Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo penne pasta made from scratch in the pressure cooker is a delicious easy dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes!
Let me say right now that this pressure cooker chicken Alfredo is not a diet recipe. But it's definitely one of those easy Instant Pot recipes that's simple, delicious and very kid friendly. Best of all, it only takes about 30 minutes to make!
The Hubs adores fettuccine Alfredo. It's his favorite meal, and even though I prefer pasta with tomato sauce, I make homemade chicken fettuccine Alfredo for his birthday every year. I'm nice like that!
It's really a super simple recipe, but because it's also rich, we usually save Alfredo for special occasions -- like birthdays! Since I've been converting a lot of my recipes to pressure cooker recipes, I decided to make chicken Alfredo in the Instant Pot. You guys, this one's a keeper!
How to make chicken Alfredo pasta in the Instant Pot
Traditional fettuccine Alfredo is heavy on the butter, and so is this Instant Pot version. You really need it to make the sauce rich and creamy. So even though you may be tempted to use jar sauce or cream cheese, you really don't need it!
Just cut up the chicken, and cook it for about 5 minutes on the Saute setting -- just until it's no longer pink. Then, season it, and add pasta, water and butter.
Pressure cook the pasta for 4 minutes, then do a gradual quick release. This recipe tends to spurt out all over the place, so unless it doesn't bother you, stick with a controlled release.
On a side note, I only seem to have a problem with pasta water making a mess when I use my 6-quart Instant Pot. When I use the 8 quart, it's fine.
Next, add some heavy cream, more butter, Parm and a little bit of nutmeg. The sauce looks thin at first, but it firms up in no time. You can even go back to Saute mode and reduce the sauce for a few minutes if you want.
Personally, I like to add heavy cream in the Instant Pot at the end, after pressure cooking. I just think it works better this way.
The sauce thickens as it rests, and by the time you eat it, you get an incredibly rich and creamy Instant Pot chicken Alfredo pasta.
Check out more Instant Pot chicken and pasta recipes
- Instant Pot creamy chicken pasta
- Instant Pot creamy enchilada chicken pasta
- Instant Pot chicken bacon ranch pasta
Recipe for Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cubed -- about 2 medium or 3 small
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 16-ounce box penne pasta -- uncooked
- 8 tablespoons butter, divided -- 1 stick
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Press SAUTE button, and when it reads Hot, add the olive oil, then the chicken. and cook until no longer pink, stirring frequently
- Add sea salt, garlic powder and pepper, and stir, making sure no chicken bits are stuck to bottom. then hit Cancel
- Add penne pasta over chicken, then pour water over and around the sides of the pasta. Top with 4 tablespoons of butter
- Cover, turn valve to Sealing position, and hit PRESSURE COOK for 4 minutes
- When pot beeps, do a gradual quick release to minimize liquid spurting out of valve. When pin drops, remove lid, and stir
- Stir in remaining 4 tablespoons butter, heavy cream and nutmeg. Mixture will be thin, but will thicken up as sauce cools. You can hit SAUTE for about 5 minutes to help sauce reduce if you want.
- Gradually stir in grated Parm, and add more, if desired. Taste, and add more salt, if desired. Serve with more Parm and fresh parsley, if desired. Sauce will continue to thicken as it stands
Video
Notes
Nutrition
I hope you enjoy this easy Instant Pot chicken alfredo pasta as much as we do!
Amanda G says
This is amazing! The only mods I do are I use chicken broth, add bacon pieces, Cajun season, and garlic! The proportions of good recipe are spot on, (so You can make any modifications and it’ll be perfect)!! I’ve never had so many compliments on a dish! This is one of those dishes everyone wants you to bring to every party!
Dee says
Thank you so much, Amanda. Happy you like it!
Peter says
If I make a double batch, how long should I cook it?
Dee says
The cook time remains the same -- just double the ingredients.
Danielle says
It was very yummy and super easy. I love recipes that involve limited ingredients, but full of flavor and this is one! I made it with whole grain pasta, and if it make this recipe again I definitely will not use whole grain.
Dee says
So glad you liked it, and thanks for reviewing! I've heard whole grain pasta can be tricky in the IP.
