When you think of cooking pasta, pressure cooking probably isn’t the first method that comes to mind, but this comforting Instant Pot chicken alfredo recipe cooks up like magic! With just a few basic ingredients, you can have a delicious one-pot meal on the table with minimal prep, and without hovering over the stove. Plus, you’ll love the thick, cheesy alfredo sauce in this recipe — no need for jarred sauce here!
A quick note about cooking the pasta: In an electric pressure cooker, pasta turns from perfectly al dente to mushy in a matter of moments. So, the timing really matters in this Instant Pot chicken fettuccine alfredo! Only naturally release the pressure for 10 minutes, and quick-release any remaining pressure to stop the cooking process. I’ll walk you through every step for a fool-proof creamy pasta dinner! For more pasta dinner recipes, try my chicken tetrazzini, easy chicken parmesan with spaghetti, or shrimp alfredo.
What You Need to Make this Recipe
Chicken — I use boneless skinless chicken breasts in this recipe, but boneless skinless chicken thighs work as well. Just don’t use frozen or bone-in chicken, as it will affect the cooking time, which will, in turn, affect the texture of the pasta. Chicken that has been frozen but thawed before cooking is totally fine!
Water — you can substitute some or all of the water with chicken broth if you like.
Garlic powder — garlic powder adds subtle flavor to the sauce. If you prefer fresh garlic, grate 4 cloves to replace the powder.
Pasta — I used fettuccine, but you can also use other long noodles like bucatini or linguine or a short shape like ziti, rotini, or penne pasta.
Cream — heavy cream creates a velvety sauce and the classic alfredo texture and flavor. If you don’t have heavy whipping cream, I give a substitution method below for using whole milk instead.
Butter — unsalted butter adds richness to the homemade alfredo sauce.
Cheese — parmesan cheese gives the sauce its signature flavor. Freshly grate your parmesan off a block, if possible! It will melt the smoothest into the sauce and has the best flavor.
Parsley — use fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley as a garnish for a pop of bright color.
How to Make Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
1. Season the chicken with salt and black pepper.
2. Set your Instant Pot to ‘Saute’ and add olive oil to the pot. Once the oil has heated up, add the chicken breasts and brown for about 3 minutes per side. Set the chicken aside for now.
3. Add water and deglaze the bottom of the pot. Press ‘Cancel’ and stir in the remaining salt and pepper and all the garlic powder.
4. Break the pasta in half and scatter it in crisscross patterns in the pot. Press down to submerge the pasta in the liquid.
5. Place the chicken on top of the pasta. Secure the lid and make sure the steam valve is in the Sealed position. Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, then allow a natural release of pressure for 10 minutes. Quick release any remaining pressure before removing the lid. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board to rest while you finish up the sauce.
6. While the chicken is resting, gently stir the pasta to separate any noodle clumps that may have formed. Pour in heavy cream and add butter and stir until the butter has melted.
7. Add parmesan cheese. Cover and let the pasta stand for 5 minutes on the ‘Keep Warm’ setting to allow it time to thicken.
8. Slice up the chicken breast and serve it over the pasta and sauce. For some color, garnish with chopped Italian parsley.
Why Make Chicken Alfredo In An Instant Pot?
One of the main draws for me is that it is a one-pot meal that needs very little effort. Since an Instant Pot does all of the work, there no need to stand and watch over boiling pasta or stir a bubbling cream sauce. While I love my stove-top version of classic chicken alfredo, this recipe is perfect for a hands-free, busy weeknight meal.
Can I Double The Recipe In One Instant Pot?
Yes, you can double the recipe and follow the instructions as written, as long as you have a larger Instant Pot (larger than 6 quarts) and don’t reach the maximum fill line. You should not overcrowd the Instant Pot, or the food will cook unevenly and risk burning on the bottom.
How Do You Keep The Noodles From Getting Too Soft?
Naturally release the pressure for only 10 minutes, no more. The pasta will continue to cook while the pressure is released. Once the 10 minutes are up, manually release any remaining pressure to halt the cooking process. This will give you perfectly cooked al dente fettuccine noodles that aren’t too soft.
Can I Use Frozen Chicken Breasts?
Yes, but you need to thaw them first. If you added the chicken into the pot frozen, the dish would have an overall longer cooking time and you would likely overcook the noodles. Thaw frozen chicken in the fridge overnight to ensure it’s thawed through completely before cooking.
How To Store
Once the Instant Pot alfredo chicken has cooled completely, transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Pro Tips for Making this Recipe
- To prevent pasta from sticking together, crisscrossing the noodles as you add them to the pot. They are less likely to clump together this way, and the water and heat can circulate through them more easily, allowing for more even cooking.
