Instant Pot Creamy Chicken Pasta

This Instant Pot creamy chicken pasta is light, delicious and super easy to make even on the busiest of weeknights. It has tender pieces of chicken and a flavorful sauce made with light cream cheese, and it only takes 30 minutes to make.

Cooking pasta in the Instant Pot might seem like an odd choice for someone who loves pasta dishes so much and cooks them traditionally most of the time.

However, there are days when I simply want to be done with cooking dinner quickly but still want it to have pasta in it 🙂

Enter this Instant Pot creamy chicken pasta. I love it because it’s light and quick to make in the Instant Pot without having to cook the pasta separately.

It all goes in the Instant Pot and that’s it. Perfectly cooked pasta in a flavorful, cheesy yet light sauce in just 25 minutes!

Why you’ll love this Instant Pot creamy chicken pasta

• It’s deliciously creamy and cheesy without being too heavy — the perfect guilt-free comfort food.
• You can easily make it your own by adding extra veggies.
• It’s ready in just 25 minutes from start to finish!

What goes into this chicken pasta

Oil — Use a splash of olive oil to saute the chicken and shallot. You can also add a knob of butter at this step for extra creaminess.

Chicken — I use lean boneless, skinless chicken breast in this pasta dish. Cut into equal pieces, so it cooks evenly.

Shallot — Freshly chopped shallot adds extra flavor to the pasta. You can substitute it with yellow onion.

Italian seasoning — Half a tablespoon of Italian seasoning infuses loads of flavor into this pasta dish.

Garlic powder — I find that garlic powder makes this particular sauce more “garlicky” than fresh minced garlic, but you can use either.

Red chili flakes — Only add some red chili flakes if you want the pasta to have a bit of a kick.

Pasta — I used penne, but you can swap it for any other type of short pasta, like fusilli or rigatoni.

Chicken stock — It’s best to use low-sodium chicken stock and adjust the seasoning at the end to make sure the sauce is not too salty.

Cream cheese — Light cream cheese makes the sauce creamy while keeping things light.

Baby spinach — Some fresh baby spinach adds brightness to the pasta.

Half and half (single cream)— You can use heavy cream (double cream) for a creamier sauce.

Parmesan — Freshly grated Parmesan adds lots of flavor and thickens the sauce. Feel free to add more if you like!

How to make creamy chicken pasta in the Instant Pot

Set the Instant Pot to “Sauté” and add the olive oil. When the oil becomes hot, add the chicken, season with a pinch of salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until slightly golden.

Add the shallot and continue to cook for another minute, then stir in the Italian seasoning, garlic powder and red chili flakes.

Next, add the pasta and chicken broth and stir to combine.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, turn the valve to “Sealing,” and set it to “High Pressure” for 5 minutes. When the time is up, perform a quick release.

Stir in the cream cheese until it melts completely, then add the baby spinach and place the lid back for a minute to allow it to wilt. Don’t worry if the sauce looks a bit watery, it will thicken as it cools down.

Stir in the half and half and grated Parmesan, then season to taste and serve immediately.

Leftovers and storage

• Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days in an airtight container.
• Reheat the pasta in the microwave or on the stovetop. You may need to add a splash of milk or chicken broth if it looks too thick.
• I don’t recommend freezing this pasta.

Recipe notes and tips

• The sauce will look a bit watery in the beginning, but it will thicken as it cools down.
• You can make this creamy chicken pasta your own by adding frozen peas, sundried tomatoes or zucchini.
• Serve the pasta topped with some extra freshly grated Parmesan.

If you liked this Instant Pot creamy chicken pasta recipe, you might also like some of my other easy Instant Pot recipes:

• Instant Pot Beef Barley Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Taco Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Soup
• Instant Pot Leftover Ham and Lentil Soup
• Instant Pot Chicken Curry

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