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    Home » Recipes » Instant Pot

    Instant Pot Chicken Pasta

    Published: Jul 21, 2023 · Modified: Oct 16, 2024 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 140 Comments

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    This Instant Pot Chicken Pasta is a reader favorite! All the flavors of chicken parmesan are combined with pasta, to make the easiest instant pot meal, that is ready in under 30 minutes. So so good!

    Jump to Recipe
    an instant pot filled with cooked pasta topped with cheese and basil.

    Breaded and fried chicken cutlets, smothered with a marinara sauce and then topped with a layer of gooey melted cheese, like the air fryer chicken parmesan is comfort food at its finest!

    In this instant pot chicken pasta,I take all those flavors, and effortlessly toss in some pasta and cook in an instant pot for an easy one-pot dish.

    Jump to:
    • Why this recipe works?
    • Ingredients
    • How to make?
    • How to serve?
    • Helpful tips
    • More pasta recipes
    • Instant Pot Chicken Pasta

    Why this recipe works?

    Pasta water consists of starch granules, which thicken the sauce and acts as an emulsifier, resulting in a creamy consistency, that is much more efficient in coating the pasta, making the instant pot chicken pasta much tastier.

    I add flavor to the store-bought marinara sauce with sauteed onion and garlic, and then cooking with the chicken, results in the pasta soaking up all those delicious flavors.

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    ingredients needed for the recipe.
    • Chicken - I like to use boneless, skinless thighs. They cook tender and succulent in the pressure cooker.
    • Pasta - Any medium size pasta, like penne, fussili, farfalle or rigatoni, will work.
    • Marinara sauce - My go to choice is Prego, tomato basil and garlic for it's sweet flavor.
    • Cheeses - Shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese are a classic when it comes to chicken parm.
    • Olive oil - Adds authentic flavor and luxurious moisture to the instant pot chicken pasta.

    How to make?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    2 photo collage of an instant pot with oil and aromatics cooking.
    2 photo collage of an instant pot with chicken and red marinara sauce.
    1. Set the instant pot to saute mode. When hot, add olive oil.
    2. Saute chopped onion and minced garlic until it turns translucent.
    3. Press cancel, pour in water and marinara sauce.
    4. Add chicken, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.

    Tip: I find ¾ teaspoon salt to be perfect, for this instant pot chicken pasta recipe. However, feel free to adjust based on the type of marinara sauce used.

    2 photo collage of stirring chicken and red sauce in an instant pot.
    2 photo collage of an instant pot with raw pasta and red sauce.

    5 & 6. Stir all ingredients together, until well combined.

    7 & 8. Add the pasta on top and gently press it into the sauce, using the back of a spoon, making sure that they are mostly immersed into the sauce.

    Pro tip: Don't stir the pasta! Placing the pasta on top of the sauce will help prevent triggering the "Burn" warning. The sauce acts as a protective layer between the bottom of the pot and the pasta, reducing the risk of scorching.

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    2 photo collage of pasta and sauce cooking in an instant pot.
    2 photo collage of an instant pot with cooked red pasta and topped with cheese.

    9 & 10. Close instant pot and cook for 5 minutes on manual mode and then let it be in warm mode for 4 minutes.

    11 & 12. Turn valve to vent and release all remaining pressure, open instant pot and sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top. Close with the lid for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the cheeses to melt. Stir instant pot chicken pasta to combine.

    Pro tip: Give a good stir before serving! This allows the cheese to combine with the pasta, redistribute all ingredients, and bring the flavors together.

    How to serve?

    Cheesy pasta recipes are best served hot straight from the pressure cooker. I like to serve the instant pot chicken pasta with a slice of crusty bread and roasted veggies.

    an instant pot filled with cooked pasta topped with cheese and basil.

    Helpful tips

    • Use any medium sized pasta instead of penne.
    • Use boneless breasts instead of thighs.
    • Adjust salt based on your taste and the type of marinara sauce used. I used Prego, tomato, basil and garlic and found ¾ teaspoon to be perfect in the instant pot chicken pasta.
    an instant pot filled with cooked pasta topped with cheese and basil.

    More pasta recipes

    • baked pasta chicken broccoli in a grey dish.
      Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Pasta Bake
    • instant pot gluten free pasta shakshuka
      Instant Pot Gluten free Pasta Shakshuka
    • leftover pasta idea
      Leftover Pasta Pizza
    • cooked pesto penne pasta along with a black fork in a large blue bowl.
      Instant Pot Pesto Pasta
    a black fork with a bite of chicken and cooked penne pasta on top of an instant pot.

