed more water to cook the pasta. I had to add more and add cooking time...and the noodles burned slightly. Flavor was ok..next time I'll add fresh garlic, and 3 cups of water.
Were you using a 6 qt? I should mention that the pasta should just about cover the pasta for even cooking, so depending on the size of your Instant Pot model, you may need to add a little more water.
Wonderfully easy and tasty entree. It is quickly becoming a family favorite!
I keep thinking maybe I should add spinach or broccoli, but why mess with perfection. Thanks for sharing it with us!!!
You're welcome!! I like to add veggies on the side 🙂
Needed more water. Pasta was still hard after 4 minutes. I had to add more water and cook additional 2 minutes!
I'm sorry about that, but good to know! I hope it still turned out ok in the end and tasted good?
Did you use a 6qt pot for this recipe? The water didn’t quite cover the pasta, so it didn’t cook all the way. So, I set it to pressure cook for a couple extra minutes. Not sure if you are really supposed to do that or not, but it seemed to help. Very, very good - will definitely make again!
Yes, I used a 6 qt for this recipe and used enough water to just barely cover the pasta. Feel free to add a little more water next time just until the pasta is covered to ensure even cooking. I'm glad you liked the recipe! 🙂
Thanks for the recipe Corrie!
That's a beautiful (stainless?) flatware pattern in the picture. What is the name of the pattern?
Thank you 🙂
Tasted good but pasta had crunchy spots, what did I do wrong? Instant Pot newbie.
Hmm, it could be because the pasta was slightly undercooked. Try adding a couple more minutes to the cook time next time. Also, make sure the pasta is completely submerged in the liquid for even cooking! Hope that helps!
Made it tonight. I think it needs some lemon juice and lemon zest. The alfredo sauce, what there was was good, but although very thin and not as much as I would have expected. Flavor-wise, it's very good and easy to make. I'd give it a 7.5. it's great for a mid-week meal, especially for children.
Going off from the recipe, I'd consider adding and using frozen broccoli or peas, in with the mix. I might even consider pre-cooked bacon bits, as well.
Thanks for your honest comment 🙂 Glad you like it eventually. I think bacon bits would be great.
Thank you for this recipe we had a great dinner.
The recipe was scrumptious thank you very much corrie!
Can I use any pasta like tagliatelle? Something more noodly?
Yes you can 🙂