Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta has all yum factor of regular chicken parm, but this version is only one pot and 4 minute pressure time!
You know I am a girl that loves her veggies, but sometimes a girl just wants some Instant Pot Chicken Parm pasta for dinner.
I know you guys feel me on this. You have made my Instant Pot Lazy Lasagna oh so popular so I know you want this recipe too.
I know that some of you have struggled with pasta in the instant pot and with tomato sauces.
But, have no fear. I have a trick or two for you.
I have no actual evidence from Instant Pot to validate this, but for whatever reason, my personal feelings are that the 8 quart models are either hotter, or more sensitive or something because when I try and troubleshoot with readers on these kinds of recipes, it is more often than not, the 8 quart models.
But Instant Pot size aside, here is how you can avoid the dreaded burn notice.
First of all, don’t saute the chicken. Trust me. You can put your raw chicken in with your noodles. As long as you cut your chicken small. You don’t want cooked noodles and raw chicken. This part is important. SMALL CHICKEN PIECES.
Pour the water in first, and then put the chicken in.
Like this!
Then put the noodles on top. THEN the sauce.
This way, the tomato sauce has less of a chance to burn to the bottom.
I do spread out the sauce so the noodles are all covered. I even push the pasta down just a bit so no dry pasta is sticking up.
Now, I also want to show you what this looks like when you have released the pressure and opened the lid.
You will open the lid and be mad that you have Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta… soup.
You don’t. have soup. Promise.
Once you mix it up and let it cool a bit, it will all come together. Plus then you add cheese and you can now relax because this is what you get!
Trust me now?!
Now, yes you can swap out the penne if you like. Simply take the cook time on the package and half it. That is what you set the cook time to. Most pastas are cooked in the Instant Pot in 4 minutes.
I have no idea how gluten free noodles fair for this. If you try it, please let us know in the comments below how it went!
One last thing. Well, you know me, and how I love veggies.
Well, I turn my Instant Pot Chicken Parm pasta this into a meal prep – obviously.
I steam broccoli and add it to my meal prep and then it is just a simple reheat.
You know I want to see you make this! Tag me @mealplanaddict on Instagram so I can see!
Instant Pot Chicken Parm Pasta
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite size pieces.
- 1 cup water
- 1/2 cup diced onion
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 oz penne noodles
- 3 cups jar pasta sauce
- 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh basil for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Add the water to your instant pot liner.
- Add the chicken, onion and garlic.
- Add the noodles ontop of the chicken.
- Add the sauce on top of the noodles. You want to do this so the sauce is away from the bottom surface to prevent the burn notice.
- DO NOT MIX, but you do want the noodles all covered with sauce. Gently push the noodles down so there is no dry noodle sticking out.
- Secure the lid and set to sealing.
- Set the Instant Pot to 4 minutes.
- After the time is up, carefully quick release the pressure.
- Remove the lid. It will look soupy until you mix it and it cools a bit.
- Add the Parmesan cheese and stir.
- Add the mozzarella and place the lid back on for 2-3 minutes to get the cheese to melt. Or, you can just stir it right it. Your choice.
- Add salt and pepper to your preferences.
- Serve immediately, or portion into meal prep containers and store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Notes
- This recipe has not been tested in an 8 quart Instant Pot
- You can swap the noodles for a noodles of choice.
- The layering order of this recipe is important, as is the no mixing before the pressure cook cycle!
Making this tonight for meal prep lunches this week! I can’t wait. I’ll post a picture and tag you when done! This looks delicious.
whooo hooo! hope you like it!
Thanks it was easy and delish
Yummy and so easy to make! I used chicken breast which I Am sure makes it a little drier that thighs, but since I don’t eat dark meat it worked for us!
Can you double the recipe?
Yes! the time does not change, however, you will notice the pot will take longer to come to pressure.
What button am I pushing when I set it to 4 minutes? Poultry? Or rice/grains?
Just use pressure cook. Don’t use the program buttons.
I am also new to the instant pot. Do you set it to normal pressure or high pressure?
You pot has High pressure and low pressure. Use High pressure for this. The Normal and more isn’t for the pressure cooking settings. It is for saute and slow cook.
We tried this last night with Catelli gluten free penne (from Walmart in Canada). I weighed out the 8 oz. Cooked for 5 min, not 4 as the recipe called for, on manual and it was perfect! I have had this pasta often and knew it takes a while to cook in the traditional manner so thought I’d add an extra minute.