    Instant Pot Chicken Pasta

    This Instant Pot Chicken Pasta is a reader favorite! All the flavors of chicken parmesan are combined with pasta, to make the easiest instant pot meal, that is ready in under 30 minutes. So so good!
    3.9 from 428 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: Italian
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 13 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 23 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4 Servings
    Calories: 427kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    • 2 tablespoons olive oil
    • ½ cup chopped onion
    • 2 garlic cloves, minced
    • 1 and ¼ cups marinara sauce I used Prego, tomato, basil and garlic
    • ¾ cup water
    • ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
    • ½ to ¾ teaspooon salt, refer notes I used ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 2-3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite sized chunks
    • 8 ounces penne pasta
    • ½ cup grated mozzarella cheese
    • 3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
    • chopped parsley or basil, to garnish (optional)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Set Instant pot to saute setting. When hot, add olive oil and then chopped onion and garlic. Cook, stirring frequently for 1 to 2 minutes, or translucent.
    • Press cancel and then add marinara sauce, water, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and chicken.Stir well to combine.
    • Add the pasta on top and gently press it into the sauce, using the back of a spoon, making sure that they are mostly immersed into the sauce.
      Pro tip: Don't stir the pasta! Placing the pasta on top of the sauce will help prevent triggering the "Burn" warning. The sauce acts as a protective layer between the bottom of the pot and the pasta, reducing the risk of scorching.
    • Close instant pot, making sure that the valve is set to sealing, and cook for 5 minutes on manual mode and then let it be in warm mode for 4 minutes.
    • Turn valve to vent and release all remaining pressure, open instant pot and sprinkle the mozzarella and parmesan on top. Close with the lid for 3 to 5 minutes, allowing the cheeses to melt. Stir to combine.
      Pro tip: Give a good stir before serving! This allows the cheese to combine with the pasta, redistribute all ingredients, and bring the flavors together.

    Notes

    Use any medium sized pasta instead of penne.
    Use boneless breasts instead of thighs.
    Adjust salt based on your taste and the type of marinara sauce used. I used Prego, tomato, basil and garlic and found ¾ teaspoon to be perfect.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 Serving | Calories: 427kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 68mg | Sodium: 622mg | Potassium: 550mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 478IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 145mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

    Did you make this recipe? I’d love your feedback! Please let me know by leaving a comment, a star rating or review below.

    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

    Some of the links above are affiliate links, which pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Thank you for supporting kitchenathoskins.com.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. jeri lynn resnick-albala

      December 28, 2020 at 12:39 am

      5 stars
      my family loves his recipe and we've probably had it a dozen times. however we haven't eaten it for a couple months and I can't recall if I need to change the pasta sauce, water, or cooking time if I am using gluten free pasta (bionaturae fusilli, in this case). can you please help me with this? thank you so much. and thank you for this recipe!

      Reply
      • Paula

        December 18, 2024 at 11:25 pm

        5 stars
        This is one of my families favorite meals. We probably cook it once or twice a month.

        Reply
        • Maria Doss

          December 18, 2024 at 11:35 pm

          That’s so great to hear! Wishing you a very happy holidays - Maria ♡

          Reply
    2. Kathleen Hansen

      December 29, 2020 at 11:27 pm

      5 stars
      I made this tonight. Doubled meat, sauce and cheeses and spices. I like to have enough for another meal. It was delicious and they hope I make it again. I didn't have enough mozzarella and used what I have plus shredded Mexican cheese mix. It was very easy and a pleasure to make. I'm looking at your other recipes.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 30, 2020 at 1:53 am

        Hi Kathleen, That sounds wonderful, glad you liked it! Happy Holidays:)

        Reply
        • Kathleen Hansen

          January 01, 2021 at 3:58 am

          5 stars
          I passed the recipe on to someone else. We heated it up tonight and they loved it. It's great as a leftover too. 5 stars.

          Reply
    3. Tracy

      January 29, 2021 at 1:29 am

      5 stars
      Found this recipe and made it tonight. Was a big hit and super easy to make.. easy to follow directions.

      Reply
    4. Diane

      February 04, 2021 at 9:12 pm

      I would like to try this recipe; however, I’m a little confused about a certain step. In step 3, it says to stir in the pasta but in the print recipe it says do not stir the pasta in with the other ingredients. Which is correct?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        February 05, 2021 at 12:25 am

        Hi Dianne, Please follow the print recipe!
        The original recipe was to stir pasta in with all other ingredients and some readers found that it resulted in the BURN notice. So, we changed the recipe accordingly, where the liquid is added and then pasta in placed on top without stirring.
        We have missed to make the necessary changes in the blog post. Thanks for bringing it to our attention and so sorry for the confusion.
        Maria

        Reply
        • Diane

          February 09, 2021 at 7:43 pm

          Thank you for the clarification! 🙂

          Reply
    5. christine harris

      March 07, 2021 at 9:07 pm

      is this recipe made in a 6qt insta pot

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 08, 2021 at 1:48 am

        Hi Christina, This recipe has been tested in 3 quart and 8 quart instant pots. Maria

        Reply
    6. Bob

      March 28, 2021 at 5:35 am

      5 stars
      My kids and I really enjoyed this, thank you. I might try this with Italian Sausage next time, although the chicken thighs were delicious.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 29, 2021 at 2:25 pm

        Glad you loved it:)

        Reply
    7. Sarah

      April 01, 2021 at 11:17 pm

      5 stars
      This was super easy and sooooo good!!
      Question, can I freeze the left overs? How would you recommend I reheat if I freeze?

