This Instant Pot Chicken Pasta is a reader favorite! All the flavors of chicken parmesan are combined with pasta to make an easy instant pot dinner that is ready in 30 minutes. So so good!
If you are looking for more chicken pasta dishes, then try my chicken broccoli alfredo or the spicy chicken pasta recipe next!
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Instant pot chicken pasta
🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes
👪 Makes: 4 servings
🧑🍳 Main Ingredients: Penne pasta, marinara sauce, chicken thighs, cheeses, onion and garlic.
📌 Difficulty: Easy pressure cooker recipe
Why you’ll love this instant pot chicken pasta?
This was actually the very first instant pot recipe I ever shared on the blog, and readers loved it so much that it inspired me to create a whole collection of easy Instant Pot dinners. One bite and you'll see why!
It's the ultimate weeknight hero. Everything cooks together in one pot—the chicken, pasta, and sauce—so cleanup is minimal. I also use your favorite jarred marinara to keep things easy, while the pressure cooker infuses the pasta with all that rich tomato and chicken flavor as it cooks.
Think of it as everything you love about chicken parmesan, turned into a cozy, family-friendly pasta dinner. And, of course, it's finished with plenty of gooey, melted cheese, because what would chicken parm be without it?
- maria doss
5 Star Reviews
One redaer Jeri Lynn writes, "My family loves his recipe and we've probably had it a dozen times. Thank you for this recipe!" ★★★★★
Another reader Paula writes, "This is one of my families favorite meals. We probably cook it once or twice a month." ★★★★★
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why you’ll love this instant pot chicken pasta?
- 5 Star Reviews
- Can you cook raw chicken and pasta together in instant pot?
- What is the best pasta for instant pot
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to make instant pot chicken pasta?
- Tips for Success
- More instant pot pasta recipes
- Instant Pot Chicken Pasta
This instapot chicken pasta brings all the classic flavors of chicken parmesan into a quick, one-pot meal. With tender chicken, perfectly cooked pasta, and plenty of melty cheese, it's an easy and comforting dinner you'll want to make again and again.
Can you cook raw chicken and pasta together in instant pot?
Absolutely! Cooking raw chicken and pasta together in the Instant Pot is not only safe, but it's also one of the reasons this dish is so flavorful.
Unlike traditional pasta that's boiled in water and drained, the pasta here cooks right in the sauce. As it cooks, it absorbs all the flavor from the marinara, chicken, and seasonings, while the pasta releases starch that naturally thickens the sauce into a rich, velvety coating.
And yes, the chicken cooks completely. The high-pressure steam inside the instant pot quickly reaches temperatures that fully cook the chicken, leaving you with tender, juicy bites and a perfectly safe meal.
What is the best pasta for instant pot
Short, sturdy pasta shapes like penne are my favorite for Instant Pot pasta recipes. Their thick walls hold up beautifully under pressure, so they stay tender without falling apart. Other great choices are rigatoni, ziti, cavatappi, or farfalle. They also do a great job of catching all that delicious sauce in every bite.
I recommend avoiding delicate pastas like angel hair, which can overcook and turn mushy very quickly.
Can you use spaghetti? Yes—I use it in my instant pot spaghetti aglio e olio recipe, and it works well there. But for this chicken pasta, I prefer penne because it's easier to eat with chunks of chicken, and its shape holds up much better in the thick, cheesy marinara sauce.
Ingredients you'll need
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- Chicken – Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are my preferred cut because they stay juicy, tender, and flavorful under pressure cooking. Unlike chicken breasts, thighs are less prone to drying out, making them perfect for one-pot meals.
- Pasta – Use a sturdy, medium-sized pasta shape like penne, fusilli, farfalle, or rigatoni, which can hold up to pressure cooking without becoming mushy. b
- Marinara Sauce – Store-bought marinara is perfect for this instant pot chicken pasta recipe because it's already cooked down and has a rich, concentrated tomato flavor. It also makes this an easy weeknight dinner since there's no need to make a sauce from scratch. I love using Prego Tomato, Basil & Garlic because it's naturally sweet and well-seasoned, but any good-quality jarred marinara that you enjoy will work just as well.
- Cheeses – A combination of shredded mozzarella and parmesan cheese gives this pasta its signature cheesy chicken parm flavor.