Is this a Freezer Friendly recipe?
You can freeze it, yes. I would probably drop the cook time for about a minute so the noodles are not soggy on reheat from frozen.
Hey Steph! Delish looking recipe! I’m thinking of making this in my 8 quart instant pot, what do I change? TIA!
It should work as written in the 8 quart!
Doubled recipe in 8qt and cooked 6 minutes, was perfect!
Doubled recipe and cooked in my 8qt, was wonderful
Loved this! Easy and delicious!! I used Bow Tie pasta and it worked fine. I followed the instructions perfectly…this is a keeper.
Thank you
AWesome! So glad you liked it. Thanks for letting me know the bow tie pasta works!
I’m new to the Instant pot and I want to add spinach to this recipe. When would you or how would you layer it in?
I’m new to the Instant pot and I want to add spinach to this recipe. When would you or how would you layer it in?
ohhh good addition. I would add it after the chicken!
Hello,
I have chicken breasts in the frig. Can I use instead of thighs as long as I cut up in small pieces? Thanks! Looks yummy!
You can! I find breasts can dry out compared to thighs.
I’d actually recommend adding the spinach after the pressure cycle is over. Do your release and then put a few handfuls in, stir, then do the parm cheese and stir again and continue with recipe. It will wilt and be perfect. It probably would be overcooked if you cooked it all together. That’s just my two cents worth from previous experience. Hope that is helpful to you! 😊
Can I use chicken breast instead of chicken thighs? I’m not a big fan of chicken thighs
You can, but I find that chicken breast goes quite dry.
Doubled recipe and cooked 6 min. In 8qt. Turned out perfect!
How long does it take for pressure to hit 4 minutes?
usually 7-10 minutes max. But it depends on how cold your ingredients are. Colder = longer pressure up time.
Could you do this pot-in-pot with the chicken parm pasta in a pot closest to the bottom and a steamer basket on top for broccoli? If so, is 4 minutes enough time?
I think your broccoli would be over cooked. Even if you left it whole, I think it would over cook with 4 minutes pressure time (plus the pressure up time).
This was delicious! I added an additional cup of penne and 1/2 cup of water and it turned out great!
Can you use frozen breast?
Not for this one, no. The chicken has to be in small pieces so it matches the penne cook time.
Recipe is perfect and so easy! Will make again
Loved this recipe! I am gluten free so I used gf rotini, 5 mins high pressure and it turned out delicious!
If you dbl the meat and pasta, do you dbl the liquids?
Yes, you will have to add additional liquid. Maybe not double though. Just add emough liquid to just barely cover the noodles. Otherwise, you may end up with soup.
If the pot takes 29 minutes to build pressure do i still cook for 4-5 minutes?
Can I use precooked shredded chicken for this? Would I change cook time?
You can. I would just add it it in after the pressure cycle. Otherwise, I think it might be too dry.
Can I make this without chicken? Just the pasta?
you can! no need to change anything other than removing the chicken.
I made this tonight for dinner. I have an 8 quart instant pot. Used mini bowtie pasta. Cooked for 4 minutes. I used an extra cup of pasta sauce because I was worried there wasn’t enough liquid. Worked perfectly. Sometimes you just need to trust your instincts.
Made this tonight for dinner, (I have a small 2.5qt chefman pressure cooker), and it was delicious. Everything was PERFECT. I am still pretty new to jawing the pressure cooker and I haven’t gotten used to the settings and how to use them, I just hope for the best. I placed everything in and then sat the inner pot into the pressure cooker, after I already turned my pressure cooker on, and I set it for 10 minutes. My chicken was slightly still frozen (just a little hard) and it turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing! I saved this one for later!
Cooked this in an 8qt and it turned out perfect!
Could you substitute water with chicken broth and it still work?
That is a great idea! Yes, all good to do that swap.
New to using the IP! Can this be done with whole grain pasta? Does it change the cook time?
Look at the cook time on the box and adjust it to 1/2 that time!
Used 8qt IP today and it was flashing Food Burn and then continued to cook. I layered it as instructed. Any ideas how to avoid in the future?
But other than that hickup, the dish was delicious!!!
I doubled and made it in my 8Qt and it was fabulous!