Kelly says
Going to try this right now, but I need a little broccoli to offset the heaviness of the butter. At what point should I add it? (Using frozen florets)
Dee says
You can add broccoli at the very end after pressure cooking. Just stir it in before serving.
Georgia Martin says
Don't have a pressure button on my pot. Have
Steam or manual. Which one should I use.
Dee says
You would use manual.
sammy says
it's amazing I love it and so does everyone else I just personally think that it needs a good bit more salt than in the recipe
Dee says
So glad you liked it, Sammy. You can always add more salt to suit your tastes.
Nina says
I have a 3 quart..will this fit in it?? I really wish I had gotten a bigger one!!
Dee says
I'm not familiar with the 3 quart -- so sorry. Usually, if the contents don't go above the fill line, it's okay. You could probably try cutting the recipe in half. As for the 6 quart, you can usually find good deals around Black Friday and keep the 3 quart for sides. 🙂
Trish says
Loved it. I used low sodium organic chicken broth instead of water and used bag Italian cheeses blend with a touch of extra Parmesan. The chicken was so tender
Dee says
So glad you liked the chicken Alfredo, Trish! Thanks so much!
Tonya4811 says
This recipe was so yummy! My family loves it,
Dee says
Thank you so much, Tonya! So glad you like it!
Sarah says
I love this recipes and so dose my family. I make it as is, it some times I add some bacon and a couple hand fulls of fresh spinach to the pot with everything else before cooking.
Dee says
That's wonderful, Sarah! Thanks so much, and I love the idea of adding bacon!
coco says
I have made this several times and each time it is a hit. It is very easy to make and delicious! A family favorite. Thanks for sharing!
Dee says
Thank you for taking the time to comment! So happy you like it!
Shannon says
I made this last night and it was amazing! The only thing I changed was I used Chicken Better than Bouillon instead of water. Great flavors!
Dee says
That probably tasted even better! Thanks, Shannon.
Amy says
Only suggestion is a bit more garlic, some organo & mozzarella cheese. I also substituted the water for chicken broth to add flavor.
Dee says
I was making more of a traditional style, but I love the flavors you used. 🙂
Susan says
I like the way this recipe reads and I'm adding it to my rotation. However I have one question: what is a gradual quick release? I've heard of quick release, and I've heard of natural release.
Thanks!
Dee says
A gradual quick release just means that you move the valve to venting slowly instead of all at once. It helps minimize the liquid spraying all over if you do quick release. 🙂
Luann says
Very Tasty & Easy to make!!!
Dee says
Thanks, Luann! I'm so glad you liked it! 🙂
Katie Palsha says
Can't wait to try this! I'd like to use boneless skinless thighs, should I leave the cook time as is or add a few minutes?
Dee says
If you're cooking the meat on saute first, it should be the same amount of time. 🙂
Ricardo Carvalho says
This recipe came out as good as it was easy to make, I followed it to the t and it was a hit, definitely recommend it.
Dee says
That's awesome news, Ricardo! Thank you so much! 🙂
Dave says
I made this yesterday. The only problem I had was the size of my family, 10 people. I had made it before for four and had plenty of left overs. So, I just doubled the whole recipe and followed prep and cooking instructions as written. Leftovers equaled two small containers. I think that’s called success!!! Thanks for the recipe. Awesome results. I have a 8 quart Duo.
Dee says
Sounds like my family! Thanks so much, Dave -- so glad you liked it! 🙂
Heather Joffrion says
This was a huge hit with my family tonight! Thanks for the great and easy recipe! I usually have a skillet from the chicken, the pot from the pasta and a saucepan from the sauce all to clean but this!! One pot and it was delicious!! Thank you! We will be making this again!
Dee says
One pot dinners are the best! So glad you liked this, Heather -- Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
Amy Goodrich says
This recipe is so delicious! Second time I have made it, but my issue is that my Instant Pot hates me. I have yet to make ANYthing in there that I don't get the *burn* notice. Ugh. The heavy cream both times fell apart and was watery, but a simple roux of butter and flour saved the dish and the dish is delish. I am the problem with my problem! LOL!
Dee says
I can imagine how frustrating that is. The Alfredo sauce thickens as it stands -- I've never needed to add a roux to it.