- Olive Oil – A splash of olive oil not only adds authentic Italian flavor but also enhances the texture by coating the ingredients and adding richness to the final dish.
How to make instant pot chicken pasta?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
- Set the instant pot to saute mode. When hot, add olive oil.
- Saute chopped onion and minced garlic until it turns translucent.
- Press cancel, pour in water and marinara sauce.
- Add chicken, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper.
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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.
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 to combine.
Why the cheeese goes in after cooking in an instant pot?
The cheese goes in after the pasta is finished cooking because it doesn't actually need to cook—it just needs to melt. If you pressure cook cheese, the high heat can cause the proteins to tighten, leaving you with a grainy, clumpy, or stringy texture instead of a smooth, melted cheese.
Instead, sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan over the hot pasta, then simply close the lid (no need to seal it) for 2 to 3 minutes. The residual heat melts the cheese perfectly. Give everything a gentle stir before serving, and the melted cheese gets evenly distributed throughout the pasta, making every bite creamy, cheesy, and delicious.
Tips for Success
- Pasta swaps – While penne is a classic, any medium-sized pasta like fusilli, rigatoni, or farfalle works just as well. Choose shapes that hold sauce well and won’t overcook in the pressure cooker.
- Chicken options – You can substitute boneless, skinless chicken breasts for thighs if preferred. Just be mindful that breasts cook faster and can be slightly less tender than thighs.
- Salt to taste – The amount of salt needed will depend on your marinara sauce. I used Prego Tomato, Basil & Garlic and found that ¾ teaspoon of salt was just right.
- Don’t stir the pasta before cooking – Layer the pasta on top of the chicken and sauce without mixing. This helps prevent the dreaded “Burn” warning by keeping the pasta from sitting directly on the bottom of the pot.
- Give it a good stir before serving – Once the pressure is released and the cheese is added, stir everything well to melt the cheese evenly.
More instant pot pasta recipes
Instant Pot Chicken Pasta
Equipment
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)
Instructions
- Saute aromatics. 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 until translucent.
- Add everything else. Press cancel, then add the marinara sauce, water, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, and chicken. Stir to combine. Scatter the pasta over the top, then use the back of a spoon to gently press it into the sauce until it's mostly submerged.👉 Don't stir the pasta. Keeping it on top of the sauce helps prevent the Instant Pot from triggering the "Burn" warning. The sauce creates a protective layer between the bottom of the pot and the pasta, reducing the chance of it sticking or scorching.
- Pressure cook. 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.
- Finish. Carefully turn the valve to vent to release any remaining pressure, then open the Instant Pot. Sprinkle the mozzarella and Parmesan evenly over the top, close the lid (no need to seal), and let it sit for 3–5 minutes until the cheese is melted.Give everything a good stir before serving. This melts the cheese into the sauce, evenly distributes the chicken and pasta, and brings all the flavors together into one creamy, cheesy dish.
Notes
Nutrition
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.
Why the pasta seems watery at first in an instant pot?
Don't panic if the pasta looks a little watery when you first open the Instant Pot—that's completely normal! Since the pot is sealed during cooking, none of the liquid can evaporate like it does on the stovetop.
The fix is simple: let the pasta rest for 5–10 minutes with the lid off. During that time, the pasta continues to absorb the remaining liquid, while the starch naturally thickens the sauce. By the time it's ready to serve, you'll have a rich, silky sauce that coats every piece of pasta perfectly.
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Noah
Do you have a water to pasta ratio for long noodles, like vermicelli (thinner than Spaghetti, thicker than Angel Hair)?
Maria Doss
Hi Noah, Not yet! I'm working on various Instant pot recipes and spaghetti is one of them. But, as of now the answer is no. Sorry:)
Claudette
Great recipe. Was very delicious. No problem with the burn warning however I have made pasta recipes in my Instant Pot before and what I found was that mixing it will cause a burn. I add the ingredients in the layers stated in the recipes without mixing and I have never had the warning again. I hope this helps.
I came upon this recipe today and I will definitely try more of your instant pot recipes. Thank you
Kristy Frost
I am making this tonight, looks delicious!! Thank u for recipe!!
Maria Doss
Hope you liked it Kristy.
T Wells
I loved this and so did my husband! I had to use spiral noodles because that was all I had. I used a breast and a thigh. The Prego I used was Chunky garden tomato and leafy greens. I followed the recipe and steps to a T, and it came out fantastic! The chicken was tender too! Thanks for the great recipe! It will be in my file!