- Deglaze the pot. When you add the water to the pot, scrape any brown bits off the bottom left from browning the chicken so nothing is still stuck. Instant Pots have a “BURN FOOD” warning that can go off if any bits are stuck onto the bottom of the pot, so deglazing helps to prevent this from occurring.
- Don’t skip the natural pressure release. Naturally releasing pressure for 10 minutes gives the pasta time to soften and absorb the liquid. As previously mentioned, don’t do this for longer, as the pasta will overcook and become mushy.
- Grate the parmesan cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-grated kind, if possible, as it does not melt well.
- Let the sauce rest. The sauce will thicken as it rests during the last 5 minutes when the pot is covered. Your Instant Pot can be on the ‘Keep Warm’ setting while the sauce rests to keep the pasta hot.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but the sauce will be much thinner. I recommend starting with ½ cup of warm whole milk, and adding a little bit more as needed to create enough sauce to suit your taste. You may need up to 1 cup. If desired, you can add additional grated parmesan cheese to help thicken the sauce.
I like serving Instant Pot chicken alfredo pasta immediately, as that’s when it’s at its most saucy. As it sits in the pot or refrigerator, the pasta will absorb more and more of the sauce and will become a bit dry. If you have leftovers, revive them with a splash of milk or cream before you reheat.
While safe to freeze, this creamy pasta dish will lose some of its velvety sauce texture, and the pasta will become crumbly when it is thawed out. For this reason, I recommend finishing leftovers within 3 days and not freezing this dish.
My favorite side for this Instant Pot chicken alfredo pasta recipe is bread, particularly crusty artisan bread, French bread, or flavorful garlic bread. For a lighter side, try my French green beans or roasted Brussels sprouts.
If you love this recipe try these out!
If you’ve tried this Instant Pot chicken alfredo recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Equipment
- Instant Pot or pressure cooker
Ingredients
- 2 (8-ounce/225g) boneless skinless chicken breasts
- ¾ teaspoon salt divided
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper divided
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups water (480mL)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 8 ounces fettuccine noodles (227g)
- ½ cup heavy cream (120mL)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¾ cup grated parmesan cheese (60g)
- Chopped parsley for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Season the chicken breasts all over with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper.
- Select the ‘Saute’ function on the Instant Pot. Add the oil to the pot and let it heat up. Add the chicken breasts and cook until brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove chicken and set aside.
- Carefully add the water to the pot, and scrape any browned bits from the bottom with a spoon. Press ‘Cancel’ to turn off the pot.
- Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon pepper, and garlic powder. Break the noodles in half, or enough so that they lay down in the pot, and scatter them in crisscross patterns in the pot, pressing the noodles down to submerge them in the liquid. Place the browned chicken on top of the noodles.
- Secure the lid making sure the steam valve to sealed. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes. Manually or quick release the remaining pressure and remove the lid.
- Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest.
- Meanwhile, gently stir the noodles to separate any that are stuck together. Add the cream and butter, stirring until the butter melts. Gradually stir in the parmesan. Return the lid to the pot and let stand for 5 minutes to thicken the sauce.
- Slice the chicken and serve over noodles. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.
Notes
- To prevent pasta from sticking together, crisscrossing the noodles as you add them to the pot. They are less likely to clump together this way, and the water and heat can circulate through them more easily, allowing for more even cooking.
- Deglaze the pot. When you add the water to the pot, scrape any brown bits off the bottom left from browning the chicken so nothing is still stuck. Instant Pots have a “BURN FOOD” warning that can go off if any bits are stuck onto the bottom of the pot, so deglazing helps to prevent this from occurring.
- Don’t skip the natural pressure release. Naturally releasing pressure for 10 minutes gives the pasta time to soften and absorb the liquid. As previously mentioned, don’t do this for longer, as the pasta will overcook and become mushy.
- Grate the parmesan cheese at home. Don’t buy the pre-grated kind, if possible, as it does not melt well.
- Let the sauce rest. The sauce will thicken as it rests during the last 5 minutes when the pot is covered. Your Instant Pot can be on the ‘Keep Warm’ setting while the sauce rests to keep the pasta hot.
Buthaina says
This chicken alfredo turned out soo good we enjoyed it and felt like we were eating on a restaurant. So thank you for this wonderful recipe 🥰
Jennie says
I was looking to do something different with rotisserie chicken and this worked great! The one pot cooking was so quick and fun and I had all the ingredients on hand. For me the lemon zest made the dish so flavorful. I will definitely make this again and try it with fresh chicken. Thanks John, I’m hooked on your recipes.