Instant Pot Chicken Alfredo (Printable View)
Tender chicken and fettuccine in a rich parmesan garlic cream sauce, made effortlessly in the Instant Pot.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (approximately 14 oz), cut into bite-size pieces
→ Pasta
02 - 12 oz fettuccine or linguine, broken in half
→ Dairy
03 - 1 cup heavy cream
04 - 3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
05 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
→ Liquids and Aromatics
06 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
07 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
→ Seasonings
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - 1/2 tsp black pepper
10 - 1/2 tsp dried Italian seasoning (optional)
→ Garnish
11 - Fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
12 - Extra parmesan cheese (optional)
# How-To Steps:
01 - Set the Instant Pot to 'Sauté' mode. Melt the butter, then add the chicken pieces. Sauté for 2–3 minutes until just starting to turn golden (do not fully cook). Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
02 - Cancel 'Sauté' mode. Pour in chicken broth, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
03 - Layer the pasta over the chicken. Press lightly so the pasta is slightly submerged but do not stir.
04 - Seal the Instant Pot. Cook on 'Manual' or 'Pressure Cook' (high pressure) for 6 minutes.
05 - Carefully quick release the pressure. Open the lid, add the heavy cream and parmesan. Stir vigorously for 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and the pasta is fully coated and creamy.
06 - Adjust seasoning if needed. Serve immediately, garnished with chopped parsley and extra parmesan if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pasta cooks directly in the sauce, absorbing all that savory chicken flavor while staying perfectly tender
- Six minutes under pressure does what would take thirty minutes of simmering, without anyone standing over a hot stove
02 -
- Resist the urge to stir before pressure cooking—layering pasta prevents the burn error and ensures even cooking
- The sauce will look thin immediately after releasing pressure but thickens beautifully as you stir in the cream and cheese
03 -
- Room temperature cream incorporates more smoothly than cold cream straight from the fridge
- Stir vigorously after adding the cream and cheese—the motion helps emulsify everything into silky perfection