      Reply
    8. Lesley

      July 21, 2021 at 8:19 am

      Has anyone tried this recipe and left it on warm for an hour or so? I want to cook something for some friends for when they get back from holiday and not sure if this would keep warm ok or if it would go a bit stodgy. Any experience of this?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        July 22, 2021 at 2:22 pm

        Hi Lesley, If instant pot pasta is left on warm mode for an extended period of time, then it might tend to get more brown at bottom. So, we recommend not doing so! Maria

        Reply
    9. Jackie

      August 10, 2021 at 10:02 pm

      Do you cook the pasta before hand or does it cook while in the instantpot?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        August 11, 2021 at 12:57 am

        Hi Jackie, The pasta is added UNCOOKED in the recipe, Maria

        Reply
    10. Christina

      August 15, 2021 at 9:52 pm

      4 stars
      Turned out delicious and I would definitely make it again! Next time though, I would probably double the batch because 3 servings wasn't that much for meal prep. I would also add more liquid to the pot because some of the noodles tasted a bit undercooked. But the ones that weren't undercooked tasted fabulous.

      Reply
    11. Emily

      October 21, 2021 at 3:43 pm

      Anyone try this with Gluten Free Pasta?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 22, 2021 at 12:15 am

        Hi Emily, This recipe is not tested for gluten free pasta and we do not have any readers try it as well - Maria

        Reply
    12. Marisa S.

      January 11, 2022 at 11:51 pm

      5 stars
      I have cooked this multiple times for quite a while, it is beyond delicious & easy, one of my go to meals in the insta pot. Made exactly as directed, always comes out perfect. 10/10 recommend. Family loves it!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 12, 2022 at 2:01 am

        Hi Marisa, that sounds wonderful! Wishing you a very happy new year, Maria

        Reply
    13. This recipe inspired me to use my Insta pot after having not touched it for two years. I am so glad I did! It was delicious.

      February 18, 2022 at 3:47 am

      5 stars
      This recipe inspired me to use my Insta pot after having not touched it for two years. I am so glad I did! It was delicious.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        February 18, 2022 at 5:16 am

        That sounds wonderful, Maria

        Reply
    14. Jaime

      March 30, 2022 at 7:46 pm

      Can I double the recipe?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        March 30, 2022 at 11:19 pm

        Hi Jamie, You could double the recipe if using a large instant pot (like 8-quart) otherwise, we would suggest not to! The pasta has a tendency to get overcooked and become too soft if using a smaller instant pot, Maria

        Reply
    15. Marta

      October 18, 2022 at 9:16 pm

      5 stars
      Our favourite go to! My entire family loves this recipe. I make it every few weeks. I add about 8-9 chicken thighs (chunks), and a whole box of pasta. First few times I did it I burned it because I didn’t read the directions correctly and stirred. DO NOT STIR IN THE PASTA. Now I just gently press in the pasta into the liquid as you state and I personally put it on for 12 mins as I’m always suspicious of such low cooking times and it always comes out perfectly. We love this dish! Thank you for sharing.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 21, 2022 at 12:29 am

        Glad to hear, have a great day hun – Maria

        Reply
    16. Linda

      October 03, 2023 at 4:02 pm

      5 stars
      Soooo easy and delicious! Where was this Instant Pot when I was a working Mom? Delicious and easy recipe, will bevome one of my favourites for sure! Thanks!😊

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        October 05, 2023 at 5:28 am

        That’s so great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it hun – Maria ♡

        Reply
    17. Angela

      December 31, 2023 at 3:09 am

      5 stars
      This was EXCELLENT according to my family! I unfortunately can not eat it due to a tomato allergy but the went back for seconds. Didn't have penne so used cavatappi. Used a spaghetti seasoning and an Italian blend cheese. Definitely a keeper!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 09, 2024 at 2:31 am

        That’s so great to hear! So glad your family love it – Maria ♡

        Reply
    18. Zeytinburnu Nakliye

      January 02, 2024 at 10:47 am

      5 stars
      It's a shame you don't have a donate button! I'd without a doubt donate to this superb blog!
      I suppose for now i'll settle for book-marking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
      I look forward to fresh updates and will talk about this site with my Facebook group.

      Chat soon!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        January 09, 2024 at 2:30 am

        That’s so great to hear – Maria ♡

        Reply
    19. Sammy

      July 19, 2024 at 12:13 am

      5 stars
      This is the best instant pot pasta recipe I've tried so far!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        July 21, 2024 at 1:34 am

        That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡

        Reply
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