Maria Doss
Wahoo!! I’m so glad you loved it!
Jessica
Do you add cooked pasta or uncooked pasta?
Maria Doss
Uncooked!!!
Kylie Frandsen
5 stars!! My family loved it! Even my 23 month old ate multiple helpings of this. This is so quick and easy and I loved that it didn’t make my house super hot during these toasty summer days! I doubled the recipe with all the same cooking times except I cooked the chicken during the sauté stage a little bit longer but it still worked out perfectly! This will definitely be added to the go to list for my family! Thank you for sharing!
Lasha
Hi, what setting am I using when pressure cooking it for 7 minutes... soup?
Maria Doss
Normal setting. Hope it helps:)
Bonnie
Not a cook but this recipe made me look like a four star cook with my inlaws !
Natalie
My first time cooking in an InstantPot! My family and I loved this pasta. Very delicious and easy to follow.
Francesco
Excellent quick recipe and it tastes awesome 👏🤤.
Julie LaCroix
Just finished having this for dinner!! I have 3 VERY picky eaters and all 4 of us LOVED this! It has definitely made the rotation of meals for us!! Thanks for the yummy and super easy recipe! Can't wait to try some of your other recipes!!
Stacy Dodge
I just got my new instant pot a few days ago and this is my second recipe in it and it was DELICIOUS! I never cook and purchased an Instant Pot to encourage myself to cook and this recipe did it! My kids liked it and my son does not like spaghetti but he liked this! Thank you!
Bonnie
Not a cook but this recipe made me look like a four star cook with my inlaws !
Jennifer Jacobs
This turned out great!
Lynne Brett
I have made this recipe too many times to count since buying my instant pot over a year ago. My husband and I love it and it’s super easy too! Thanks for posting.
Ericka
What would I change to use elbow macaroni? Thanks!
Maria Doss
Hi Ericka, Since elbow macaroni is considerably smaller in shape when compared to penne pasta, I'd suggest reducing the cooking time to 5 minutes (instead of 7) and warm mode for 3 (instead of 4).
Hope it helps:)
Ericka
Thank you!
hannah
I would like to use 12 oz pasta. Should I use 1.5 cups of water?
Maria Doss
Hi Hannah,
Yes for 12 ounce pasta - you would use 1 and 1/2 cups water + 2 cups of marinara sauce (However, if you like al dente pasta then you could try using only 1 and 1/4 cups water)
Hope it helps:)
Maria Doss
I would like to add another note - Do not change the cooking time. The instant pot will automatically take additional time in coming to pressure.
Nataly
Burned - twice. Had to finish it on the stove.
Maria Doss
So sorry that this recipe didn't work for you. What size instant pot did you use?
Rum
Do u keep the "keep warm" feature on from the start or only turn it on after the 7 minutes are up?
Maria Doss
Hi Rum, I'm sorry that I don't understand your question. My instant pot's "keep warm" turns on automatically when it is in cooking mode and then goes to warm mode when cooking time is done.
May be we are dealing with a different model here. May I know your model? We could find some info online.
Jeri Lynn
we've made this about a 15 times, and i've gotten the burn notice probably a dozn of those times (even when i cook the chicken separately or add in tons of extra liquit). BUT, my kids love it, so we keep going. it usually cooks for a few minutes, then i get burn. scrape, cook again, burn again--but then it's done, lol! so, even tho we get the burn, it still ends up cooking perfectly! and we love it. so, burn or not, we'll keep at it:). thank you!!
Maria Doss
Hi Jeri, Appreciate your honest feedback. We are working on making necessary changes to the recipe, so that it works in all size Instant pots . Thanks again 🙂
Stacy
I used my Ninja Foodi and it turned out perfect. My family thought it was fantastic! I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow.
Maria Doss
Glad you loved it Stacy 🙂
Brooklynn Stevens
Mine unfortunately came out watery, I followed the recipe exact
🙁
Sam
Do you know the nutritional facts for this recipe?
Maria Doss
Hi Sam, I'm sorry to say that we do not have nutrition information for this recipe. We started adding nutrition information recently, our apologies again, Maria
jeri lynn resnick-albala
I don't think it would be that hard to add up the different components. especially if you use some kind of recipe builder like the myfitness pal app or something. good luck!